For Dave: Yet another C&W authenticity test ...

[uwe]

(nervously) Yes or no?







Backing vocals too Eagles-ish? 

Bassist moves and has his bass slung like he's playing in a Prog band? 

The way they dress! 

In feverish anticipation of your just verdict!

Uwe

PS: Actually, I find myself reminded of Loggins & Messina with a good deal of Garth Brooks thrown in.

[4stringer77]

Sure, if you consider Steel Panther a real hair metal band. Same difference.

[uwe]

To me, Steel Panther are a  serious rock band pretending to be goofy because that gives them an individual sales pitch and also insulates them against criticism of "In 2017, you guys can't possibly be serious about what you are doing!?". It is then an effective and sourpuss-deflecting repartee to say "Of course not, just look at us, we can't be serious!", yet at the same time wink at your real, devoted audience indicating that you're dead serious. I understand that Steel Panther has a large female audience which regards their gigs as a hen party-guilty pleasure without morning-after-remorse.

But I know where you're coming from, there is something about Midland so carefully crafted and OTT, you wonder whether they actually do take the mickey. That was my immediate thought too, but apparently none of their audience seems to think so. Outside of their glamour cowboy outfits and the way they move on stage and play their instruments, they sure look like a rock band, carefully groomed 70ies moustaches or not. Is caricature and irony an alien concept to C&W fans?

[westen44]

I've been wrong before and I'm no real country expert like Dave.  But after just listening to one song, to my ears at least, that singer's accent doesn't sound like a real Southern accent.  I know almost nothing about Midland, though, I must say.  All I can say is that in the South most people don't talk like that, whatever the hell that accent is supposed to be. 

[4stringer77]

Caricature and Irony? I'd say Ray Stevens fits that bill and also He Haw. There's a link in the comment section of the first video regarding Midland's authenticity.
http://www.savingcountrymusic.com/the-midland-authenticity-dilemma/

[Dave W]

The Steel Panther comparison is a good one. They're competent musicians and the music is country style, but they're play acting. Call 'em The Prefab Three. Like Judy Canova and Esmeraldy in the 40s and 50s, they're actors playing country musicians. Oh, and I hate the fakey accents.

Pretty boy lead singer's IMDb page. And in the immortal words of Richard Bowden, I'd rather hear a fat girl fart than a pretty boy sing.

One example of authentic country sung by authentic young artists:

[uwe]

But that sounds like 50ies C&W transplanted into the 21st Century!

So unlike other forms of music, C&W is not allowed to develop, however gently?

[uwe]

OMG, corporate-fabricated, soapie-actor, underwear model, Bruno Mars hanger-on, Monkees C&W!!!

We've been deceived. 

[Granny Gremlin]

So unlike other forms of music, C&W is not allowed to develop, however gently?

No, cuz we've seen what happens when you allow any of that sort of thing:

[Psycho Bass Guy]

that singer's accent doesn't sound like a real Southern accent.

I mean this with no sarcasm whatsoever: he sounds like someone from Scandinavia trying to do a Kenny Chesney impression and failing. 

[Psycho Bass Guy]

So unlike other forms of music, C&W is not allowed to develop, however gently?

ahem:



...and BTW, the first part of that video is a parody OF a parody: this running gag from Walk Hard (which was a FAR better movie than Walk the Line, the movie it parodies.)

[westen44]

I mean this with no sarcasm whatsoever: he sounds like someone from Scandinavia trying to do a Kenny Chesney impression and failing.

I had no idea where he was from.  All I know is that when I heard him, it immediately jumped out as an affectation which grated my nerves.  But you never know for sure what's going on.  My sister says Jennifer Nettles gets on her nerves with her exaggerated accent (while singing) and Jennifer is from Georgia. 

[Psycho Bass Guy]

Jennifer Nettle's accent is as fake as his. Being from Georgia doesn't automatically impart hillbilly speech. I hate her affectations too. She CAN sing beautifully without them.

[westen44]

Jennifer Nettle's accent is as fake as his. Being from Georgia doesn't automatically impart hillbilly speech. I hate her affectations too. She CAN sing beautifully without them.

I was under the impression that Jennifer did have a lot of talent.  I have a friend who would probably list Sugarland as a favorite country band despite the affectations. 

[westen44]

I don't know exactly what to say about this.  I suppose it's country.  But not Nashville country and it sounds probably more like western than country.  I tried to look up the people doing it.  The leader of the band seems to be someone known in Texas.  The guy who wrote the song and does much of the singing is from Memphis, appears to have been something of a pop singer in the 80s, but later wrote some songs for some country artists such as Martina McBride.  I happened to run across these guys not long ago while I was channel surfing.  Most likely some people would call this music Americana and maybe it is.  I don't really have enough of a handle on what's Americana to say.  For one thing I've heard John Fogerty called Americana and what he does sounds pretty different than this.