Who?--Wow!

(Today's word will be in red and bold.)


By now, anyone who reads this blog knows that I really don't like "cookie-cutter" music; that stuff that all sounds the same and can be done by anyone.  I like distinct voices that I can recognize, and music that makes me pay attention to it.  It's part of why I like overnight radio, it's when listeners get to hear more of the new music and new artists than get played at other times of the day.

One new song that caught my attention is called "Merry Go 'Round".  The first time I heard it, I loved it, and was positive I knew who sang it.  I was so positive in fact, that I didn't even look it up on KUPL's playlist, to be sure I was right.  Yep, the voice *I* heard, combined with the subject matter, had me convinced "Merry Go 'Round" was by Miranda Lambert.

As it turns out, the song got played during Lola's time slot on KUPL, and she mentioned the song was by new artist, Kacey Musgraves.  Who?  Never heard of her; but there it was, Kacey Musgraves, not Miranda Lambert, does this cool tune.

Another new song on overnights is Montgomery Gentry's "I'll Keep the Kids".  Again, this was a song where I recognized the voices immediately; though I did go check KUPL's playlist this time, just to be sure.

What really caught my attention with this tune was the delivery and the wording.  While the delivery is somewhat quiet, and low-key, the wording carries a direct one-two punch to every part of the listener.  The lines of the song refer to the singer's "dad's old guitar", "grandma's ring", and other momentos the wife is wanting in the break-up.  There are also references to being "hit below the belt", with some of the requests, etc.  Then the tables turn a bit when the lyrics mention that the wife has asked for all these material things, yet not mentioned the children; thus the line, "I'll keep the kids".  Basically, "take anything you want, but if you're not going to say anything about the kids, then they're mine".

Rather than being curious as to whether this song was actually by MG, I was more curious to see who'd written "I'll Take The Kids".  As I suspected, it was written by Eddie Montgomery, while he was going through his divorce.  No surprise there; what had me saying "wow", was the intensity of the lyrics.  This is one of those songs that, even if it was done more "in your face", and louder, would still send the same message.  The fact it *is* so quiet and low-key is what makes the song even better.

Though these are only two of the new tunes out to radio, I think there may be a pattern brewing here.  The light-hearted tunes of summer are making way for the darker songs of the fall.

Though a bit depressing, here's hoping both these songs make it on the country music charts.