Faith &. Shania -- new music, no new ground broken
Faith Hill and Shania Twain are back! Back in the 90's, that is -- with brand new songs that reek of their old heyday sound.
Aren't any of the superstars of country music going to break any new ground, or are they all abandoning the fight to upcoming scrappers like Gretchen Wilson?
First, Mrs. McGraw... "Mississippi Girl"
After Faith Hill pretty much sold out on her last album to become even more adult contemporary than she already was thanks to Breathe, it seems like with this new single she's trying to buy her way back to into country music's good graces. Her new song details how, despite being a superstar, she is, in fact, just a regular downhome type of person from Star, Mississippi.
Clearly, someone at the record company thought this blatent manifesto would be a step in the right direction if Faith wants to reclaim her spot as the reigning queen of country music.
However, two things are terribly wrong.
One, the song feels almost like a kissing cousin' of her 1993 hit "Wild One." Hasn't country music progressed at all in 12 years?
Two, in the video Faith is almost unrecognizable as a hard rocking curly haired brunette.
After the Cry debacle, doesn't Faith Hill just seems like an artist whose time has come and gone?
But perhaps we're judging too quickly. Certainly the publicity machine will constantly shove her in our faces, and the single will probably do quite well. They're already playing in heavy rotation on our LA country radio station.
Mrs. Lange..."I Ain't No Quitter"
Haven't heard this one on the radio yet, but Shania Twain's new video is all over CMT and VH1 Country.
This is the last (right?) newest Greatest Hit off her Greatest Hits CD -- and it's straight-up old school Shania.
Could any other artist do a song like this? Nope, only Shania, who works hokey country trademark words like "ain't" without shame and happily dons a cowboy hat (in fact, several cowboy hats) in the video. There's even line dancing in the video (albeit combined with hip hop moves). This one won't be a crossover hit for her. The song and the video are branded country with a capital "C" -- for Commerical.
Like all Shania's uptempo ditties, it is hard to resist this single's taffy-like pull.
And major kudos to Shania (age 39) for continuing to successfully pass herself off as a wholesome sex kitten. Love the quick shot of her playfully boosting up her boobs in the video!
Nevertheless, like Ms. Hill's effort, Ms. Twain's latest song sounds like last century's country -- it fits right in with her decades worth of greatest hits.
Newcomer Gretchen Wilson is on the frontline, kicking ass and taking names, while established megastars Shania and Faith are frantically retrenching in the past. What does this say about the future of country music?
Aren't any of the superstars of country music going to break any new ground, or are they all abandoning the fight to upcoming scrappers like Gretchen Wilson?
First, Mrs. McGraw... "Mississippi Girl"
After Faith Hill pretty much sold out on her last album to become even more adult contemporary than she already was thanks to Breathe, it seems like with this new single she's trying to buy her way back to into country music's good graces. Her new song details how, despite being a superstar, she is, in fact, just a regular downhome type of person from Star, Mississippi.
Clearly, someone at the record company thought this blatent manifesto would be a step in the right direction if Faith wants to reclaim her spot as the reigning queen of country music.
However, two things are terribly wrong.
One, the song feels almost like a kissing cousin' of her 1993 hit "Wild One." Hasn't country music progressed at all in 12 years?
Two, in the video Faith is almost unrecognizable as a hard rocking curly haired brunette.
After the Cry debacle, doesn't Faith Hill just seems like an artist whose time has come and gone?
But perhaps we're judging too quickly. Certainly the publicity machine will constantly shove her in our faces, and the single will probably do quite well. They're already playing in heavy rotation on our LA country radio station.
Mrs. Lange..."I Ain't No Quitter"
Haven't heard this one on the radio yet, but Shania Twain's new video is all over CMT and VH1 Country.
This is the last (right?) newest Greatest Hit off her Greatest Hits CD -- and it's straight-up old school Shania.
Could any other artist do a song like this? Nope, only Shania, who works hokey country trademark words like "ain't" without shame and happily dons a cowboy hat (in fact, several cowboy hats) in the video. There's even line dancing in the video (albeit combined with hip hop moves). This one won't be a crossover hit for her. The song and the video are branded country with a capital "C" -- for Commerical.
Like all Shania's uptempo ditties, it is hard to resist this single's taffy-like pull.
And major kudos to Shania (age 39) for continuing to successfully pass herself off as a wholesome sex kitten. Love the quick shot of her playfully boosting up her boobs in the video!
Nevertheless, like Ms. Hill's effort, Ms. Twain's latest song sounds like last century's country -- it fits right in with her decades worth of greatest hits.
Newcomer Gretchen Wilson is on the frontline, kicking ass and taking names, while established megastars Shania and Faith are frantically retrenching in the past. What does this say about the future of country music?
posted by girlsguidetocountry at 1:16 AM
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