Brandy Clark - Stripes

Brandy Clark has written/co-written some of my favorite songs of 2013 -- Mama's Broken Heart (Miranda Lambert), Better Dig Two (The Band Perry), Follow Your Arrow (Kacey Musgraves) and We Can't Be Friends (Joanna Smith). Now we can add her first single to that list. I've been seeing this video on CMT Pure a lot lately. Hopefully, country radio will start playing it too because it's such a killer tune (pun may or may not have been intended).

Luke Bryan - That's My Kind of Night

The first time I heard Blake Shelton's Boys 'Round Here I proclaimed it to be "the 'dumbest' song I've ever heard." Within, oh let's say, about less than a week I declared it to be "the 'greatest' song ever written" and I still get a big dumb goofy grin on my face when I hear it (which is often).

So what does this have to do Luke Bryan and his latest single? Well, the first time I heard Luke Bryan's That's My Kind Of Night I proclaimed it to be "the 'dumbest' song I've ever heard." Within, oh let's say, about less than a week I declared it to be "the 'greatest' song ever written" and I now get a big dumb goofy grin on my face when I hear it (which is often).

Lesson learned. Sometimes it's all about having fun and nothing more. I'll certainly have fun seeing Luke perform again tonight.



*Please note my use of "dumbest" and "greatest" was strictly for emphasis. There's no way I'd consider either Boys 'Round Here or That's My Kind Of Night to be the "greatest song ever." That distinction clearly goes to Toby Keith's Red Solo Cup.

Kelleigh Bannen - Pretty Mess AND Thomas Rhett - It Goes Like This

Tomorrow night I'm off to see the Dirt Road Diaries Tour with Luke Bryan. Today though we're going to focus on the two opening acts (ideally I would have done two separate posts, but for the second time in as many months I forgot how many days came between Tuesday and Wednesday). First up is Kelleigh Bannen who I featured here last year (if you click on that link you'll see a cool photo of me and Kelleigh on a hot summer afternoon and then you can watch her awesome video for Sorry On The Rocks). Today though, we have a fantastic live video of her playing Hot Mess.



And that takes us to second act on the bill -- Thomas Rhett. I saw Thomas this January opening up for Miranda Lambert and Dierks Bentley and he put on a great show. What I didn't know at the time was that he co-wrote Jason Aldean's 1994, Lee Brice's Parking Lot Party and Florida Georgia Line's Round Here (so if any of those songs ever get stuck in your head it's partially his fault). Here's his video for It Goes Like This which is currently storming up the country charts.

Depeche Mode - The Things You Said

So I just walked into the kitchen and started randomly belting out The Things You Said by Depeche Mode. If that isn't inspiration enough for a Friday Flashback I don't know what is. This one's from their fantastic 101 concert video which I haven't seen in forever. I'd go digging around my basement to find my 101 videotape but I don't have a VCR anymore so it would be kind of pointless.

Boysetsfire - Closure

Boysetsfire released their first album in over six years a couple months ago and I have to say it's pretty badass. Some of the finest melodic hardcore I've heard in a while. Check out the video for Closure and see and hear for yourself.

Jason Isbell - Traveling Alone

I've been a fan of Jason Isbell since his days in the Drive-By Truckers. And while I thoroughly enjoyed his first three solo albums, his latest, Southeastern, is easily my favorite. I venture to say that it may be one of the best albums of 2013 and I know I'm not the only one out there saying it. I suspect it will show up on many "Best Of" lists (including mine) come December. For me, it gets better every time I put it on, which is often. While the record's been out for a few months, there hasn't been a video for me to share with you all, until today. Check it out!

Charlie Worsham - Could It Be

Charlie Worsham's debut album Rubberband came out today and I'm looking forward to hearing it after all of the great press it's been receiving. It's already waiting for me in my iTunes and hopefully I'll have a chance to listen to it tonight. Until then, here's the video for the laid-back and addictive first single Could It Be.

Superchunk - Me & You & Jackie Mittoo

Superchunk's 10th studio album I Hate Music comes out tomorrow. I'm pretty damn psyched as they have been one of my favorite indie ROCK bands since the first time I heard Slackmotherfucker back in my college days. If this first single is any indication, I think I'm going to be very pleased with I Hate Music.

Social Distortion - Cold Feelings

I've probably listened to Social Distortion's Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell about 8 million times since it's release in 1992. It was my "go to" tape on pretty much every road trip I took in the 90s and I still get revved up when I hear it 21 years later. Here's the video for the album's hard-driving first track Cold Feelings. Crank it up!

Arctic Monkeys - Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High

Hmmm, I must be in an English indie mood lately. Yesterday, I posted the new Babyshambles video and now we have the latest by the Arctic Monkeys, whose new album comes out next month. It takes a bit for this one to kick in, but give it a chance because it's a killer song and the video's pretty cool in that hazy drug kind of way.

Babyshambles - Nothing Comes To Nothing

Has it really been six years since Pete Doherty graced us with a Babyshambles album? I guess time flies when one does time...and often (look it up). Like all of Doherty's best songs, this new one is catchy as can be (even with the constant cut-ins which are hopefully just in the video). You know I'll be picking up Sequel to the Prequel when it comes out on September 2nd. Will you?

Laura Marling - Master Hunter

I should have posted Laura Marling's killer Master Hunter video months ago when it came out. It's such a cool song and I'm really digging her new album Once I Was An Eagle. She's definitely one of those artists that gets better with every record and that's coming from someone who was a big fan of her 2008 debut Alas, I Cannot Swim.

Miranda Lambert - All Kinds of Kinds

I was kind of shocked (and pleasantly surprised) to hear that the fifth single off Miranda Lambert's Four The Record would be All Kinds of Kinds. Don't get me wrong. I love the song. It's just not exactly pop-country radio-friendly (cross-dressing congressmen and drug pinching pharmacists and all). It's kind of cool that they didn't go safe and choose...well Safe, or Dear Diamond (both of which would also be welcome additions on country radio).

So sit back, relax and check out the just released concert video for All Kinds Of Kinds which totally brought me back to January when I saw her for the third time.

Afghan Whigs - Debonair

It's time for another Friday Flashback. This one's from one of my favorite rock albums ever -- Gentlemen by The Afghan Whigs. Twenty years since its release and I still go bonkers when hear those 11 iconic songs blaring on my stereo speakers. I posted the video for the title track a few years ago, so today I think we'll go with the dazzling Debonair.

Keith Urban - Little Bit of Everything

I had the chance to see Keith Urban on his last tour and kind of blew it by not going because I pretty much hate going to DC for shows. I promised myself though, that I wouldn’t make the same mistake again if he came back to the DC/Maryland area (but not Virginia, never Virginia). Well, tonight’s the night for redemption. I’m seeing Keith with Little Big Town and Dustin Lynch (both of whom I’ve seen before and were great) AND it's even in Maryland (WOOO!). Keith’s new album doesn’t come out for a month or so, but the first single is all sorts of summer chill. So let’s get our groove on with a Little Bit of Everything.

Little Big Town - Your Side of The Bed

I'm beyond excited to see Little Big Town again tomorrow night. In the past three or so years they have become one of my favorite bands because of their great songs and killer harmonies. I already posted the Tornado and Boondocks videos, so here's their latest -- the heartbreaking Your Side of the Bed.



Awww heck, it's summer. Here's the video for Pontoon.



Motorboatin'!

Brett Eldredge - Don't Ya

Brett Eldredge's debut album Bring You Back comes out today. I saw him in May opening for Taylor Swift at the Verizon Center in Washington, DC. And while I only knew his recently released single Don't Ya (today's video), my attention was held for the entire 30 minute set (that speaks more to Brett's booming voice and less to my short attention span). Anyway, here's the video for the lead single which tore up the country charts this summer.