Cowboy Troy - I Play Chicken (With The Train)
Recommended to me by the inestimably accurate Mr Swygart, it's something to behold with a measure of awe that someone has made a record that's the exact cross between "Comin' Round" by Bubba Sparxxx and "(If You're Not In It For Love) I'm Outta Here!" by Shania Twain - right down to the needless parentheses. And of course, it's Big John and Kenny Rich, but it would be.
Where others pay homage to country as a serious art, attempting to cloak its stars in black and deny the flippancy and vibrancy of its past, it's a relief that at least some people are keeping the art of hybrid-comedy-country viable by producing killer singles in such a style.
You haven't heard it? Oh, go on then. Just this once, eh?
What's particularly good is that when the big riffs kick in, you have this horrible feeling that it's going to be like Kid Rock. Then you remember that, hey, you didn't mind one or two of his singles, so it might not be all bad. But you're still relieved when it doesn't. Fiddles shoot across the speakers like gunshots, and Troy's flow is absolutely endearing. The chorus nags and torments you with its complete lack of subtlety or even a proper tune, but it stays with you long afterward.
And I'll never get tired of the trick of having multiple instrumental breaks condensed into one - one instrument, then the same thing done on another, then back to the first one again. It's a neat trick, and I can only think of one actual pop single in the last year that's done a similar thing. (Ten points if you can think of what it is. Hint: It made #7 in the UK).
What I may like most of all is that it establishes Troy as an immediately likeable performer/persona. Brash, funny and vital, and there aren't really that many around.
It crams all of this in to 3 minutes and 18 seconds. The compactness leaves you breathless, really.
Where others pay homage to country as a serious art, attempting to cloak its stars in black and deny the flippancy and vibrancy of its past, it's a relief that at least some people are keeping the art of hybrid-comedy-country viable by producing killer singles in such a style.
You haven't heard it? Oh, go on then. Just this once, eh?
What's particularly good is that when the big riffs kick in, you have this horrible feeling that it's going to be like Kid Rock. Then you remember that, hey, you didn't mind one or two of his singles, so it might not be all bad. But you're still relieved when it doesn't. Fiddles shoot across the speakers like gunshots, and Troy's flow is absolutely endearing. The chorus nags and torments you with its complete lack of subtlety or even a proper tune, but it stays with you long afterward.
And I'll never get tired of the trick of having multiple instrumental breaks condensed into one - one instrument, then the same thing done on another, then back to the first one again. It's a neat trick, and I can only think of one actual pop single in the last year that's done a similar thing. (Ten points if you can think of what it is. Hint: It made #7 in the UK).
What I may like most of all is that it establishes Troy as an immediately likeable performer/persona. Brash, funny and vital, and there aren't really that many around.
It crams all of this in to 3 minutes and 18 seconds. The compactness leaves you breathless, really.
posted by Edward O at 10:14 PM
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