Members LeonardScaper Posted July 10, 2009 Members Share Posted July 10, 2009 I've been driving with a friend who listens a lot.....I mean she is really into it. I mostly listen to the local singer/songwriter station......or NPR. Yeah, I'm old. She made me take her Sugarland disc. I played it. I like it. Thing is, I think it's influencing my songwriting. I'm serious......these guys really know how to put songs together, not to mention some tight production. I find myself getting tighter with my structure and more concise with my lyrics. Not only that, but me and the wife just got back from lookin' at a doublewide. I really am serious. Tell me I'm not the only one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members blue2blue Posted July 11, 2009 Members Share Posted July 11, 2009 On the double wide, I've only got one word of advice: tornadoes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Stackabones Posted July 11, 2009 Members Share Posted July 11, 2009 My wife wants to get a doublewideI start thinking murder/suicide Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Chicken Monkey Posted July 11, 2009 Members Share Posted July 11, 2009 Stack, fix the scansion on that and you've got a massive hit. There's a LOT to be taken from modern country radio. I think of the Nashville production machine as the Japanese automakers in the 80s--there isn't much there that's particularly enjoyable, but the engineering is killer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members LeonardScaper Posted July 11, 2009 Author Members Share Posted July 11, 2009 --there isn't much there that's particularly enjoyable, but the engineering is killer. That, and the way they put the songs together. The repetetive cliches, both lyrically and melodically, get old quickly but they do tend to keep the casual listener involved in the song. If a little of that was to rub off onto a meandering songwriter like me that would not be a bad thing. I switched over to the classical station the other day while she was in the bank. When she got back in I went to switch back and she grabbed my wrist to stop me........there is hope for humanity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Chicken Monkey Posted July 11, 2009 Members Share Posted July 11, 2009 That, and the way they put the songs together. I forgot that "engineering" has a specific meaning in music production. I actually meant exactly what you are saying here. I couldn't identify good engineering, in the musical sense, if it bit me in the earbud. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rockinrobby Posted July 11, 2009 Members Share Posted July 11, 2009 I like some country music quite a bit and have written some country tunes, but "Sugarland" in particular (to me) is like nails on a chalkboard... Some of those country artists, like Sugarland, and Reba? Just take that whole hick accent thing in their vocals to the inth degree... Turning a one syllable word in to a 3 syllable word? And when I hear them doing that, it literally makes my skin crawl. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kurdy Posted July 11, 2009 Members Share Posted July 11, 2009 I've always been of the opinion that you can say what you want about country music, but it's got some of the best songwriters in the business. One of the few genres left that lives and dies by the song. In other genres, a lyric can get away with being a little vague or abstract; in country, every important detail has to be spelled out, so listeners don't get confused, and you have to do it in only 4 minutes, AND it has to be catchy too. Not an easy task. And of course, nearly every country song has that clever pay-off line that usually becomes the title of the song. I can only take country in very small doses, but usually what I hear of it is very well done. So yeah, ain't nothin' wrong with studying country music. There's a lot that can be learned from it. Although, I still haven't learned what a "doublewide" is, but I'm guessing it's a kind of trailer? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Chicken Monkey Posted July 11, 2009 Members Share Posted July 11, 2009 Although, I still haven't learned what a "doublewide" is, but I'm guessing it's a kind of trailer? It's a trailer, but, believe it or not, it's roughly twice as wide as a trailer (I think it's actually two trailers joined along the long side). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members LeonardScaper Posted July 11, 2009 Author Members Share Posted July 11, 2009 I like some country music quite a bit and have written some country tunes, but "Sugarland" in particular (to me) is like nails on a chalkboard... Yo Robby......some serious good electric guit work on the particular disc that I had access to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rockinrobby Posted July 12, 2009 Members Share Posted July 12, 2009 Yes, I'm not commenting on the production, or the performances "per se", it's when they get in to that whole "I live in the country" vocal performance. It's the turning a one sylabal word into more... :-( They seem to "milk it" WAY more than they would if you were talking to them? That's what gets on my last nerve... Bluegrass, now there are some "talented" musicians... Hard core country. Tony Rice? Jere Douglas? Ricky Skags? Forget about it... Game over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jamieb Posted March 2, 2010 Members Share Posted March 2, 2010 For what it's worth, I happen to talk with a thick "country" or "southern" drawl. So much, in fact, I almost had to call for an interpreter while giving my "best man" speech during my best friend's wedding. This was to benefit his bride's family, which is from New York! My point is, I don't have a problem with a southern accent, if it's real. I've been playing in a group supporting a female vocalist, and she refers to the two of us as "the two biggest hicks" in the band. She's probably right. Personally, I have always been a little bothered by hearing American artists who sang with fake British accents. As far as the musicians in modern country go; One of the busiest session guitarists in Nashville is a guy named Brent Mason. Go check out some of his work, in particular the album he did with his brother. Might change your mind a little. I was actually in Nashville last Thursday. There were good musicians in pretty much every little hole-in-the-wall downtown. Just my opinion. Thank y'all! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Lee Knight Posted March 2, 2010 Moderators Share Posted March 2, 2010 (Edit: I just realized this is a resurrected thread) Leonard, I am in absolute agreement with you. I've always treaded this narrow path too. Things that by and large are not enjoyed but musicians and songwriters, well... a lot of it I like. And frankly, I have some pretty well informed and dare I say it, hip taste. but that's never gotten in the way of my appreciation and enjoyment of acts like Sugarland. I've never understood how a twangy accent somehow renders all the other merits of a work nonexistent. Or the fact that an act is fronted by an airhead talentless mannequin somehow makes the production and songwriting weak. Not the case with Sugarland but that's how far I personally will take this line of thinking. Knee-jerk criticism to save face. I saw a live concert video of Sugarland on Paladia HD TV. Frankly, they were fantastic. The songs were very very very clever and inventive. How to take simple ingredients and arrange them in new and ground breaking ways. But that doesn't exist 'cause she's got that accent? My wife couldn't hang with the TV concert so I understand the finger nails on chalkboard issue. But for me? I'm with you Leonard. I'll take inspiration where ever I damn well please. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members The dman Posted March 2, 2010 Members Share Posted March 2, 2010 My band plays a lot of Sugarland and they write some great tunes, I wouldn't listen to them at home but people especially women around here really identify with the songs. I will say their keys and chord progressions are pretty repetitious. There's some vocal riffs that that singer does that are pretty impressive imo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ido1957 Posted March 3, 2010 Members Share Posted March 3, 2010 When I played live I played 60-70% Country. The folks in the rural areas at weddings/anniversaries/parties prefer it and know it and love it. Catchy, pop-y with good hooks and leads I liked it too... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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