Galleywinter

I’ve written pieces in the past regarding our album review policy, but the issue has come up yet again.  Someone sent me a comment that questioned our reviews here on Galleywinter and said “the next negative review I see on Galleywinter will be the first.”  They then listed a dozen or so quotes from various reviews and articles from our site.   We’ve obviously made such the impression on this person that they felt the need to dig through our archives and cherry pick select quotes from ten years worth of reviews.   Now to the larger point.

Why don’t we do negative reviews?

We try to act like a filter in today’s crowded marketplace.  If we dig something enough to write about it, then we hope the brand we’ve established helps you understand it’s something we truly think is worth your time.  After you listen, you may disagree, but all we’re attempting to do is stimulate conversation about music we like.  Our motto has always been “Supporting music we love.”  It doesn’t say anything about ravaging music we hate.

I mean I could tell you that Kristen Kelly’s “Ex Old Man” is recycled trash.  That the dated guitar riff sounds like OMD’s “How Bizzare” and her vocals on it screech like nails on a chalkboard.  Between screeches it resembles some sort of awkward faux-country female rapping on the verses.  Or that Casey Donahew’s Double Wide Dream is a double wide nightmare of cliche-ridden garbage lyrics delivered via nasally vocals that sound like a drunken 18 year old kid that reduces his talented band to a paint by numbers karaoke level of musicianship.  What if I told you that Granger Smith’s music reminds me of a Kevin Fowler album that’s been castrated? (ed. note-Granger’s a super nice guy…just needed another example).

Does that make anybody feel better about themselves?  Or help you decipher what music you really like?

Ripping apart bad music and albums is redundant, negative and does nobody any good.  If you don’t like it, don’t waste your time…move on to something you do like.

Those examples I listed above are having success…playing the Opry, selling out shows, selling tons of albums etc.  Tearing them down is a waste of time.  People are obviously into it or they wouldn’t be having the success they are finding.

We’d rather not waste our time rehashing why we find that success odd.

Instead, we choose to lift up new stuff that we feel needs lifting (K Phillips, Javi Garcia, or Josh Weathers etc) or offer confirmation that something held in high regard is still pretty awesome (Randy Rogers Band, Wade Bowen, Turnpike Troubadours etc)

So, to review the review policy here at GW.  We have always had a review by omission policy.  Meaning, we like to accentuate the positive and only focus on the stuff we truly dig.  If we review it, it means we think it is special. In our opinion, it does no good to tell you how awful someone’s record is…we’d rather just share the one’s we think are very cool.

Perhaps some sort of rating system like 3 out of 4 rocking horses would help.  Maybe we’ll look into that.  Also, the reviews we do post aren’t all sunshine and rainbows.  We are critical and we do point out the flaws we find in the records we dig.  Whether that be a quibble with the production or a question about the songwriting.

For example.  The K Phillips record we’re so high on right now included this in its official review:

This is not a perfect record.  The lyrics reek of a little too much romantic wanderlust at times, some of the vocals are mumbled slurrily, and at points it all seems intrinsically indulgent.

Right or wrong, that’s just how we’ve chosen to do things.

Positive energy is always more effective than negative. 

We offer plenty of dissenting thoughts in our opinion pieces and editorial blogs.  Tank, myself and our other contributing writers have plenty of opinions.  We invite you to share yours in the comments of our articles, interact with us via Twitter or FB…or our old dinosaurs of social media interaction the fabled Galleywinter forums.

Over the past year, I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know the heart and music of Clayton Gardner. Singer/songwriter local to College Station, TX, Clayton has a voice comparable to none, with a genuine heart for music and his fans. His sophomore EP, Here to Stay, released May 1, debuting in the Top 20 on iTunes country music charts. You’ll hear instrumental styling reminiscent of classic country, but with the mature writing embraced by the Texas/Red Dirt genre.  His writing has matured in such a short time, likely due to the opportunity to write with the likes of Brandon Rhyder and Bleu Edmondson. But I’ve also heard the first song he ever wrote, which knocked me back; his ability definitely stands on his own talent. Give him a spin over on The Drop and see what you think.

Over the years, it’s safe to say no topic has come up more in frivolous late night conversation at shows, festivals and clubs around the Texas scene than “Yeah, I think George might want to cut (insert Texas/Red Dirt artist’s name’s) song on his next record.”  The George in question having the last name of Strait.  Grains of truth or pipe dreams…it’s still a fun topic.  Some have long maintained that since George could hum the contacts in his iPhone and have a #1 record, imagine what he could do with some of the best songs from this scene that would be tailored to his voice/style.

Here are some that have come up in the past:

Cory Morrow-Love Me Like You Used To Do
Owen Temple-Tennesee Highway
Randy Rogers Band-Like It Used To Be
Jason Boland & The Stragglers-Somewhere Down in Texas
Max Stalling-Blue Eyes
Matt Powell-Ferris Wheel

What would you pitch to George Strait if given the chance?  Jason Eady? Drew Kennedy?  Adam Hood?  Cody Johnson? Hit the comments section or thread and let us know what you think.

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Triggerman of Saving Country Music.com is probably the best country music blogger/writer on the ol’ interwebs these days.  He wrote a piece a few months ago regarding the manipulation of southern culture via the mainstream media.  Basically, reality shows like My Big Redneck (insert whatever) and the terrible laundry list music created by the Brantley Gilbert’s of the world make money via the dumbing down of country culture in general.

They boil country music and southern life down to played out stereotypes that appeal to people too ignorant to know better or care…and advertisers who see dollar signs.  It’s a real life Beverly Hillbillies scenario and the people pulling the strings are real life Milburn Drysdales.

Over the past few years, Texas Music was in a race toward this sort of mediocrity.  Several artists began flying the Texas banner for marketing purposes while hitting the studio to create the type of lowest common denominator crap the fanbase they were pandering to detested.  A sea of frauds seeing the Texas Music market as nothing more than a convenient money grab.  Slyly moving the target to a more commercial and mass appeal location with a cheesy faux redneck aesthetic.

In other words…making horrible music, wrapping it in a Lone Star flag and getting away with it.

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Austin celebrated Cinco de Mayo with some Red Dirt music as Lone Star Jam brought thousands of fans to LBJ Library Lawn for a day of awesome music. The festival featuring No Justice, Micky and the Motorcars, Brandon Rhyder, Whiskey Myers, Charlie Robison, Cody Canada and the Departed, Jason Boland and the Stragglers, Stoney LaRue, Josh Abbott Band and Randy Rogers Band. I felt very fortunate to be apart of this event again this year and would like to thank Dave Lytle at 415 Entertainment and all the bands for allowing me to shoot their sets! Enjoy and if you didn’t make it this year, plan on a trip next year!

~ Jalys.

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