I’m not really a fan of contemporary country. It’s too squeaky clean with that tinge of resentment (“I drive four-wheel drive, you latte-drinkin’ Yankee” “I buy my underwear at Walmart and look just as good as them models …” Hm. You sure about that? I demand pictures.) … and it all sounds the same. I like some of it, including the two songs that I just made fun of right there (“Boys Round Here” and “Redneck Woman”), but comparing it to its roots, to the giants of the field … it just doesn’t hold up. I love country. Merle Haggard. Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Loretta Lynn, Hank Williams, Dolly Parton. These people understand pain, compromises, addiction, darkness. Hell, that’s what a country song is FOR. Express that shit!
I don’t know much about Eric Church, but I do know that his album last year was on lots of Best-Of-the-Year lists. So I bought it. And I’m hooked. He’s got an edge. He’s got a heavy-metal soul. He’s not trying to be a goody-goody good ol’ boy, expressing the proper family values and cultural values so that he’ll get the stamp of approval from the Resentful Crowd. There’s an honesty there.
I’m at the beach this weekend. I’ve been suffering, y’all. Needed to get away. Eric Church’s “Devil, Devil” came on as I careened down the Garden State Parkway. It’s 8 minutes long. It’s EPIC. Apparently in his stage shows, he has a huge devil statue-thing on stage with him, and the Christians have been all outraged about it. I am so tired of these people. They make me think of that great quote from H.L. Mencken:
‘Puritanism: The haunting fear that someone, somewhere, may be happy.’
What does it feel like to be so afraid? So narrow? If you listen to the lyrics of this song, he is clearly talking about some deep painful shit, stuff that has to do with the music industry itself. Nashville. The country music establishment. What stardom/money/fame does. It’s a devil, and she’s seductive as hell. It’s clever lyrically – the way all great country songs have been in the past.
It grinds, and rocks. Elvis makes an appearance as does Roy Acuff. It has a freshness to its sound, an openness and vitality, that I haven’t heard in much contemporary country.
I’m slightly in love with this track, and with Eric Church at the moment.
Yay! Enjoy the beach and the break. Eight minute country metal epics sound the perfect way to burn up the highway. BRING IT!
This is the last weekend where I’ll have the beach almost all to myself. Next weekend is Memorial Day, the official beginning of summer. I’m looking forward to it, but boy, I do love the beach when it’s mostly empty!!
Good song. The prelude certainly owes a debt to the Kristofferson song “To beat the Devil”. I think there are probably a lot of good, new , country songs that never hit our radar because they get lumped in with that whole dumb and proud of it redneck genre you mentioned. I also couldn’t help but think of a more recent Willie Nelson song called “It’s hard to be an outlaw” .. It’s hard to be an outlaw who ain’t wanted anymore…super stars nowadays get too far off the ground singin bout country roads they never have been down…etc
DG – Yes, you’re probably right – the country music business is such a monolith – I suppose it’s like any other genre of music.
Even Willie and Waylon – with their whole “outlaw” thing as you mention – both of them seemed to get sick of how it was being “packaged”. That something honest and true in both of them became a marketing tool. Again, that’s just the nature of the business – but bucking against that (like Church seems to do in this song) often brings about great results.
And Kris Kristofferson too! Yes! I just re-watched Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore last night – and man, was he just a superstar.
I like him a lot – and liked his previous album even more than”The Outsiders.” If you want to hear someone who also sounds like a throwback to the classics, check out Sturgill Simpson. There’s also some great tracks on the recent Angaleena Presley album you might like.
Jeff – I really appreciate the recommendations – I will check them out. I also really like Lydia Loveless – when I saw her at Webster Hall she covered a Hank Williams song. And swigged beer throughout her set. It felt old-school. I like her a lot.
And I will definitely check out Eric Church’s earlier stuff. He’s got such a great vibe, I think!
and Angaleena … any relation??
Alas, no…at least not that I am aware of.
Have you seen Mad Max yet? I’m going Thursday. Excited all around but also excited to see his grand-daughter in it. :)
Nope, not yet. Very much looking forward to it.
I’m with you about most modern country; I will have to check this guy out. Thanks for sharing.
I am a little embarrassed for and dumbfounded by Christians who get upset by (real or supposed) displays of other religions. Or in this case, a flipping concert display/set.
The way I see it, the Bible says to bless and respect everyone, whether they agree with you or not. Oh, and isn’t the God in the Bible supposed to be the one-and-only biggest, eternal one? So why all the stress about other deities? Clearly, some folks are insecure and scared, lacking love.
I just had to beef about how badly some (real and/or supposed) Christians behave for once, and your blog seems like a safe place to do it. Now back to my happy place.
Keep speaking out, Sheila. You’re a talented, prolific, thoughtful writer.
Kathleen – Thanks! Yeah, it’s so boring – I hear what you’re saying and I agree. The squeaky-clean prosperity-gospel brand of Christianity is particularly awful. It’s unforgiving, white-bread, and all about appearances. They are against everything I hold dear. Nuance, critical thinking, grace, compassion for others. Hell, humor. Irony. Eric Church’s song is drenched in irony and these people just cannot do irony. They are tone-deaf about it! It’s so boring to me.
Yes, that is it! Can I say (tongue in cheek) AMEN?
kc