The Official Country Music Thread Genre • Page 173

I’m assuming The Starting Line

 

So I was looking through this Reddit thread for current “good country” recommendations, and someone recommended a website/blog. I had a look at it and it has a lame name, but looks like it has good stuff. Checked Spotify and they have a playlist of new music that they keep current and it kicks ass.

Maybe all of this is news only to me, but figured I’d share.

 

The guy who runs this site is genuinely one of the biggest pieces of shit I have encountered anywhere on the internet. Couches his misogynistic, racist beliefs in a “trad-country purist” costume, and has a totally gross readership of MAGA lunatics. Back when I was on Twitter and friendly with the country journalism/blogger crowd, he would harass anyone who didn’t share his extremely narrow-minded view of the genre, which meant mostly getting into scrapes with women or people of color. (He actually comes up in the forthcoming installment of My Life In 35 Songs, funnily enough.)

Anyway, would not recommend supporting him or his website in any way. He and people like him are a big part of the reason I drifted away from the genre.

 

I did not know that, I only saw that many of the artists on the list also get mentioned in this thread etc. so that’s why it piqued my interest. My apologies and thanks for the information.

 

No need to apologize, he definitely presents as reasonable/passionate about country music on the surface. I’ve just seen too much to ever support him, and I’ll always tell people who he really is if I see him mentioned.

 

As promised, this week’s My Life In 35 Songs delves into my issues with the country music fandom, and around the type of “guy” that this Saving Country Music dude epitomizes. Also includes a gross excerpt from one of his shitty reviews.

My Life In 35 Songs, Track 28: “Dibs” by Kelsea Ballerini

My journey with this genre was really strange, in that I had just this explosion of discovery back in 2015 and then went all in on country music for half a decade, basically to the exclusion of everything else. And then Trumpism and the pandemic came along and the spell almost completely broke for me. This week’s essay is about that whole weird journey, as much as it is about any one song or artist. Kelsea, as someone who ostensibly left country music behind, felt like a fitting prism through which to tell that story.

 

“It was the last time I felt the spark of youthful discovery that had characterized my first steps into music obsession, and sometimes, I wonder if I’ll feel anything quite like that ever again. I hope so.”

I know this feeling. I’m almost 36 now and I am once again feeling that spark with Jazz, after not having felt it in a long time either.

 

That's great. What got you to go down the rabbit hole with jazz?

 

Sadly it was anxiety, haha. Jazz is better for it than any other music.

 

Love this song. Albums is great too (I’m a little late).

 

I’m going to all 3 days next weekend. I’m excited for Kacey, Avery Anna, and Noah. But who else should I check out??

 

Red clay strays!!

 

Treaty Oak Revival and Red Clay Strays

 

I don’t know what Dasha is supposed to do to get a bigger fanbase. She’s had a big hit and all of these new songs are great. Something is broken.

 

Treaty Oak.

 

the second half of day 2 ended up getting cancelled due to weather, unforch.

 

Site has been around a while. Dude who runs it is quite full of himself.

 

The new Whiskey Myers is fun. Much better than the previous album.

 

She’s great! I just think there’s a lot of country girls cranking out hits. I don’t find this to be everything but she is definitely sweetened to where it doesn’t translate live (and becomes labored with choreography) so I think with her being support on her last few tours it’s not helping her grow any, she just needs to keep pushing these recorded songs cause they’re great.

 

Wrote about one of my favorite country songs of the last 10 years, Hailey Whitters' "The Days," and about the last few months of pre-pandemic normalcy when I was listening to this song (and her whole first album) a lot.

My Life In 35 Songs, Track 30: “The Days” by Hailey Whitters

 

Would this be a good or bad time to ask how you feel about Corn Queen haha?

 

Haha, not particularly fond of it. I feel like she leaned into this kitschy persona that doesn’t align with what she did well on that first album.

 

Yeah I don’t hate it or anything but it’s not nearly as strong IMO.