Country Universe: Best singles of 2010

We counted down the 40 best country singles of 2010 over at Country Universethis week, ending with the rare critically-acclaimed radio smash, “The House That Built Me” by Miranda Lambert. That an understated, acoustic song like this one not only cracked country radio but perpetuated Lambert to long overdue stardom is something worth celebrating.

Unlike Lambert’s hit, my two personal favorite singles this year are a little harder to fit in a box – which is why I love them. Neither is decidedly country, but both bottle emotion as skillfully as the best country songs. Check ‘em out below, along with my write-ups from the countdown.

“Drop On By,” Laura Bell Bundy (#8)

A contemporary spin on the standard country theme of heartache, “What Do You Want” owes its brilliance to its perfect storm of elements: The raw honesty of Niemann’s plea (“I get so tired of living like this/I don’t have the time/Neither do my friends”). The hollow, pulsing arrangement that mirrors his cycle of pain. The killer vocal performance, soaked in emotional fatigue. Each element draws out the potency of the next, culminating in one of the most captivating releases of the year.

Those crazy 20-somethings

I’m strangely in love with this Thought Catalog blog post, “How to be a 20-Something,” despite the fact that it contradicts itself and bounces from tongue-in-cheek to sharply insightful. Or maybe that’s why I love it. Maybe that’s the only way to get through your 20s – by striking that balance between laughing at yourself and forcing yourself to seize those 20-something opportunities that come around once in a lifetime.

Some of my favorite lines from the post, written by Ryan O’Connell:

“Read the New York Times piece, “What Is It About 20-Somethings?” Feel exposed and humiliated.

Remember that you’re young and that the world is your oyster. Everything is possible, you still have so much to see and hear. You went to a good school and did good things. Figure if you’re not going to be successful, who the hell is?

Date people who you know you’ll never be able to love. See someone for three months for no other reason than because it’s winter and you want to keep warm by holding another body.

Start your twenties with a lot of friends and leave with a few good ones. What happened? People faded away into their careers and relationships. Fights were had and never resolved. Shit happens.”

Friday flashback: *NSYNC, "Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays"

If you don’t love this unapologetically cheesy song even a smidge, you’re probably in denial. 90s kids: who remembers this “Holidays in Concert” special that aired on the Disney Channel circa 1998?

“Idol” Season 8 finalist Matt Giraud put his own spin on the pop song last Saturday at a holiday concert he performed in Rockford, MI. Watch his cover below, complete with a local high school choir rocking crazy holiday sweaters. Come to think of it, the sweaters kind of capture the essence of the song…

Let's "Idol"

Two new “American Idol” commercials aired last night, the first spotlighting judge Jennifer Lopez, and the second flashing through the audition madness. So far, I’m on board with everything I’ve seen and heard from Lopez, who not only has the insight to pull off her new gig, but seems awfully genuine and focused about it.

Check out the commercials below, via mjsbigblog.com. (Oh, and also check out this great “USA Today” piece on the new judges that I was lucky enough to be a part of back in September.)

Sound Bite: Jeans and underwear people

“Why can’t blue jean people — the people that make the blue jeans; I call them blue jean people – and underwear people get together and decide on one standard height for the articles of clothing? Instead of everybody walking around with a thong that’s 18 inches above their waist or granny panties that are scrunched up inside their pants like Venetian blinds, they should just sell jeans and underwear together. That’s what they should do. Like you’re choosing wine that goes with your meal. Like, ‘Oh are you going to go with a low rise? May I suggest a nice thong? Oh, you’re buying the mom jeans? I would pair that with a small parachute.’”

— -Ellen DeGeneres in yesterday’s (always hilarious) opening monologue of The Ellen DeGeneres Show.

"Parenthood": Five reasons to watch

5. Awkward humor. It's the best kind, no?

4. Firecracker chemistry. The ad-lib style of dialogue might drive some viewers crazy, but I think it’s a perfect fit for this ensemble cast, whose chemistry is sparkling in almost any combination. There’s something wonderfully (and appropriately) organic about the interactions between the characters.

3. Careful, creative music selection. (Ray LaMontagne? Yes, please.)

2. Lauren Graham. Ok, so maybe Sarah Braverman isn’t nearly as intricate nor as compelling a character as Lorelai Gilmore, and maybe the more multi-faceted characters on the show –like Adam and Crosby– shine a little brighter. But in any context, Graham is a superb actress, unwavering in her commitment to her craft – and she’s long overdue for some accolades.

1. Striking depiction of family. “Parenthood” does what few other shows have been able to do: it slices through the glamour of marriage and parenthood without sacrificing the appeal of marriage and parenthood. The relationships on the show are revealed as raw, messy and flawed – but they’re also deep, resilient and meaningful. And while it’s fun to idolize TV characters, it’s more rewarding to be able to connect with them on a very real level, by grabbing onto and wrestling with their very real issues.

If you’re not watching “Parenthood” on Tuesdays, you should be.

#Thankful

I’d been dreading my 25th birthday –half jokingly, half seriously– for a few years, but now that it’s here, I’m only overwhelmed by gratitude (and not just because it’s Thanksgiving). I’m ready to hit the ground running at 25, enjoying to the fullest all of the wonderful people and opportunities I’ve been blessed with.

…because there ain’t no time like this time (baby). Happy Thanksgiving!

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Sound Bite: Hope for traditional country music

“I meet young fans and young artists today that like the kind of music I like. That’s exactly why I moved to Nashville. I was 20 years old, and I liked Conway, Merle and George Strait, and nobody was coming along doing that. It’s the same way today. There’s still going to be people that come along that appreciate the real country music, and there’s always going to be room for all the other styles out there and there are going to be fans that like them both.”

-Alan Jackson in this Winston-Salem Journal article, managing to discuss his views on traditional country music sincerely yet respectfully. Take note, country music fans.

RIP "Idol" semifinals

TV mogul Nigel Lythgoe”s return to “American Idol” has brought a slew of controversial changes, including the elimination of the semifinal rounds.

“When you”re showing viewers 34 people and asking the country to judge 34 people, you don”t know who”s talented — you only know the ones who”ve had a bit of their stories shown in the auditions. It”s much easier to say, “Here are the Final 12, now here are their stories, and start figuring out who you like.”

— Lythgoe

Easier? Yes. Better? No. The Top 24 (or, to a lesser extent, Top 36) rounds afford viewers the opportunity to soak on contestants, to put Valkommen till casino nline. together for themselves the puzzle pieces of their personality and artistry. Sometimes viewers make bad choices (I”m looking at you, Season 9), but at least it”s their choice.

In memoriam of the axed semifinal rounds:

CMA hearts JT?

This section of an e-mail newsletter I got from the Country Music Association makes me giggle. I can’t figure out if my Justin Timberlake The Artist withdrawals are making me crazy…or if the CMA is having similar withdrawals.