First Impression Archives

NYCS First Impression: Kacey Musgraves Sparks Ethereal Wonder on ‘Golden Hour’

March 30, 2018/in Blog, First Impression /by Christina Bosch

Kacey Musgraves is a Grammy winner who writes and creates songs that are important for this generation and for the country genre. While her sophomore album Pageant Material focused more on her hometown of Golden, Texas and the ups and downs of growing up in such a small town, Golden Hour is focused more on love, her place on this planet and even a little bit of 70’s disco flair.

From the opening track “Slow Burn” to the LSD fueled “Mother” and the closing track “Rainbow” the entire project is luminous, airy, and meaningful. When listening to Golden Hour, you can almost see the sounds and feel the colors that she wanted to portray. In fact, earlier this week she hosted her album listening party at a planetarium in Nashville and each song had its own psychedelic, starry-filled video to accompany the track. The last single and instant gratification song released to those who pre-ordered the album, “High Horse” is nostalgic of the disco era, lava lamps and the word “boogie”.

Her vocals flit and float over the melodies especially in “Rainbow” and one of the first singles off the project “Butterflies”, which our team got to see her perform live when she opened for Little Big Town at Radio City Music Hall. As a new bride, Musgraves seems to have a new appreciation for the brilliant feeling when you find the one your heart longs for.

Though many of the songs are light and playful, she stays true to her artistry in never shying away from raw, honest subjects in her music. “Happy and Sad” zeros its focus in on always waiting for the other shoe to drop, not appreciating the good things because of fear of the bad. “Space Cowboy” one of the strongest, somber songs of the entire project was released the same day as the love song “Butterflies” proving that on this project both love, sadness, and breakup can live peacefully.

Golden Hour is a true masterpiece, weaving delicate lyrics into stories, laced over some of the most unique and colorful melodies. Grab your copy of Golden Hour on iTunes or listen below:

—————————-

Thanks for supporting Country Music in NYC!

Click Here to learn more about NYCountry Swag
+ Follow our Country Music Adventures on Instagram, @NYCOUNTRYSWAG!

– Team NYCountry Swag

First Impression: Jordan Davis Impresses with Debut Album ‘Home State’

March 23, 2018/in Blog, First Impression /by Christina Bosch

Cover art courtesy MCA Nashville

Rising country artist and one of our New York Country Swag 2018 Artists to Watch, Jordan Davis released his debut full-length album today. Home State, available everywhere, comes following Davis’ biggest week yet. During his Whiskey and White Wine show Wednesday night at Nashville’s Exit/In, the newcomer was presented with his very first certified gold record for his breakthrough single, “Singles You Up”. His very first headlining tour wrapped last night (Thurs, Mar. 22) and now Davis starts his album release week.

All twelve tracks on the album were co-written by Davis, allowing fans to peek into his personal story and his pride for his hometown of Shreveport, Louisana. Country radio was first introduced to the Lousiana native when he released “Singles You Up” which is now sitting in the top 10 on the country charts. The music video released earlier this year has already garnered over six million views and was the perfect single to kick off his debut LP.

Besides the playful “Singles You Up” and “Take it From Me” Davis does an outstanding job of blending sub-genres of the country music world including pop, rock and even r&b. The project features heartbreaking ballads, “Leaving New Orleans”, “Dreamed You Did”, and “Going ‘Round” as well as sensual, love songs such as “Selfish”, “Slow Dancing in a Parking Lot” and “Sundowners”.

Standouts on the LP are “Tough to Tie Down” which expresses a woman who is wild and free but despite her always leaving, he will love her “as long as this world keeps spinning ’round.” “Made That Way”, another love song highlighting taking someone as they are, quirks and all. “You’re Christmas lights in August / won’t wake up ’til 10 am / my heart pounds just like a kick drum any time that you walk in.”

Fans of John Mayer, Drake White, Sam Hunt and Thomas Rhett will all find something to absolutely love and appreciate on Home State. Grab your copy on iTunes here or take a listen below.

Hear some of our favorite tracks from the record on our New Country Spotify. playlist, here.

—————————-

Thanks for supporting Country Music in NYC!

Click Here to learn more about NYCountry Swag
+ Follow our Country Music Adventures on Instagram, @NYCOUNTRYSWAG!

– Team NYCountry Swag

First Impression: Devin Dawson ‘Dark Horse’

January 19, 2018/in Blog, First Impression /by Christina Bosch

Continuing the trend of great music being released in the new year, Devin Dawson‘s debut full-length album Dark Horse is finally here. The soulful crooner grew up near the famed Folsom Prison in Calfornia, yes the same one that Johnny Cash performed at in the 1950’s. Dawson is proud of his California roots, and the steps he took to get to where he is today in the music industry. Including spending time in a heavy metal band and growing up listening to R&B music as well as country music.

His highly anticipated album, Dark Horse is a culmination of years working towards releasing music to the world. The lead single, “All On Me” has garnered over 43 million streams on Spotify, introducing his new blend of music to country music fans who are looking for something different.

Highlights on the LP include the title track, which unapologetically describes Dawson himself, his outlook on life and his career. (“Anyone who ain’t afraid to stray off course / My heart bleeds for country music, where the honest outlaw truth is / no I ain’t no white knight, I’m a little more dark horse.”)

Dawson spins lyrics into images with “War Paint” a tale of revenge on a cheating man. (“She ain’t crazy but she’s gonna make him pay / you can see it on her face, black mascara moulin rouge, blood red lipstick high heeled shoes / it’s her turn to do him wrong, that ain’t makeup that she got on, its war paint / go on girl make that man feel your pain”) The record ends with “Prison” which a rocking mid-tempo closer, paralleling a love story to unavoidable confinement.

Late in 2017, Dawson performed in an intimate setting at New York City’s Rockwood Music Hall, introducing members of the music industry to these new songs. Check out a full recap of the evening here. Listen to the full album below.

—————————-

Thanks for supporting Country Music in NYC!

Click Here to learn more about NYCountry Swag
+ Follow our Country Music Adventures on Instagram, @NYCOUNTRYSWAG!

– Team NYCountry Swag

First Impression: Anderson East ‘Encore’

January 12, 2018/in Blog, First Impression /by Christina Bosch

Country music is always transitioning and changing and the fluidity of it all allows genres to mesh and to come together to create something magical. That is exactly what you will find on Anderson East‘s second full-length LP, titled Encore, available everywhere today.

Dripping with soul, tenderness and plenty of angsty horns, each song combines rock, blues, country, jazz, and Americana so you soon forget which genre box he should be in and start appreciating the rising star’s undeniable talent.

Encore features insanely talented co-writers such as country megastar Chris Stapleton (“King For A Day,” “If You Keep Leaving Me”), pop sensation Ed Sheeran, and Snow Patrol’s Johnny McDaid (“All On My Mind”) The first single off of the project, “All On My Mind” has garnered over two million streams on Spotify.

East knows when to wail and knows when to quietly express his sentiment, giving the entire album and irrefutable cohesiveness. Encore also features two covers, including Willie Nelson’s “Somebody Pick Up My Pieces” and Ted Hawkins’ “Sorry You’re Sick”. East adds his own spin on each of the songs, making them sound brand new.

East was on the road with Stapleton’s “All American Road Show” tour, building his fan base and introducing his signature sound to the Stapelton fans. Listen to the full album below and be sure to follow along on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

—————————-

Thanks for supporting Country Music in NYC!

Click Here to learn more about NYCountry Swag
+ Follow our Country Music Adventures on Instagram, @NYCOUNTRYSWAG!

– Team NYCountry Swag

First Impression: Walker McGuire Self-Titled EP

January 12, 2018/in Blog, First Impression /by Christina Bosch

Jordan Walker and Johnny McGuire make up the duo Walker McGuire and released their debut EP today. The five-song collection released via Wheelhouse Records is a culmination of the band’s honest cowriting and pop country vibes.

The self-titled EP showcases their incredible harmonies, while each song is relatable and allows for modern country fans to fall in love with their lyrics. Those harmonies are particularly prominent on “Til Tomorrow” which has racked up over 23 million streams on Spotify since released early in 2017.

The second track on the EP “Lost” was co-written with Sugarland’s, Kristian Bush and impacts country radio next week.

The duo is making stops across the country in 2018. For tour dates click here.

Check out the full EP below and be sure to be following Walker McGuire on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

—————————-

Thanks for supporting Country Music in NYC!

Click Here to learn more about NYCountry Swag
+ Follow our Country Music Adventures on Instagram, @NYCOUNTRYSWAG!

– Team NYCountry Swag

Luke Bryan ‘What Makes You Country’ NYC Album Release Week

December 8, 2017/in Blog, Concert Reviews, First Impression /by Christina Bosch

(Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Pandora)

Luke Bryan is no stranger to success when releasing music, whether the track makes you move your body or moves your soul, his singles climb the charts and he sells out arenas. His last album, Kill the Lights was the first in history to have six singles reach No. 1 on the Country Billboard charts and his “Huntin’, Fishin’ And Lovin’ Every Day” tour has packed arenas all over the country this past year. His newest album, What Makes You Country, which is available everywhere today brings Bryan back to his roots. Blending his own unique brand of country music which combines pop-country with traditional lyrics. For his 6th studio album, Bryan gave fans more of what he knows they love, songs that will translate well in his live shows as well as radio-friendly hits.

(Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Pandora)

To celebrate the release of the album, Bryan took NYC by storm this past week. First up, New York Country Swag headed to The Altman Building to catch Pandora’s Up Close With Luke Bryan presented by FedEx Wednesday night. The line of fans wrapped around the long city block, hoping that they would make the first come-first serve cut into the venue. Once inside, fans were treated to free Luke Bryan t-shirts, a photo booth backdrop and a close spot in front of the stage. Although this was an album release party, fans were excited to hear plenty of Bryan’s hits from his ten-year career including, “That’s My Kind of Night”, “Play It Again” “Fast” and of course closing with a high octane version of “Country Girl (Shake It For Me)”.

(Photo by New York CountrySwag.com)

Thursday, Bryan stopped by NASH FM 94.7’s Stage 17 studio to perform more singles off his forthcoming album including “Hooked On It” and the title track. The performance and interview, curated by Mike Allan, assistant program director for NASH FM 94.7 was broadcasted live across the country. DJs Katie Neal and Jesse Addy chatted with Bryan about writing the new songs and asked him to describe what he thinks “Makes You Country?” “An overall way that you view life, the way that you approach life with humility and honor and compassion and faith and belief.” the singer explained. A small group of audience members and winners from NASH FM were treated to stripped down, acoustic versions of the songs and the intimate setting was the perfect place for Bryan to be his goofy self, joking about his shirt being too tight and popping a button off. He ended his visit by taking pictures with his biggest fans.

Although all 15 tracks work well together to create a cohesive country record, a few highlights on the album include “Land of a Million Songs” a true testament to the struggles that Nashville songwriters go through to create your favorite music. Another stand out is “Sunrise, Sunburn, Sunset” which was written by Ryan Hurd, Chase McGill and Zach Crowell. Hurd took to Instagram hours before the album was released to express his gratitude to everyone involved, especially for his fiance Maren Morris, for who he says the song was written about.

The final track on the record, “Win Life” was written by husband and wife songwriters Nicolle Gaylon and Rodney Clawson along with Ross Copperman. It fits right into Bryan’s wheelhouse, as a dad, a country superstar, and a husband just trying to do his best with the time he is given.

(Photo by New York CountrySwag.com)

For Bryan’s biggest appearance during his album release week in NYC, he took the stage at the brand new Opry City Stage in the heart of Times Square for his live performance on Good Morning America. Joined by Robin Roberts and GMA’s leading meteorologist, Ginger Zee, Bryan performed his latest single “Light It Up”, as well as another track off What Makes You Country, “Most People are Good” and other hits for the select few in the studio audience. Finally, Bryan’s fans across the country were able to hear some of the songs live and head to their favorite outlet to purchase the full album.

Grab What Makes You Country on iTunes and head to our Instagram for more from the album release week.

—————————————–

Thanks for supporting Country Music in NYC!

Click Here to learn more about NYCountry Swag
+ Follow our Country Music Adventures on Instagram, @NYCOUNTRYSWAG!

– Team NYCountry Swag

NYCS First Impression: Danielle Bradbery ‘I Don’t Believe We’ve Met’

December 1, 2017/in Blog, First Impression /by Christina Bosch

From first listen, Danielle Bradbery’s latest album is a remarkable testament to the artist who is finally choosing her own path. “I didn’t know myself as a person back then,” Bradbery says of her teenage years. “I didn’t know my sound yet. Now I want to talk about real things. I want to be honest.” the singer says of evolving after her stint on the singing competition The Voice. As a 16-year-old, Bradbery took the reality competition by storm with her strong vocal ability and sweet nature. Now, 21, she understands the importance of being honest with yourself and making the music that you feel represents you.

At her album release party in NYC on Wednesday night, Bradbery explained to us before taking the stage “This album is a huge growing up process, for this album, 16 to now 21 is a huge gap that you have to figure out and that is exactly what I did.”

The Texas native co-wrote 7 of the 10 tracks on I Don’t Believe We’ve Met, making each lyric personal to her story. The most intimate song, “Human Diary” is an intimate look at a breakup and all of the things you lose, feeling exposed and raw. The lead single “Sway” is a perfect groove, introducing the new sound from The Voice alum.

“What Are We Doing” could easily find itself on any pop music chart sitting next to Justin Beiber, highlighting the back and forth of a modern-day relationship. Bradbery’s vocal chops bring new life to the simplest lyric including the female empowering, “Worth It”, her favorite on the album. Fans of all ages can relate to the message Bradbery is singing about. Sonically, the project fits in perfectly with the pop-country vibes that have catapulted young female artists to the country charts including Lauren Alaina and Carly Pearce. Be on the look out for more great things from this emerging country artist and grab I Don’t Believe We’ve Met on iTunes.

—————————————————————–

Thanks for supporting Country Music in NYC!

Click Here to learn more about NYCountry Swag
+ Follow our Country Music Adventures on Instagram, @NYCOUNTRYSWAG!

– Team NYCountry Swag

NYCS First Impression: Tim McGraw & Faith Hill ‘The Rest of Our Life’

November 21, 2017/in Blog, First Impression /by Christina Bosch

It has been a long time coming but it is finally here, a full album of duets between country royalty Faith Hill and Tim McGraw. Their marriage, 21 years and three beautiful daughters is a testament to love and that is expressed in The Rest of Our Life.

Each song on the project allows the power couple to shine separately as well as together embracing heartbreak, respect and a lifelong love story. The record is dripping with romance which is only heightened by the duos epic harmonies especially on the title track, “The Bed We Made”, and “Cowboy Lullaby”.

The first single “Speak to a Girl” which happens to be extremely relevant in current times is about respecting women the way that women and girls should expect to be treated. The record showcases different phases in a relationship, especially highlighting a more mature, marriage which is a missing niche in country radio today. Each of the songs lends well to the duos live Soul2Soul show where Hill takes the lead and is supported by her husband and vice versa.

McGraw and Hill extended their Soul2Soul tour throughout 2018 and they return to NYC on June 14th. For tickets and more info check out soul2soultour.com/tour and grab The Rest of Our Life on iTunes.

—————————————————————–

Thanks for supporting Country Music in NYC!

Click Here to learn more about NYCountry Swag
+ Follow our Country Music Adventures on Instagram, @NYCOUNTRYSWAG!

– Team NYCountry Swag

NYCS First Impression: Chase Rice ‘Lambs & Lions’

November 17, 2017/in Blog, First Impression /by Christina Bosch

Chase Rice released his third studio album today, Lambs & Lions, on Broken Bow Records. After three years, Rice is excited to finally release a full-length album filled with music he is proud of, for his fans. “I was fed up with trying, whether that was trying to be something I’m not, trying to make music that people said I should make or trying to make music I felt people wanted to hear. Instead, I decided I’m going to make music that I needed to hear,” He says in a recent press release. Co-writing 7 of the songs, Rice has put his personal stamp on the LP.

The 10-track Lambs & Lions is a culmination of a maturing artist, creating music with a new label who supports his vision. “Saved Me” and “Eyes on You” are standouts, giving an ode to love, faith and small towns. The first single, released earlier this year “Three Chords & the Truth” is currently sitting in the top 40 on the Country Airplay charts.

“I see you blinking through your blue eyes / How a song can turn back time / You can almost feel the sand on your feet / From the passenger seat / Singing “Anything But Mine” / And don’t you know we were raised on the radio”

Rodney Clawson and Jamie Moore, writers on “Amen”, spin a beautiful image and testament to faith. A gospel choir backs Rice’s delicate delivery, filling even the non-believer with conviction. To close out the album Rice does an impressive, modern day cover of Chris LaDoux’s classic “This Cowboy’s Hat” which even features Chris’ son Ned. The Carolina native does have one party song on the record, “Jack Daniels Showed Up”, a high energy drinkin’ song that will be a great tune for his live set. Grab Lambs & Lions on iTunes and grab tickets to his show at Terminal 5 on January 18th here.

—————————————————————–

Thanks for supporting Country Music in NYC!

Click Here to learn more about NYCountry Swag
+ Follow our Country Music Adventures on Instagram, @NYCOUNTRYSWAG!

– Team NYCountry Swag

NYCS First Impression: Lee Brice Releases Self-Titled Album

November 6, 2017/in Blog, First Impression /by Christina Bosch

Lee Brice released his fourth studio album on Friday, a self-titled project which he says is his most personal album yet. The 38-year-old and father of three wrote 11 of the 15 tracks on the project, recounting his family, his friends and his gratitude for the life he is living. Whether it’s “Boy” which is an ode to being the father of two young men or “The Best Part Of Me” which closes out the record and is dedicated to his baby girl, both showcase the love a father has for his children, a reality Brice is currently living.

The album features plenty of songs that will lend well to Brice’s live show including “American Nights”, “I Don’t Smoke”, “The Locals” and “Little Things”. Brice has a way of engaging fans with his powerful voice, commanding stage presence, and anthemic songs to sing-along with. While listening, you can see fans holding up a beer or waving an American flag in a packed venue.

A definite stand-out is “Songs in the Kitchen” a nostalgia-filled tune set to a background harmonica groove.

“All my dreams came true, my songs took me far away / now I’m singing em every night in these bright lights upon this stage / if you catch me close my eyes, every now and then, to tell you the truth / I’m probably just missin’ songs in the kitchen / songs in the car, songs from the heart.”

Each song on the record reflects a different sentiment but all are relatable and will touch your heart. Brice’s delivery of the songs make the lyrics impactful and he continues to impress with his determination to deliver full, well-rounded albums to his fans. Grab the album on iTunes here and check out his remaining 2017 tour dates here.

—————————-

Thanks for supporting Country Music in NYC!

Click Here to learn more about NYCountry Swag
+ Follow our Country Music Adventures on Instagram, @NYCOUNTRYSWAG!

– Team NYCountry Swag