Hello readers from around the world, and thanks for taking the time to read my brand new blog, Americana Review! When I say brand new I mean that it’s brand new to me too, I’ve never blogged before in my life. What the hell, there’s a first time for everything, and this is the debut writing of this blog.
What’s this blog about? This blog is about music, specifically a musical discovery that I had a few months ago which I’ll talk about in a moment. If you’ll indulge me for a moment, I’ll briefly go back to the beginning. Well, my beginning anyway. As a kid, I grew up listening to country music, all the old stuff from the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s. Man, did I take some heat from the kids in school for listening to country. Still, I stuck with it. I kept on listening. I didn’t realize it then, during that time I was developing an appreciation for the craft that is country music. The song writing, the arrangement of the music and the different voices that would emanate from my little radio kept me mesmerized for hours at a time. Country music from the 60s to the 80s, at least as a kid growing up, was viewed amongst my peers as something slightly less than cool. Then, along came the 90s, with Clint Black, Travis Tritt, Alan Jackson and of course, Garth Brooks. The floodgates to country superstardom were opened by these and a few other artists of that time. Imagine my surprise and how much I would gloat when in high school the same kids that would razz me for listening to country music were now coming up to my locker as if it were a covert drug deal and asking to borrow that latest Garth Brooks or Tim McGraw CD I would no doubt have.
Lately though, I’ve been feeling disillusioned with this form of music that has consumed much of my life. The music in mainstream country seems to be so factory oriented these days. Recently, I’ve become a HUGE fan of what seems to be a relatively new form of country, yet it’s been around forever. The form of country music I speak of is a wonderful blend of music that you’re not likely to hear on too many radio stations, which is a crying shame. I’m speaking of Americana.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m still a huge fan of mainstream country. I’ve got my new favourites to go along with all my old favourites. Keith Urban is one of the most God-gifted talented performers and musicians out there. But as I’ve recently discovered, so is Jason Isbell, who performs as Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit. Amanda Shires could rival any fiddle/violin solo that the Dixie Chicks could muster. And, I’m proud to say that I’ve found out what so many others in Texas have known for years when they crank up the volume to Cross Canadian Ragweed and Reckless Kelly. Fantastic acts all of them, and their music should be heard and heard often by anyone who is willing to listen and give their music a chance.
As I mentioned, this is my first blog entry. What do I see for this blog in the future? Well, I really hope it becomes part of your daily reading. If you love to talk about music, I invite you to please leave your comments. I would like this to be interactive, there’s very little that’s not on the table to discuss. I plan on doing album and concert reviews. And please, if there is any artist out there that you recommend, I am all ears. The ultimate goal is to move everything to an exclusive web site where we can properly promote artists and their albums, provide news updates from around the world of Americana, and produce a subscription service to a podcast where everyone who wishes to subscribe can listen to some of these great artists on a weekly show.
Thank you very much for checking this out, it has been a pleasure to write it. Please feel free to leave your comments or suggestions, or drop an e-mail at americanareview@gmail.com
Check back Tuesday May 18, 2010, when the discussion turns to what is Americana music.
No comments:
Post a Comment