Is It New Country Music or Wanna Be Pop/Rock Posers?

Twenty-five years ago I worked on my own music that I considered Alt Rock/Country fusion. I saw how a fusion was occurring back then, Southern Rock as an example, and saw the cross talk of country riffs and themes in much of rock music up to that time. My sound 25 years ago came from the rock perspective and that project came off sounding like that more or less, a fusion of rock and country in that order.

Today, the New Country (I've been subjected to on a daily basis) strikes me as that fusion totally realized, but coming from a genesis in country music that borrows liberally from rock instead of the other way around. I should think that this is a good thing based on my vision way back then, however, I find New Country Music a poor fusion that seems shallow and lacking in originality. In my opinion, Old Country Music is far more genuine and real then this new fusion that is popular on Country radios stations in my region. I'd rather listen to the classic rock stations that are irritating me with museum music playlists.

The New Country instrumentation is minimal with none of the technical flare of what Old Country music has to offer. You only have the vocals and occasionally a token banjo or steel guitar here and there to remind you that it is actually Country Music you are listening to.

I like some of it, but I am coming to hate most of the popular New Country Music I hear on the radio.

What is good in my opinion? I thought that Nickle Creek had an impressive fusion of country music when they first came out and hoped to see more of that happening, but who is a fan of Nickle Creek besides myself? They have had some media visibility and are out there still I guess, but where are they on the radio? It was innovation and talent I heard in their music, not so in most of what I'm hearing lately.

Personally, I think that the rock guitar sound and hard riff solos especially sound lame against the Country vocals and lyrical themes in this New Country Music.

ETA: Kid Rock, as much as I tire of his sound lately, was a cool fusion of rock, rap and country a while back at any rate.

a reply to: MichiganSwampBuck

Shania Twain had her husband Mutt Lange produce her...and put her touring group together. He was producer for Def Lepard.

Her band was all metal rock band, and from that point on, all "new country bands" were hard rockers who played country, instead of the other way around, like in the bar scene: Country bands who have to throw in some r n r in their sets...some barely could.

a reply to: mysterioustranger

Thanks for the info mysterious stranger, star for the reply.

It seems to me, at least I get the feeling, that in some way New Country Music is an indication of the decline in our form of western civilization. It seems to fall in line with a lot of other indicators of a decline. I can't help but go with that idea when I think of how shallow things have become in this 21 century post-modern era compared to around a half century ago.

It's pop music with cowboy hats.

originally posted by: pfishy
It's pop music with cowboy hats.

I was going to say something similar,So true..Real country music is Cash,David allan Coe,Williams Sr&Jr,Johnny paycheck,haggard etc..

Dpost

a reply to: MichiganSwampBuck

My background is in traditional music more than country but, one of my favorite crossovers is Shooglenifty. Scottish band, all tunes.

a reply to: greencmp

I have heard that county music has it's roots in Scottish emigrants and their music. You can get a feel for that in the older folk music. It seems that little of that influence can be heard in New Country these days.

a reply to: mysterioustranger

'Welcome S.B......The loudest and wildly rockin band I ever saw in my 50 years.....was.....(drum solo please)....the Dixie Chix at the Palace of Auburn Hills.

The band rocked the hell outta the place....and were at least twice as loud as "YES" (legendary rock group) at same place

Pop means Popular ...
So any artist wants to be pop.

All you need is a pedal steel along with a rock band and its country, oh and some fake accent (keith urban is Australian) that sounds ridiculous, I cannot understand the popularity of it these days. Being from the DEEP SOUTH and hearing those accents my whole life it doesn't get any worse than my dad, that's how I know those twangy singers don't really talk like that. I will say this , I don't know if its rock , country or both but Brad Paisley is a bad ass guitarist even though I would never seriously listen to him, he is a good musician. But Yeah I agree with you all, its a new form of bs.

originally posted by: MichiganSwampBuck
a reply to: greencmp

I have heard that county music has it's roots in Scottish emigrants and their music. You can get a feel for that in the older folk music. It seems that little of that influence can be heard in New Country these days.

You can really hear it in appalachian music, this is a great irish-appalachian cross-back.

a reply to: MichiganSwampBuck

There are very few new country bands that I like. They can't top Merle, Waylon, Willie, or many others that came before them. That said, I do like some of the newer stuff. The following are a few that I like listening to. I hope you don't mind me posting videos.



I'm not sure if this could be classified as country. They have a fiddle and banjo. I like it though.



Then, there's this:


One kind of music that I find interesting is a fusion of country and punk of metal. It's called cowpunk. I read somewhere that Johnny Cash was actually the inspiration for that, if you can believe that. I don't really know if Johnny could be classified as country. He was more his own thing.

a reply to: Skid Mark

"Cowpunk"? That sounds interesting!

We had a band in Detroit, back in those days I was referring to earlier, known as "Goober and the Peas". I saw them play a pub in Hamtramck and would say that had fit the "Cowpunk" definition. They weren't a metal fusion, but sounded good, were very entertaining and had a good show.

Forget the Red Solo Cups and Cowboy Casanovas'

...but, Cowpunk? is that anything like Outlaw Cowboy? then of course, there's Rockabilly. ok it's getting confusing...

What's this?


Actually, this one is better

a reply to: MichiganSwampBuck

I like Goober and the Peas! Did they cover that Marty Robbins song called Big Iron? I could swear I saw a video of them doing it but can't find it. This is one of my favorites by them:



Oops, I was wrong. The band I was thinking of was Lucky and the Bastards



Here's a band you might like if you're into metal. I guess it's cowpunk because they usually sing about stuff you'd find in westerns, cowboys and stuff like that.

a reply to: newyr

Rockabilly is awesome. That, and psychobilly. I think there's another kind of billy but like you said it gets confusing.

a reply to: MichiganSwampBuck

Old country nearly died out.. blue grass is still going strong.. and that is excellent but its not on radio or anything.. also, you have some country music stars trying to bring old country back, like Josh Turner


But they don't make it like they used to... I like this older stuff..

a reply to: OpinionatedB

I love that fast bluegrass picking, great music! It's technical aspects like in bluegrass, that you'll never find in New Country.

a reply to: Skid Mark

Thanks for the flashback with that Goober and the Peas video.

They had some great outfits, a fun show for sure.