Hernandez Bracket: IMADreamer vs TGantz

[CardsofSTL]

IMADreamer's Not All New Country Sucks

vs

TGantz' Country but Good

[IMADreamer]

God Damn, I might actually vote against myself on this one. I'm going to have to think on it.

[BottenFieldofDreams]

Gotta go with the songwriter for Cover Me Up, don't you?

I think Wallen's done what he can to come back from his eff up, and been smart and not ham-fisted about it--as much as I know about it. I can let it go (Isbell doesn't seem to be able to, but I don't blame him much either). I do think it's great to see someone come back from something like that in these days. At the same time, I also think Wallen isn't much more special, if at all, than the other dime-a-dozen guys that make radio country these days--so why not just let someone else without the ugly baggage be the main guy? That number one song he had for like 40 weeks last year was lame boilerplate modern country borrowing heavily from hip-hop--and he probably didn't write that one either. Why does it need to be him? The cynical side of me wonders if his giganticness isn't about redemption but about recoiling to the cancellation--by people who many of will say they hate hip hop. To be clear, I feel about radio hip hop almost as sour as radio country--where there's a difference, anyway.

Hopefully I don't sound totally self-righteous. Doesn't he hang out with Drake (another 'why does he have to be the main guy' guy for me) in Lambos now? It can flow under the bridge. Anyway, it's an interesting case study in pop culture, cancel culture, broken modern discourse, and crappy pop music.

Childers--there's a guy. Big fan. Writing great songs and walking the walk.

[CardsofSTL]

I find myself usually liking older music; even before my time; so a lot of newer music is unfamiliar to me unless someone introduces me to it; and that goes doubly for new country which no one ever introduces me to. Growing up on my Grandma's farm like I did; we had speakers wired from the house to the milking barn to the machine sheds and would hear the old country that she liked wherever we were on the farm. Singers like Ernie Tubb, Hank Williams Sr, Charlie Pride, Johnny Cash, and so forth. So when I hear country that is what I compare it to; and if it compares favorably to that it feels like being back home. For me IMADreamer's list hits closer to that; so that is the one that got my vote. I did enjoy both lists.

[TGantz]

God Damn, I might actually vote against myself on this one. I'm going to have to think on it.

I am a big fan of your list as well. I should have added Sturgill over Wallen.

[TGantz]

Gotta go with the songwriter for Cover Me Up, don't you?

I think Wallen's done what he can to come back from his eff up, and been smart and not ham-fisted about it--as much as I know about it. I can let it go (Isbell doesn't seem to be able to, but I don't blame him much either). I do think it's great to see someone come back from something like that in these days. At the same time, I also think Wallen isn't much more special, if at all, than the other dime-a-dozen guys that make radio country these days--so why not just let someone else without the ugly baggage be the main guy? That number one song he had for like 40 weeks last year was lame boilerplate modern country borrowing heavily from hip-hop--and he probably didn't write that one either. Why does it need to be him? The cynical side of me wonders if his giganticness isn't about redemption but about recoiling to the cancellation--by people who many of will say they hate hip hop. To be clear, I feel about radio hip hop almost as sour as radio country--where there's a difference, anyway.

Hopefully I don't sound totally self-righteous. Doesn't he hang out with Drake (another 'why does he have to be the main guy' guy for me) in Lambos now? It can flow under the bridge. Anyway, it's an interesting case study in pop culture, cancel culture, broken modern discourse, and crappy pop music.

Childers--there's a guy. Big fan. Writing great songs and walking the walk.

I really don't like cheesy 'Nashville country' that we mostly hear on the radio. I don't like most of Wallen's songs but his cover of Cover Me Up is pretty perfect IMO. That turd has quite a voice. I try not to get into the TMZ/personal kind of stuff that artists get involved in.

That being said I do enjoy how genuine Colter Wall and Tyler Childers are. Wall grew up on a ranch in rural Cananda and I believe still works on it daily. He doesn't do many interviews and seems to still be grounded. He has improved singing and doesn't use such a low tone anymore, but I wanted anyone that was uninitiated to hear that 1880's whiskey voice he started with.

Childers is similar, coming from a dirt poor mining town. He was writing extremely great songs as a teenager (Shake the Frost). Tyler's career is definitely starting to sky rocket.

One Horse Town has been stuck in my head for like a year. It came up on my Tyler Childers pandora a while back. I like that Blackberry Smoke is accessible to fans of a few different genres.

Stapleton speaks for himself. I went for one of his least impressive songs that some may not know because I wanted to showcase how talented he is with just a guitar and his wife's harmonies.

[BottenFieldofDreams]

Childers song A Long Violent History is such an incredible response to the George Floyd murder and subsequent protests. It’s so full of empathy but manages to ground it in the struggle and perceptions of his own community—and makes it land. I don’t think many people could thread that needle. Beautiful. Really emotionally provocative. Maybe @thrill tipped me to that one if I’m remembering right?

I’m going to try and stop being so heavy.

I love that Sturgill Simpson song so much. As a guy that tries to make stuff sometimes… perfect. Have you ever found some idea you wrote in a notebook and wanted to crawl in a hole somewhere and die without saying goodbye? I have.

[Radbird]

As far as which version of Cover Me Up - I knew Wallen covered it but hadn’t heard it before and I liked it a lot. I prefer Isbell’s original even though I believe Wallen has a stronger voice because I love the passion Jason pours into his songs.

Both of these lists are great - country music at its highest level - props to both of you.

New-to-me artists Muscadine Bloodline, Turnpike Troubadours and Blackberry Smoke have been added to my library.

Could’ve easily gone either way but the Tiny Desks version of More of You cinched the deal.

[IMADreamer]

As far as which version of Cover Me Up - I knew Wallen covered it but hadn’t heard it before and I liked it a lot. I prefer Isbell’s original even though I believe Wallen has a stronger voice because I love the passion Jason pours into his songs.

Both of these lists are great - country music at its highest level - props to both of you.

New-to-me artists Muscadine Bloodline, Turnpike Troubadours and Blackberry Smoke have been added to my library.

Could’ve easily gone either way but the Tiny Desks version of More of You cinched the deal.

Glad I could turn you on to a couple new artists. Muscadine Bloodline and Turnpike Troubadours are two of my favorites these day. I find them in my heavy rotation for sure.

Oddly enough I first heard of Turnpike years ago because of Matt Carpenter. Their song "Long hot Summer Day." was his walk up song. lol

[CardsofSTL]

Congratulations @TGantz for winning the dueling country playlists!