Tag: Brandy Clark

If I Were a Grammy Award and You Were a Record (Op-ed)

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Now that we have the Americana Music Association and International Bluegrass Music Association awards in the rearview mirror, it's time to look forward — or not — to the Country Music Association awards in November and the Grammys in February.

Because all of the programs have different qualifying timelines, the potential nominees fall in strange places. For instance, Jason Isbell just nabbed two AMAs (Album and Song of the Year) for a record that came out 15 months ago. And Chris Stapleton, who was the 2016 AMA Artist of the Year, is up for another round of CMAs even though his record came out even longer ago than that.

What to say? It's a weird world.

But I do have a couple bones to pick about it all.

Now, I thought Traveller was a good record with solid tunes and Stapleton was a nice guy with an amazing voice before I knew he was pals with Justin Timberlake and before he was firing up the charts. It's great to see his brave and bold video for “Fire Away,” which addresses mental health issues, get a nod and even more wonderful to see his incredibly talented wife, Morgane, get a hat tip for their devastating version of “You Are My Sunshine” off the Dave Cobb-produced Southern Family LP. No problems there. Show 'em how it's done, Stapletons.

I also adored Lori McKenna's songs — though slightly less so when Tim McGraw sings them — long before Faith Hill found her, so I'm thrilled with all of her success and acclaim. There's not a more deserving soul around, as she actually embodies the virtues laid forth in “Humble and Kind,” which is nominated for both CMA Song and Single of the Year. Go get 'em, McKenna! Maybe next year your fantastic record, The Bird & the Rifle, will get some CMA love. (Even if it doesn't, we'll definitely plan to see you back at the Ryman in September for the AMAs.)

Maren Morris and her big ol' voice did something great with “My Church,” creating one of the only over-played commercial country songs I didn't change the station on as I scanned the radio dial. The rest of the record, though, despite a few good moments, fails to measure up … at least to my roots-loving ears. Still, she got tagged by the CMAs in the Female Vocalist, Song, Single, and Album of the Year categories. That's fine, I guess, since she's the hot new kid on the block.

But here's where it starts to get sticky: Last year's hot new kid, Kacey Musgraves, is an artist I like quite a bit, but she didn't release a record during the July 1, 2015 through June 30, 2016 eligibility window … yet she nabbed a Female Vocalist nomination. Meanwhile, Brandy Clark wrote and sang the crap out of this year's Big Day in a Small Town and got nary a nod. Nothing. Nada. Zero. Zilch. What's up with that, CMA? More than a few critics have cited Clark as the best songwriter working in Nashville, and I probably wouldn't be the first to note that she has proven herself to be an outstanding singer, as well. A tsk-tsk and a slap on the wrist for that huge oversight. I mean … seriously. BRANDY. CLARK.

And then there's Margo Price who is, arguably, the breakout country act of the year. She went home with an AMA for Emerging Artist of the Year, but got the cold country shoulder. She's good enough for SNL, but not CMA? Go figure. In terms of country icons, Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell won the AMA Duo/Group of the Year and are also nowhere to be found on the CMA list. And where's Loretta Lynn, who has maybe the countriest country release of 2016? Sitting at home in Hurricane Mills … that's where.

It's safe to say that we, in the Americana/roots music community, are more than happy to embrace all of these country music refugees because it's pretty clear that, while the CMAs may be a barometer for country radio, they certainly don't reflect country music.

Dear Grammy voters, you can — and should — do better. So, looking at the Grammy eligibility window of October 1, 2015 through September 30, 2016, here's how I'd love to see the various album categories fall. (A kid can dream, right?)

BEST AMERICANA ALBUM

Cautionary Tale
Dylan LeBlanc

My Piece of Land
Amanda Shires

Beulah
John Paul White

Ghosts of Highway 20
Lucinda Williams

I Am the Rain
Chely Wright

BEST FOLK ALBUM

Honest Life
Courtney Marie Andrews

The Bird & the Rifle
Lori McKenna

The Very Last Day
Parker Millsap

Young in All the Wrong Ways
Sara Watkins

Undercurrent
Sarah Jarosz

BEST COUNTRY ALBUM

Big Day in a Small Town
Brandy Clark

Full Circle
Loretta Lynn

For the Good Times: A Tribute to Ray Price
Willie Nelson

Midwest Farmer's Daughter
Margo Price

Southern Family
Various Artists

Lede photo of Ted Jensen's Grammy for mastering Norah Jones' 2002 Album of the Year, Come Away with Me, courtesy of Dmileson.

Get Off Your Ass: July Won’t Wait Forever

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Sarah Jarosz & Sara Watkins // Hollywood Bowl // July 1

The Dustbowl Revival // Levitt Pavilion // July 2

Joe Pug // Echo // July 7

Lyle Lovett & Emmylou Harris // Greek Theatre // July 10

Chris Thile // The Theatre at Ace Hotel // July 20

Dixie Chicks // Irvine Meadows // July 20

Hayes Carll & Luke Bell // Teragram Ballroom // July 21

Billy Strings // Levitt Pavilion // July 22

Jim Lauderdale // McCabe's Guitar Shop // July 24

Joseph // Fig at 7th // July 29

Buckwheat Zydeco // The Mint // July 30

Honeyhoney // The Troubadour // July 30

Marcus Blacke // The Basement // July 1

Mary Gauthier // The Bluebird Café // July 2

Brandy Clark // Riverfront Park // July 3

Robert Ellis // 3rd & Lindsley // July 3

Sheryl Crow, Ruby Amanfu, & Andrew Combs // Ascend Amphitheater/Riverfront Park // July 4

Chris Stapleton // Nissan Stadium // July 9

Leon Russell // City Winery // July 10

Andrew Leahey & the Homestead // The 5 Spot // July 12

Gary Clark, Jr. // Ascend Amphitheater // July 16

Sam Lewis // Acme Feed & Seed // July 16

Sarah Jarosz // Station Inn // July 21

John Moreland // The Basement East // July 29

Colvin & Earle // 92nd Street Y // July 13

Drive-By Truckers // Brookfield Place // July 13

Ray Wylie Hubbard // Hill Country Barbecue // July 13

Earls of Leicester // City Winery // July 14

Deer Tick, Margo Price, & Anais Mitchell // Hudson RiverStage // July 16

The Wood Brothers & Hiss Golden Messenger // Prospect Park Bandshell // July 16

Buddy Guy // Theater at Madison Square Garden // July 20

Ryan Adams // Central Park // July 20

Alabama Shakes // Randall's Island // July 22

The Wild Reeds // Union Pool // July 23

The Cactus Blossoms // Rough Trade // July 26

case/lang/veirs // Prospect Park Bandshell // July 26

Brandy Clark, ‘Three Kids No Husband’ (Acoustic Demo)

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Brandy Clark understands all of the inhales and exhales of humanity. Not the just the quick, excitable sighs that come with the first beats of a new romance, nor just the deep, shuddering moments that accompany a great loss or tragedy that leaves us struggling for air. Clark looks deeper, for those times that often go unnoticed, but perhaps say much more than labored gasps and gulps. On "Three Kids, No Husband," off of her sophomore release, Big Day In a Small Town, it's a single mother stealing away for a few minutes of oxygen on the balcony, that come drifting in through plaintive and quick pulls on a cigarette. It's a picture she first conjured on her debut, 12 Stories, with "Get High" — how, for these vibrant characters, sometimes the smallest, most savored respites can be found in an ashy drag.

Written with Lori McKenna, "Three Kids, No Husband" (featured here exclusively in a demo version) is true to Clark's representation of the world at large: There's the struggle of the single mother, balancing both a job at the diner and dirty diapers, but it's never condescending to her plight. She's tired and worn, but the blame is on the cards she's dealt, not her babies — a subtlety of motherly love that many songwriters chose to ignore or just don't understand. It's not a glamorous version of parenthood, but it's true, and Clark gives anyone raising a child (from the smallest towns to the biggest cities) the respect they deserve. "A real life hero, if you ask me," she sings. "Those kids ain’t gonna raise themselves." Just remember to breathe.

Kacy & Clayton, ‘Brunswick Stew’

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There's something happening north of the border these days. From Corb Lund's dreary Albertan cowboy to the serene melodies of Toronto's Doug Paisley, Canadians are currently pumping out some of our strongest, most mood-evocative roots music — which is rather humorous, being that the genre we're really talking about here is "Americana." Turns out, you don't have to be American at all to have a master grasp on the folk tradition. Actually, if you look at Lund, Paisley, Lindi Ortega, Whitehorse, Daniel Romano, and now, Kacy & Clayton, it's almost better if you're not.

A duo of second cousins from a remote region in Saskatchewan, Kacy Anderson and Clayton Linthicum grew up five hours away from the nearest record store — but that didn't stop them from becoming students of the great blues and country storytellers like the Carter Family and Lead Belly, even if it required prying copies from their neighbors or enduring numerous long drives. Strange Country, their first release for New West, is a set of murder ballads, eerie exploits, and haunting snippets in time, driven by Kacy's high, pristine quiver and Clayton's fast and fertile plucks which render the need for bigger orchestration utterly useless. Like Simon & Garfunkel's "Sounds of Silence," their folk songs always hover on the line of beauty and unease, a lullaby to the dawn of one day but a precursor to an uncertain future lingering right on the horizon.

One of their most compelling tracks is "Brunswick Stew," a jauntier version of their melodic palate, which is not the least bit jaunty in subject matter: It's about a girl who hid her pregnancy from her parents and dumps the resulting newborn in the river. Cautionary tales of small-town scandal have made a bit of a comeback lately, thanks to the likes of Kacey Musgraves or Brandy Clark's brilliant "Big Day in a Small Town" (a song which, coincidentally, also tells of a growing belly that turned out not to be a bunch of donuts, but a baby). Many new interpreters of folk get caught up in the urge to confess — the intimacy of voice and guitar bends well to that, and it's a tempting place to land. But Kacy & Clayton aren’t interested in making a musical diary; they prefer to dig deep into their imaginations, not their memories, for material. The result is Americana magic, regardless of their passport.

Brandy Clark: Sassy, Sentimental, and Sultry at Sold-Out Nashville Show

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The thing about shows in Nashville is, even though there are sometimes way too many of them happening at once, local artists gone big often try to do something special for the hometown crowd. So, for her second-ever Music City show with a full band, Brandy Clark played the songs from her upcoming album (Big Day in a Small Town, out June 10) last night at a sold-out Basement East, and it was, indeed, something special.

Coming off the wild success of 2013's 12 Stories, Clark had a high bar to clear with her sophomore set: making a record that would please not only her loyal fans, but also her major label, music critics, and radio programmers. Based on what we heard last night, she has cleared that bar with room to spare. It really is a record with something for everyone, as the crowd — which included representatives from all those demographics — was equally responsive to the radio readiness of “Girl Next Door” and “Love Can Go to Hell,” as well as the stone cold country of “Drinkin' Smokin' Cheatin'” and “Daughter.”

Because Clark wields sass so well, as evidenced again and again in this new batch of songs (“Big Day in a Small Town” and “Broke,” among quite a few others), it would be easy to peg her as a certain kind of songwriter. But she's no one-trick pony; she also knows how to get to the real heart of a matter, even when the story isn't her own. “Three Kids No Husband” and “Since You've Gone to Heaven” fit that bill very, very well. While the sassy and sentimental perspectives were both present on the 12 Stories tunes, this time around, Clark sneaks in a third glance in the form of the sultry-as-all-get-out love song that is “You Can Come Over” which she sang the hell out of last night.

After making her way through the BDST material, Clark closed her set by reaching back in the catalog for “Get High” and “Hungover” because songs about weed and booze always, ALWAYS go over well with the country crowd. In fact, they went over so well that the calls and applause for more lingered long after the house music was already up. For Brandy Clark and everyone at the B-East, it was a big … night in a not-so-small town. And it was wonderful.

Set List
“Soap Opera”
“Girl Next Door”
“Homecoming Queen”
“Broke”
“You Can Come Over”
“Love Can Go to Hell”
“Big Day in a Small Town”
“Three Kids No Husband”
“Daughter”
“Drinkin' Smokin' Cheatin'”
“Since You've Gone to Heaven”
“Get High”
“Hungover”

The BGS Sweet 16: Albums We’re Excited About in 2016

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With a new year comes a whole slew of new music, and we couldn't be more excited. So, looking ahead at what's on the horizon, we picked 16 sweet albums for '16 that we think you need to know about.

Aoife O'Donovan: The Magic Hour
The Brooklyn-based songstress returns with another magical full-length. O'Donovan is no longer just a string band associate. She's a powerful songwriter and one of the best lyricists on the scene today.

Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen: Family, Friends & Heroes
Frank Solivan and Dirty Kitchen join several cousins and Frank's own father for this very personal album. It's raw and intimate, and features several guest spots from Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, Rob Ickes, and Ronnie McCoury.

Loretta Lynn: Full Circle
It's been 12 years since Loretta Lynn put out her dynamite album with Jack White, Van Lear Rose. Now, at the ripe young age of 83, she's back to take what's hers (with special guests Elivs Costello and Willie Nelson).

Lucinda Williams: The Ghosts Of Highway 20
The Grand Duchess of Americana drives the lonely highways, smuggler routes, and gravel roads of the old South on this upcoming release. Prepare for feels.

M. Ward: More Rain
Matt Ward's retro engine revs again on his first solo effort since 2012's A Wasteland Companion. Prepare yourself for jangly chords on old Gretsches and etheral tales of fatherhood.

Waco Brothers: Going Down in History
The Brothers' first record in 10 years, Going Down in History, brings a bit of refinement (like a nicely aged bourbon) to the incredible legacy of these cow-punk greats.

— Cameron Matthews

* * *

Amanda Shires: TBD
Dave Cobb produced this one and word on the street is that it's Amanda's best set yet. That's really saying something, because 2013's Down Fell the Doves is a remarkable record.

Brandy Clark: Big Day in a Small Town
Brandy made a big splash with the stunning 12 Stories in 2013, so expectations are high for its follow-up. But anyone who's heard any of the new songs knows that her artistic waters run very, VERY deep.

Dori Freeman: Dori Freeman
This is one that won my heart at first listen. Dori's picking up the Appalachian mantle, earning early comparisons to Loretta, which may prove to be a blessing or a curse … or a bit of both.

Dylan LeBlanc: Cautionary Tale
The first time I heard this one, I tweeted, "Currently listening to my first favorite record of 2016, courtesy of @dleblancmusic. It won't be out until January, but it's a good one." That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Parker Millsap: The Very Last Day
So far, this year's most-anticipated LPs are coming, primarily, from the ladies, with this young lad sneaking his way onto the list based on his wonderful self-titled set from 2013. For anyone who's wondering, Parker's taking a big step forward on this next one.

Sweet Honey in the Rock: #LoveInEvolution
If ever there were a time that the world needed some Sweet Honey, it's now.

Various Artists: Southern Family
Another Dave Cobb joint, Southern Family includes Miranda Lambert, Jason Isbell, Brandy Clark, Anderson East, Holly Williams, and quite a few other fantastic artists. Sign me up!

— Kelly McCartney

* * *

Judah & the Lion: Folk Hop N' Roll
Nashville's Judah and the Lion went back into the studio with man-of-the-moment Dave Cobb to record this sophomore effort to follow their acclaimed debut, Kids These Days.

Margo Price: Midwest Farmer's Daughter
The first country artist signed to Third Man Records, Margo Price is turning heads left and right thanks to her gritty songwriting and classic country roots.

Victoria Reed: Chariot
Newcomer Victoria Reed showcases her New-York-by-way-of-Detroit take on folk and Americana with this stirring debut, which features her captivating voice and thoughtful songwriting.

— Brittney McKenna

* * *

Mavis Staples: Livin' on a High Note

Just announced today, we'd be remiss to not include Mavis's upcoming album as a bonus pick! Produced by M. Ward, it features songs written for Mavis by Nick Cave, Neko Case, Ben Harper, Justin Vernon, and others. And it's as funky and spunky as the singer herself.