But I think it's time to get in touch with y'all and highlight some good albums out currently, and the concerts & events Nic and I are promoting for the summer et cetera.
Quick shoutout to bad ass Joey, Richy and Greg for hosting this winter's country party - we had more people show than expected and all had an awesome time! Look forward to another "country night" toward the end of April.
Albums you should buy:
Eric Church "Carolina" - I've listened to it cover to cover twice and can't get enough; it is his sophomore album and is arguably better than his first!
Dierks Bentley "Feel that Fire" - Dierks recently released a live album AND a greatest hits compilation, "Feel that Fire" is his fourth studio album. It stays true to his style, but there are fewer "pop-y" songs, instead sounding like more traditional country.
Zac Brown Band "The Foundation" - varies from Matchbox-20 style ballads to good ol' downhome Texas dirt. Their hit "Chicken Fried" is too catchy to not sing along with; who doesn't like "a pair of jeans that fit just right, and a cold beer on Friday night"?
Albums to check out:
Jason Aldean "Wide Open" ...Aldean is trying something new with this album, I'm not sure if I like it but there are a few rockin tracks interspersed with his ballad-weighted setlist.
Randy Houser "Anything Goes" - solid title track, great variety. I bought this CD on a whim and ended up listening to it quite a few times. His songs communicate good stories and are in my vocal-range (which makes me a karaoke god in my mind).
Jake Owen "Easy Does It" - it bothers me that the track from this CD getting the most radio play is a re-issue of "8-second ride" which originally appeared on his "Startin with Me" album. That aside, this is a worthwhile listen; if you have Rhapsody and can check it out for free I would exercise that option.
Obscure but good:
Rich O'Toole "In a Minute or Two"
The Britt Lloyd Band "The Ink"
Jamie Richards "Drive"
Johnny Cooper "Ignition" (obscure but AMAZING)
And one to stay away from:
Pat Green "What I'm For" - He might as well call himself "Chris Gaines".
As for summer concerts;
I know Nic and a sizable group are going to the Kenny Chesney concert at Qwest. I am boycotting the ridiculous ticket price for horrible acoustics and probably going to stick to concerts at the state fair and local bars. So I'll let Nic promote the Kenny tour on his time.
If Richy has extra ticket for Jason Aldean at the Puyallup, I'll probably hit that up - otherwise, my summer plans are extremely open as of now.
I locked in a couple of group sites for the 4th annual Sun Lakes Camping trip - July 9-12. Please email me if you would like to come camping with us.
Look forward to seeing you all soon!
-JB
