Zac Brown / Zac Band Brown - You Get What You Give CD

You Get What You Give buy CD music Recording information: Brighter Shade Studio, Atlanta, GA; Compass Point Studios, Nassau, Bahamas; The Sound Station Nashville, TN; Wedgewood Sound. Photographer: C. Taylor Crothers. Personnel: ...

You Get What You Give CD music Lady Antebellum prefaced the release of Need You Now by issuing its title track as a single; it reached the top spot on the country charts and stayed there for five straight weeks. It was their second number one, and they wasted no time following it with "American Honey," which appeared a mere two months before this set was in stores. This singing/songwriting trio -- lead vocalists Charles Kelly and Hillary Scott, with multi-instrumentalist and backing vocalist Dave Haywood -- understand how Nashville works, and they know how to work it. On their sophomore effort, they stick very close to the formula of their debut: a slew of mid- and uptempo love songs, a sad ballad, and a couple of rocked-up good-time tunes, all self-written with some help from some of Nashville's most respected writers. Kelly's baritone is emotive, expressive, and deep in the pocket, no matter what he's singing. He shines on the soft rocking "Love This Pain," which could have been a single. Scott's voice is a little less distinctive, but she does possess a unique form of phrasing and reaches deeply into her protagonist's personal situations, whether it's the celebratory good-time girl in "American Honey" or the wildly-in-love mature woman on "Hold on Tight." The group party anthem on the set -- an obligatory addition these days -- is "Stars Tonight," which contains more than a few clichés, but has a killer guitar riff and an infectious chorus. With co-production from Paul Worley, Lady Antebellum prove there is no sophomore slump on Need You Now. Here, the band's seamless, polished, and savvy brand of contemporary country is even more consistent than it was on their debut; it's virtually flawless in its songwriting, production, and performance. ~ Thom Jurek Audio Mixer: Clarke Schleicher. Recording information: Quad Studios, Nashville, TN; Warner Studios; Warner Studios, Nashville, TN. Photographer: Miranda Penn Turin.

You Get What You Give album for sale Jason Aldean isn't a country music traditionalist -- unless one counts the pop- and rock-edged new country that emerged in the 1990s as a tradition, and since it's cruising well into a second decade as the dominant music on country radio stations, perhaps it is a tradition by now. Aldean loves electric guitars, and there's more Eagles and even AC/DC in his sound than there is George Jones, which, again, given the state of country music in the 21st century, hardly makes him a maverick. He's not a strong singer, although he gets things done well enough, and he isn't a songwriter, either, but since the commercial success of 2009's Wide Open, which yielded three hit singles ("She's Country," "Big Green Tractor," and "The Truth"), he got his pick of the best songs from Nashville's veteran writers for his new album. Produced by Michael Knox , My Kinda Party has an impressive sonic consistency, full of churning and chiming electric guitars (provided by guitarists Kurt Allison and Adam Shoenfeld -- Aldean uses his touring band in the studio) wrapped around big songs with small-town themes. At best, this formula produces energetic tracks like the wonderful opener, "Tattoos on This Town"; the small-town Saturday night anthem "My Kinda Party" (the lead single from the album); and the air-guitar epic "Days Like These," which closes this set out. Aldean even tackles a straight ballad like "The Heartache That Don't Stop Hurting" with enough sincerity and style to make it work. Again, there are layers of electric guitars everywhere, and truthfully, Aldean has found success because he finds songs that fit his voice and then lets the guitars do what they do. He does just enough, and doesn't reach for the stars -- it's a formula that should keep on working into the near future. ~ Steve Leggett Recording information: Treasure Isle Recording Studio; Westwood Studios. Editor: Brandon Epps. Photographer: James Minchin III. Personnel: Adam Shoenfeld (acoustic guitar, electric guitar); Danny Rader (acoustic guitar, banjo); Kurt Allison (electric guitar); Mike Johnson (lap steel guitar); Tony Harrell (strings, piano, Hammond b-3 organ, Wurlitzer organ); Rich Redmond (drums, percussion); Shalacy Griffin, Lisa Torres, Neil Thrasher, Wes Hightower, Perry Coleman (background vocals). Audio Mixer: Peter Coleman.

You Get What You Give songs After the success of their first two singles -- "If I Die Young" and "Hip to My Heart," the Band Perry issued a self-titled teaser: a five-track EP that featured a different mix of the latter track. This is confusing, given that it's also the title of their debut album. This is especially true since everything about the group -- Kimberly Perry (lead vocals, guitar, and piano), Reid Perry (bass guitar), and Neil Perry (drums, mandolin, and accordion) -- is so carefully crafted by management, from their look and public image as a family group to their production and presentation (in other words, everything but their considerable talent for writing hooky, rootsy, country-pop songs). Ultimately, it's the latter that matters most. The Perrys wrote or co-wrote the vast majority of what's here. All five tracks from the EP are included on the album (the original mix of "Hip to My Heart" is here, rather than the video mix) along with six others. The meld of acoustic guitars, mandolins, accordion, and piano is added to considerably, with strings, big kick drums, pedal steel, and of course, fiddle. The songs here are carefully crafted; there isn't an extra word, chorus, or beat. The guitar solos are all in the right places, and all the electric instruments take a back seat to the acoustic ones. Standout tracks include the two singles, the angry, damning heartbreak song "Postcards from Paris," and "Independence," with its anthemic chorus and Kimberly Perry's passionate vocal chock-full of determination. The bluesy little rocker "Double Heart" is uncharacteristic of the rest of the set, and may be its best, most unguarded cut. There is no doubt that the Band Perry fits 2010's contemporary country radio and video format. Despite their obvious gifts for writing, singing, and arranging, the album is prone to some overly glossy mistakes. It will be interesting to see how they mature with album number two. ~ Thom Jurek Recording information: Blackbird Studios, Nashville, TN; Emblem Music, Calabasas, CA; Eye Spy Sound Studio, Nashville, TN; I.T. Sound; Loveshack Studios, Nashville, TN; OMNI Sound; Pain In The Art Studio, Nashville, TN; Sound Stage Studios, Nashville, TN; Soundgrounded, Ljublijana, Slovenia; Warner Studios, Nashville, TN. Photographers: Justin Nolan Key; Joseph Anthony Baker.

You Get What You Give album for sale Although they've enjoyed commercial success with fine country singles like "Toes," "Whatever It Is," and the infectious, laid-back classic anthem "Chicken Fried," the Zac Brown Band are really all about their live shows, and this three-disc set (two discs of music plus a DVD) captures the reverent, communal feel of the band's performances. Recorded at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta on October 30, 2009 as a benefit for Athens' historic Georgia Theatre, the show features a host of guest stars, including Kid Rock on "Can't You See," Little Big Town on "Colder Weather," and Shawn Mullins on "Toes," as well as band performances of "Chicken Fried" and the group's other key songs. What makes a Zac Brown Band show really work, though, is the way the band pays homage to its influences, and there are intelligent covers here of Paul McCartney's "Blackbird," Bob Dylan's "I Shall Be Released," Charlie Daniels' "The Devil Went Down to Georgia," and the Band's "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down," and fine segues from the country-reggae of "Where the Boat Leaves From" into Bob Marley's "One Love" and from "Free" into Van Morrison's "Into the Mystic." It all flows naturally and easily, making this set a wonderful introduction to a very special band. ~ Steve Leggett 2 Audio CD's and 1 DVD of Zac Brown Band's performance recorded live at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta on October 30, 2009. Audio Mixers: John Alagia; Brian Scheuble. Recording information: Fox Theatre, Atlanta, GA (10/30/2009). Director: Darren Doane. Editors: Darren Doane; Billy Maddox. Photographers: Darren Doane; Bryan Allen ; Thomas R. Bledsoe; Stephanie M. Simbeck.

You Get What You Give CD music The Zac Brown Band's third major-label studio album, Uncaged, is the first with new member percussionist Daniel de los Reyes, and features guest spots from Amos Lee and Trombone Shorty, as well as songs co-written with Jason Mraz and fellow Southern Ground artists Nic Cowan and Sonia Leigh. The album, conceived and recorded as a whole, and not just as a collection of songs, was tracked at various Southern studios in Atlanta; Nashville; Asheville, North Carolina; and Key West, Florida. Recording information: 800 East, Atlanta, GA; Brighter Shade Studios, Atlanta, GA; Echo Mountain Recording, Asheville, NC; Fudge Recording Studios, New Orleans, LA; Loud Recording, Nashville, TN; Sear Sound, New York, NY; Shrimpboat Sound Studio, Key West, FL; The Crows Nest, Smyrna, GA; The Sound Station, Nashville, TN; The Workshop, Nashville, TN. Photographer: Cole Cassell. Personnel: Clay Cook (vocals, guitar, piano, Fender Rhodes piano); Zac Brown (vocals, guitar); Jimmy de Martini (vocals, violin); John Driskell Hopkins (vocals); Coy Bowles (guitar, resonator guitar); Chris Fryar (drums); Daniel de los Reyes (percussion). Audio Mixer: John Kelton.