New Music Tuesday

Jake Owen's new (first) CD is coming out today. Yee Haw! Over on myspace I got a message letting me know the exciting news. And of course, I downloaded it right away on iTunes. Where would I be without my Mac? I'll tell you where ... music-less, Photoshop-less, and Internet-less ... in which case I would be stark-raving mad. So ... Bellin Psychiatric perhaps?

Onto the music ... I'm pretty excited that this guy is only a year older than me. But I guess I don't know a whole lot about him except what I've seen on CMT ... the generic stuff. I've seen the video for Yee Haw, I don't know ... probably like 25 times. CMT plays the same list of like 30 videos - over and over and over and you get the point here right? So right now, Jake makes that list of 30. I really do like the video. I like the camera angles and effects that are going on.

Here are my thoughts on the 11 track listing (one time through the whole thing):
The Bad in Me - The song is fast enough to be a good starter and keep me interested. Reminds me a bit of Jace Everett's Everything I Want & Bad Things blended together. Makes me smile ... 4.5/5
Something About a Woman - Wondering if all the songs are about a particular girl or if they are all just songs that seem to elicit a bit of innuendo. 4/5
Startin With Me - ah ha, here we have the title track. A list of bad choices. But a quality song. I think a lot of guys will like this one. 4/5
Yee Haw - Of course I'm a bit biased about this song. It's still the first song on many of my playlists. I just love this song. 5/5
Ghosts - First slow one I hit. I like the music with the subtle violin in the background. 4.5/5
Eight Second Ride - very rock. Fast paced. I wasn't catchin' the whole story of the song though. Definitely going to listen to it again. 4.5/5
Hard Not to Love You - second of the slowin' down songs. I like the lyrics ... the music, didn't draw me in immediately or anything. 3.5/5
The Bottle and Me - Reminiscent of songs I have been listening to by Dierks Bentley, Trent Tomlinson, and Chris Cagle. A good drinkin' song. 4/5
Places to Run - Slowin' down again ... it's not bad but I'm not enraptured by it. 3/5
Long Night With You - Cuddlin' song. 4/5
You Can Thank Dixie - oh no. Earnhardt fan. A bluesy ending to an overall well done, first CD. 4/5

What I noticed right away was the "artwork" that iTunes provides for me in the lower left corner of my screen. The cover of the CD. I don't like it. It doesn't look like Jake Owens in any way I've ever seen him (on CMT, in the video, on the website pics). And I think he's a pretty good lookin' guy - up until this pic. Back to the cover - it's pretty plain. So you know me ... I'm thinkin' - oh hell, I could have done better. So I have myself all of 3 minutes ... and pulled this one together. =D I don't know that it's better ... persay ... but I think it stands out more.



Also - it's only 38 minutes for the whole CD. Had I known this when I bought it ... I don't know if I would have paid $10 straight up. My favorite song is still Yee Haw. That's not real good. I already had this song. I would have started off with a single that wouldn't have been quite so catchy. The best song on the CD being radio-ized right away ... I don't think that makes me want to buy the CD when I come into this knowledge. However, I like the guy ... I like the songs and I will be tellin' my friends.