After one of the most succesfull tours of 2004, the CMA album of the year, and being named entertainer of the year...I didn't think Kenny could top last year, but he's made one huge step towards achieving that.

I got his new album yesterday (first album I ever bought on the day it was released)...and heck, it's the best he's ever done. I've heard it about ten times by now and every time it's finished I can't help but put it on again.

'when the sun goes down' was awesome, this one is AMAZING. It's much more subtle, toned-down a bit, though still rockin at times and the lyrics have improved a lot. It's only januari but I think, unless something really big happens, we got our album of the year already.

THE GREAT ONE IS BACK !!
(sorry, 'm just excited)

now excuse me while i dissapear into the sunset


grtz
Kev1n
[Edited 1/26/05 3:29am]

ummm...who?...
oh wait...I don't actually care...

When was the last time a country or country-tinged record has been a landmark? Johnny Cash?

VoicesCarry said:

depending on what interpretation the word 'landmark gets'

* commercial succes:

* garth Brooks : 2nd best selling american in history
* Toby keith: sold 16.000.000 records in just five (!) years

* Musical quality

* Dixie chicks - home (2001)
* Alan Jackson - Drive (2001)
* George Strait - Honkytonkville (2003)
* Gretchen Wilson, Big & Rich, set nashville ablaze (2004)
* Dolly Parton - Little Sparrow (2003)

I don't think you can judge the importance of an album after just five years. But saying Country hasn't produced anything since Cash, as I interpret your comment, is saying prince's post 94-east career is crap. I'd still prefer the most corney, cliched, untallented country rambler over a 1000 dj tiesto's.

You may not like him or his music but Kenny Chesney is a force to be recconed with in music today...If rappers can get away with it, so can we: Look at his sales!

grtz
Kev1n
[Edited 1/26/05 4:24am]

I'm talking about a musical landmark, not a sales landmark. I can't see any of the records you cited as being particularly good - except for "Home" - so that's probably why I don't see it. But Gretchen Wilson a landmark of musical quality? I don't think so, somehow....

kev1n said:

[Edited 1/26/05 4:29am]

But hey, at least it's not Toby Keith, right?

VoicesCarry said:

the first rap records were crap as well, yet the sparked something that has been going ever since. Same goes for gretchen and B&R, they're starting something that's going to influence Counrty music like we can't even imagine.

The rest is up to everyone's taste. I for one can't see the appeal of 'sgt peppers' 'pet sounds'. What I like about counrty is that it continues to poor out extroardinary albums on a regular basis (a lot of crap as well, sure). I mean country's got Cash, Jennings, Nelson, Jones, Kristofferson, Elvis, Haggard, Hank, Strait,... Whats does Hip-hop have? 50 cents? No contest, imho!

I just can't relate to someone talking to me about 'bling bling' 'B'ches' 'hoods' etc...maybe some people can, but I'm not rich. 'Getting wasted after another relationship crashes and burns' I can relate to that. 'wanting to just saddle up the horse and leave with the sunset', I can relate to that.

TheMadMonkey said:

Hey, how was mars?

kev1n said:

Hip hop had good artists, but has mostly burnt out. You can't base everything on 50 Cent.

I myself cannot see any good artists in country music today, so there you are. I can't relate to country twang or the lifestyle. I swear, all damn country records sound like variations on the same to me, so I can't see how any can be landmark. I can't see any artistic progression except adding some more pop influences to their songs to make them more radio-friendly. This sounds like the influence of Shania being carried on through Gretchen.
[Edited 1/26/05 4:44am]

VoicesCarry said:

There we are indeed...and it's a good thing too. If everyone liked the same thing we'd have a billboard top 1. Discussing taste is always a tricky thing...but I do enjoy it. It's through discussions like this I've picked up a lot of treasures I'd otherwise never even considderd (rick James, duran duran,...). Btw: who do you think would be better qualified to represent hip-hop instead of 50 cents? (I know it was a bit stereotype to put him there, but i do hate that guy )

oh and btw: With 'landmark-album', in the title of this thread i meant: one of the albums that's going to dominate the charts and media this year
[Edited 1/26/05 4:49am]

kev1n said:

I would start with De La Soul's 3 Feet High And Rising LP, Eric B & Rakim's Paid In Full, Run-DMC's Raising Hell, The Notorious B.I.G.'s Ready To Die, Outkast's Stankonia, Public Enemy's Apocalypse 91...The Enemy Strikes Back, Erykah Badu's Baduizm (or Mama's Gun), Salt-N-Pepa's Blacks' Magic, or most anything by The Roots.

I like Faith Hill

Is she considered "real country music" anyway?

VoicesCarry said:

And I'd add Kanye West, Eminem, Mos Def, Murs, Aesop Rock, De La (still), Outkast (still), Jean Grae, Nas, MF Doom, Prince Paul....these folks are consistently putting out interesting, non-bling-obssessed music that stands head and shoulders with any of the country folks you mentioned.

i can deal with every type im so not closed minded.. but sorry i cant stand country Music.i just caint do it,i caint, every person has a taste limit lol

TheRealFiness said:

Oh stop lying.We saw those Dolly Parton albums in your collection

DavidEye said:

lol that was only for the tittie factor

I would say landmark is when an album goes global, not just the bubble of the USA.

What was the last country album to do that?


.

TheRealFiness said:

VoicesCarry said:

Loretta Lynn's "Van Lear Rose".

Little Sparrow is a phenomenal album and won Dolly a Grammy for Shine. I can't vouch for Kenny Chesney as an innovator, but his music ain't bad. And I'll agree with Anx on Van Lear Rose. Excellent, and sadly overlooked, country album. The best of the old and the new. Love it to pieces!

VoicesCarry said:

No offence, but I don't like country music, especially 'new country". I like folks like Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Loretta Lynn and perhaps a few more, but the new stuff like Shania, Kenny C., Alan Jackson, Tim McGraw - boring and uninspiring IMHO.

kisscamille said:

Well, how about new country along the lines of "alt-country"?

Of late, I've developed an enormous hard-on for: Lucinda Williams, Emmylou Harris, Nanci Griffith, Patty Griffin, Tift Merritt, Garrison Starr...

as well as Steve Earle, Los Lobos (sorry, no hard-on there)

Also, I just bought Willie Nelson's 1975 "Red Headed Stranger" - brilliant!

jackflash said:

I actually like Emmylou. I forgot about her. Steve Earle isn't bad either, but some of the "new country" sucks bad. Willie Nelson is great!!

kisscamille said:

You're right - gotta distinguish alt-country from pop-country

Anyway, if you like Emmylou, try some of those other artists I mentioned (with Lucinda being my fave, and Patty Griffin and Nanci Griffith tied for second place...)
[Edited 1/26/05 9:01am]

Loretta Lynn's album sounded good. Time will tell if it's a landmark. Chesney's a cute guy in a cowboy hat.

If people tell me that they don't like country, I burn them some Gram Parsons and then they seem to "get it".