As a life long fan of country music, I have been quietly waging war against the recent spate of pop-country acts who think country music started with Garth Brooks.  Preferring the soulful sounds of Patsy Cline, I have grown immeasurably bored with the cadre of young country acts who think the inclusion of a dobro and mandolin in the B-section is all you really need in order to call a song “country.”    So imagine my surprise when a friend, a fan of old school country (Conway Twitty, Johnny Cash, George Jones, etc.) gave me a Lady Antebellum CD for Christmas and told me to look past the cover art. 

“You expect me to actually listen to the CD before I judge it,” I said half-jokingly.  “They’re not even wearing boots, how country can they be?  I mean for Heaven’s sake, the lead singer is wearing a tie!” 

Despite my protestations, I decided to listen to the CD this weekend while I moved furniture.  My initial reaction to the CD was iffy.  I could see why a few of the tracks were shooting up the charts, but I was having trouble connecting with any of the tracks.  Until, American Honey.

This track about a young girl from a small town who moves away and misses home read oddly biographical.  The sweet harmonies and delicate guitar riffs reading like the perfect song for summer days spend down by the lake.  Suddenly, I was very homesick and very much wishing that it was twelve degrees outside so that I could break out a sundress and some cowboy boots.

I plan to give the CD a deeper listen this weekend while I complete the rest of my mucking out and redecorating.  Perhaps, I’ve turned over a new leaf or just discovered an exception to my “no pop-country” rule.  Only time will tell.

Photo courtesy of Cavan Images.