Country Mike Blog

Anna Garrott & More...

Mike Sudhalter  |  December 5, 2009

Anna Garrott is a country newcomer,
and one who I hope is here to stay..

Anna Garrott has a great sound. It seems like she can relate to the material that she's singing. It's not like a lot of the bubble gum pop masquerading as country, that continues to come down the line.

It's surprising to see a new artist tackle a couple of cover songs, but she impresses on "Two More Bottles of Wine" by Delbert McClinton and the sassy, "Trouble Is A Woman," which Julie Reeves performed a in 1999. Has it really been that long? Wow, times flies. I remember seeing the former Mrs. Cledus T. Judd at a country music festival in Hartford, Conn. that year.

I saw "Silver Wings" on Garrott's album, and I thought she had tried the Merle Haggard classic. After all, Jewel dueted with the legend on it. It might not be a bad idea. I guess we may not know, at least not now.

"Silver Wings" is an original song written about the memory of a grandmother. It's a touching song, and Garrott is able to deliver it perfectly.

But Garrott is back in Julie Reeves mode on the album's final cut, "Get The Hell Outta Dodge."

Burns & Poe have a new song, "Don't Get No Better Than That," and their sound echoes Trailer Choir. There's quite a bit of rapping, or at least something that resembles rapping, throughout the song. You may remember Keith Burns from the early 2000's trio, Trick Pony. The song is pretty catch, I must admit.

I get chills nearly every time I hear the song "Seminole Wind" by John Anderson. It's a great song about an important part of history. Anderson has such a unique voice, and it's one of his most memorable songs.

It's kind of rewarding to know that I was one of the few people outside of the American Southeast (You always hear American Southwest, but never American Southeast...what the heck) to listen to Zac Brown Band I hope that ZBB stays true to its roots, but I think these guys are humble and I don't see them changing for anyone - except themselves.

Taylor Swift about a month ago released a Platinum version of "Fearless." I understand - anything to sell more albums, or downloads. But she released about five new songs. And they're all pretty catch - especially "Jump Then Fall." That song is vintage Swift. I just wish that on her itunes-exclusive of "Umbrella," a Rihanna cover, that she did the whole song - not just 90 seconds of it.

She might be pop, but Swift is quite an impressive artist. And if her success brings fans into country music, all the better.

As far as unmistakably country artists, Jerrod Niemann is one of them. I like his new tune, "One More Drinkin' Song," but he sounds a whole lot like Joe Nichols on it. I love the song, "Yellow Brick Road," by Niemann. It would be nice if he had an album come out, so I could finally hear that song driving down the Interstate, instead of just on his web site.