Like blistering sunburns caused by prolonged exposure to the long, hot days of summer, country songs that celebrate the season of fun in the sun can quickly become over-baked and painful. James Otto’s new single “Groovy Little Summer Song,” however, breaks through the pack and delivers a self-aware, laid-back tune just as enjoyable as an SPF-covered day at the beach.

The song finds Otto comfortably in the pocket, showcasing the same smooth delivery exhibited on breakout hit “Just Got Started Loving You.” When he implores the DJ to “Play something sexy/Make her fall in love with me,” it’s easy to imagine the singer following through on his end of the deal.

Coming out of a brutal chill that left snow on the ground in every state across the country except Hawaii, “Groovy Little Summer Song” practically salivates over summer’s much-anticipated answer to blizzards and snow boots: “When the days stop gettin’ warm /And the sun starts sinkin’ lower/Weekends go by faster and beer stops tasting colder/Wanna tune into a station that takes me on a soul vacation.”

The song’s singer, who walks the “country soul” talk that Danny Gokey has hyped as of late, complements the tune’s a-few-beers-in flavor with well-placed ending falsetto notes reminiscent of Alabama’s “Dancin’, Shaggin’ on the Boulevard.” In a sea of artists trying to force a square peg into a round hole, Otto’s special brand of cool is refreshingly authentic.

Otto has struggled to channel any momentum on his last three singles “For You,” “These Are the Good Old Days” and “Since You Brought It Up.” Songs such as “Groovy Little Summer Song” and “Just Got Started Loving You” obviously come natural to the singer; however, if Otto has any hopes of sustaining a career, he’ll have to find a way to channel his brand of country music into songs that don’t solely rely on his sexual charisma.

On top of the appeal that stems from a summer song not forced on country radio by Kenny Chesney and Co., “Groovy Little Summer Song” is a definitive example of what its title describes. After a long, cold winter, bring it on.

Listen: James Otto – “Groovy Little Summer Song”

To read my interview with Shelton, click here. Or, check out the conversation about EP and short-length albums started by Karlie Justus in last Saturday’s Your Take.

JIM MALEC: Why is physical product a part of this new marketing strategy?

PETER STRICKLAND: Well, physical, in our format, represents ninety percent of the business. It wouldn’t make sense for us to eliminate that part of the business. It’s just how our consumers shop for music. Digital is growing, but it just made sense to do it on both platforms. And, with it being new, you want to be able to gauge the success in both areas—whether we grow in physical, whether we grow in digital, or whether we don’t [grow].

JM: Are you confident that you’ll have shelf placement for Blake’s first SixPak, Hillbilly Bone?

PS: Yes. It was very well received by all digital partners and all retail partners.

JM: What does a SixPak look like?

PS: In its current release state, it looks exactly the same as a regular CD. There are branding points on the piece that will describe it—down the inter-window of the spine it shows a SixPak copy layout, and we also have a SixPak logo on the stickering (where we call out the hit track and other things we want to message).

JM: In the press release that went out with the advance for this, there’s a quote from Blake that says, “The fact that people will be able to get the new music for less money is a gift to my fans who have been behind me every step of the way.” What advantages are there, cost wise, in releasing two smaller albums as opposed to one album, and how does this format lower costs on the label’s end so that it can lower costs on the retail end? Or, I guess another way to ask this question would be, is the savings that Blake is talking about really anything other than a nominal reduction in retail price?

PS: I can’t get in to the financial structure of how we put out our music, and additionally, we can’t tell our customers—not our consumers but our customers—what to sell music for. We sell it to them at a certain price, but they could sell this thing for $20 if they want. I doubt that’s going to happen (laughing).

I think that what is making this initial launch successful is that retail is embracing it, and I think they’ll price it where it could attract additional consumers to the project. If it’s being sold for less, but you’re selling more volume, ultimately you’re going to end up in a better place.

Now, as far as on the manufacturing side, yes. Instead of manufacturing or developing a product once–and all the art that goes along with that–you will have that cost twice or three times or whatever it might be. That’s if you look at it as an album cycle.

What we’re looking at it as is a six-track album that would release every six months, to infinity. That would just become a normal release schedule for a body of work. We’ve talked with Blake that we could potentially see three of these, which will give us enough time to see what the consumers’ shopping habits are gonna be based on this type of release. We’ll learn from it and alter some things if we have to. But if it’s a huge success, the best thing we could do is just to learn what we did from that and then launch another one.

(more…)

Here, perhaps country music’s most family-friendly singer in a generation “dad-gums” and golly-gees his way through a piece of contemporary fluff that only proves his music to be fundamentally comprised of the genre’s most basic stereotypes.

With a catalog full of songs that primarily includes topics like America, “values,” kids and rural life, Atkins has established himself as an artist more concerned with motif than character. Unfortunately, those themes are seldom developed to more than a perfunctory degree. Atkins’ music is full of nifty rhymes and swell imagery that does a sufficient job of illustrating a particular lifestyle and life perspective, but it consistently reduces its characters to a monolithic group of stock small-town faces who have no depth beyond their obvious connection to a particular setting.

In this case, that setting is a farm, and the characters are a hard-working farmer, a beautiful farmer’s daughter and a young, cocky farmhand who falls in love with said female. What, you’ve heard that one before? “Farmer’s Daughter” tells the most obvious story about this most obvious trio in the most obvious way possible, as if we’ve never considered the possibility of the situation.

Or should I say the probability of the situation? Because, after all, it’s not even particularly unexpected that a farmhand would fall in love with a beautiful farmer’s daughter, since both of them likely live in a small town where choices in mates are limited, they see each other and interact on a daily basis, and their relationship is, in a way, taboo—a fact which fuels attraction.

Not to spoil anything for you, but yes, they get married–and yes, they live happily ever after.

In fact, the story is so obvious that it seems hardly worth telling. Alas, that’s what today’s mainstream country audience clamors for—the simplest, most easily-consumed lyrics possible, wrapped up inside a musical setting that doesn’t so much help the song communicate as remind you what radio station you’re listening to.

Atkins has carved out a reasonable amount of success by playing the “aww shucks” card to great effect. “Farmer’s Daughter” is a logical next step in that chain, though it will accomplish little other than to help further entrench country music in one of its most stale and unintelligent periods ever.

Listen: Rodney Atkins – “Farmer’s Daughter”

Kellie Coffey was originally signed to BNA records in 2001, and it was a cut from her Dann Huff-produced 2002 album–”When You Lie Next to Me”–that introduced the country music world to her. The song spent an amazing eight months climbing up the charts, eventually resulting in a tour spot on Kenny Chesney’s Margaritas & Senoritas Tour, a 2003 Academy of Country Music Award for Top New Female Vocalist and a spot on the George Strait tour in 2004.

But after a split from her record label in 2004, she put her music career on hold while she tackled another equally challenging new role: Mother. It didn’t come easy, and in the process, she recorded and released a song about the challenges of infertility. The video for “I Would Die For That” has become an internet sensation, collecting over half a million views while becoming an inspiration for women and couples facing the same challenges.

Coffey released an independent album, Walk On, in 2007, and an EP called Why I’m Alive within the last year. And while there are few country music stations playing the new releases, she has finally found fulfillment in becoming a mom to two healthy kids. She’s still writing and recording and fans will have new music to look forward to before the end of 2010.

The 9513 had the opportunity to talk with the ever-lovely Kellie Coffey about the time during her peak radio airplay and about what life is like for her these days. (more…)

Three friends named Butter, Big Vinny and Crystal sounds like a team of crime-fighting mice from a mid-‘80s Saturday morning cartoon, but together they are, in fact, Trailer Choir. Up until now, the band is best known for its song, “Rockin’ The Beer Gut,” and the fact that Big Vinny–a 400-plus pound former Sonic manager who wears overalls–can break out The Worm during a concert. That’s a dance move, by the way, and not anything lewd.

With that kind of a track record, it’s hard to take them seriously, and that may account for the group’s failure to crack the Top 40 yet. Sure, Brad Paisley and Trace Adkins have had hits with humorous songs, but they’ve got an equal number of somber ballads in their repertoire. Aside from one heavy-handed song about dead coal miners, Trailer Choir has been all about jokes and gimmicks from the start, and it’s tempting to put the trio in the same category as Fast Ryde and Tyler Dean and dismiss them as all schtick, no substance.

Then along comes “Rollin’ in the Sunshine.” No, it’s not a groundbreaking single by any stretch of the imagination. It’s written in the same template that most breezy summer songs use: Life’s really hard right now, but man, the weather’s sure nice! Let’s go for a ride! However, writers Big Vinny and Butter took that old template and turned out a song that’s catchier than most with a few little details–like taking a night class and hand-surfing in the car–that don’t normally pop up in a country song. Butter turns in a pretty smooth vocal performance, and the backing fiddle and accordion give the song just a bit of an always-welcome Cajun feel.

“Rolling Through The Sunshine” isn’t any deeper than Trailer Choir’s other songs. However, “Off The Hillbilly Hook” and “Beer Gut” just seemed like desperate cries for attention, too forced to be truly humorous or stand up to repeated listening. While this song doesn’t seem to have aspirations beyond being a fun summer tune, it strikes a better balance between entertainment and quality. A few more songs like this one, and people might start thinking there’s more to Trailer Choir than The Worm.

Listen: Trailer Choir – “Rolling Through The Sunshine”

So it’s unfortunate that, at various turns, Janson’s voice sounds loosely derivative of any number of hit-makers. He’ll drawl out the bottom end of low tones like Trace Adkins, power through sing-along hooks like Randy Houser (when Houser milks Ronnie Dunn), or kick back in the pocket while taking a burden-easing trip down to the river bank like Brad Paisley (on the song “Take It To The Bank”).

Janson does all of these things very effectively, but he doesn’t do much that he can call his own. On debut single “’Till A Woman Comes Along,” he steps right into the boots left open by the last guy who swore he was a rock and roll outlaw with true country credentials. Sure, the track boasts a pinch of authentic southern rock flavoring, but that’s not enough to keep it from sounding tired and exponentially redundant.

That fact spits in the face of a list of influences that boasts primarily outlaw country and punk rock artists, including the Sex Pistols, the Rolling Stones, and Waylon Jennings–there’s not one thing about Janson’s music that draws from an outlaw or punk influence, musically or otherwise.

Janson’s music is straight-ahead, mainstream radio country. And “’Till A Woman Comes Along” makes it clear right from the outset that he shouldn’t be viewed as an artist who, like his purported influences, is interested in being a game-changer or in creating something fresh. This song, from top to bottom, abides by formula. It’s a play to the mainstream, to the most centrist of audiences. That’s not rebellious. It’s submissive. And while it may not be cool to list Brad Paisley and Brooks & Dunn as your primary influences, it would be a heck of a lot more straightforward.

“’Till A Woman Comes Along” namechecks Waylon. Janson’s bio also namechecks Waylon. His list of influences, not surprisingly, lists Waylon. So, given all of that, is it really too much to ask that his music palpably demonstrate some connection to Waylon?

Listen on MySpace: Chris Janson – “Until A Woman Comes Along”

Deborah Allen was born in 1953 in Memphis, and probably has had greater success as a songwriter, having written hits for artists including Tanya Tucker, Sheena Easton and Janie Fricke. As a performer, RCA had the bright idea of dubbing her voice onto old Jim Reeves recordings to create duets. The three duets released as singles–“Don’t Let Me Cross Over,” “Oh, How I Miss You Tonight” and “Take Me In Your Arms And Hold Me”–all went Top 10 in 1979-80. As a solo artist, Allen charted 10 times with three Top 10 singles: “Baby I Lied” (1983–#4), “I’ve Been Wrong Before” (1984–#2) and “I Hurt For You” (1984–#10).

Baillie and The Boys were a late 80s act which charted 10 times between 1987 and 1991 before disappearing from the charts. Seven of their hit records went Top 10, with “(I Wish I Had A) Heart of Stone” (1989–#4) being the biggest. Kathie Baillie was the lead singer, and while initially a trio, the group became a duo in 1988 with few people able to tell the difference.

Larry Boone is best known as a songwriter, having cuts by Kathy Mattea, Don Williams, Tracy Lawrence, Rick Trevino, George Strait, Shenandoah, Marie Osmond and Lonestar. As a singer, he wasn’t terribly distinctive–sort of a George Strait lite. Boone charted 14 singles from 1986-93, with only 1988’s “Don’t Give Candy To A Stranger” reaching the Top 10. The other Top 20 singles were “I Just Called To Say Goodbye Again” and a remake of “Wine Me Up”–both of which reached their peak chart positions in 1989.

Dean Dillon charted 20 times from 1979-93, with his biggest hit being “Nobody In His Right Mind (Would’ve Left Her)” which reached #25 in November, 1980. During 1982 and 83, RCA paired Dillon with fading star Gary Stewart, hoping for the kind of magic that was later achieved when Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn were paired together. No real hits came of this collaboration, but the recordings were quite interesting and are available on CD.

Fortunately for Dillon, he is a far better songwriter than singer. His hits as a writer include George Jones’ “Tennessee Whisky,” and more than a dozen George Strait Top 10s. In fact, Strait has recorded over 50 of Dillon’s songs, ensuring that the wolf will never again knock at Dean Dillon’s door.

Foster & Lloyd (Radney Foster & Bill Lloyd) charted nine singles between 1987 and 1990, with 1987’s “Crazy Over You” (#4) being the biggest hit. Their first five singles all went Top 20, with four reaching the Top 10, but subsequent singles stiffed and the pair split up. Bill Lloyd really wasn’t a country artist and Radney Foster went on to be important in various phases of the music industry, although he only charted four singles (1992-93) as a solo act. 1993’s “Nobody Wins” reached #2.

Terri Gibbs, blind since her birth in 1954, was a fine bluesy singer who really was miscast as a country artist–although she won the CMA’s Horizon Award in 1981 and charted 13 times between 1980-87. The only song anyone remembers her for is “Somebody’s Knocking,” which was as big a pop hit as it was a country hit.

Vince Gill and Mark Gray were touted as the next big things during the mid 1980s. I’m not sure what happened to that Gill fellow, but Mark Gray–a lead singer of Exile from 1979-1983 and a talented songwriter–almost made it. He released three albums and charted eight Top 40 singles, with the 1985 Tammy Wynette duet “Sometimes When We Touch” climbing all the way to #6. Gray had three more Top 10 records (“If All The Magic Is Gone,” “Diamonds In The Dust” and “Please Be Love”) before fading away. As a songwriter, he found success with “Take Me Down” and “The Closer You Get,” two big hits for Alabama. He also wrote Janie Frickie’s #1 hit “It Ain’t Easy Being Easy.”

Becky Hobbs continues to record and perform. I view her as one of those performers who just never caught a break. Stunningly attractive (with rather wild hair), Becky recorded for Mercury from 1978-81, performing pop-country without any of her six chart singles cracking the Top 40. In 1983, Columbia paired her with hard-core country singer Moe Bandy for the Top 10 duet “Let’s Get Over Them Together.”

Never actually signed to Columbia, she then reappeared on Liberty/EMI in 1984-85, where she charted four singles, with “Hottest ‘Ex’ In Texas” reaching #37. In 1988, Becky–by now signed to fledgling label MTM–released three superlative hard-core country singles in “Jones On The Jukebox,” “They Always Look Better When They’re Leaving” and “Are There Any More Like You (Where You Come From).” “Jones” reached #31; it was her biggest hit, but MTM was a sinking ship. The label was purchased by RCA, which reissued Hobbs’ album in slightly altered form. Unfortunately, RCA never put much promotional push behind her. All told, Hobbs charted 15 singles from 1978-89, although she is probably best remembered today for her late, non-charting Curb single “Talk Back Trembling Lips.” The video of the song reached #6 on CMT.

I have no idea why Con Hunley didn’t become a big star. He had an excellent voice and the look that 1980s record labels were seeking. Perhaps his voice was too distinctive, as it was smoky with strong blues flavoring. At any rate, he charted 25 times (11 Top 20 hits) from 1977-86, with his biggest national hit being “What’s New With You,” which reached #11 in 1981. I doubt that anyone remembers him for that song, however, as other songs such as “Week-End Friend” (#13), “I’ve Been Waiting For You All My Life” (#14), “You’ve Still Got A Place In My Heart (#14), “Since I Fell For You” (#20) and “Oh Girl” (#12) were all huge regional hits, reaching Top 5 status in many markets.

Louise Mandrell never quite escaped the shadow of big sister Barbara, although for a while–in the wake of the Barbara Mandrell and The Mandrell Sisters television show–it appeared as though she might. She charted 22 singles as a solo act, plus seven more chart singles with then-husband R.C. Bannon. She had five Top 10 singles during the three years from 1983-85, with 1985’s “I Wanna Say Yes” reaching #5. It was her biggest record. Her countrypolitan style went out of vogue immediately after that and she never again reached the Top 20.