Big & Stupid

I've gotten a number of emails already today asking me to respond, or react, to Dylan Hicks' review of Big & Rich's latest album, especially since they're showing up in a couple of days to ruin our air.

I don't have a problem with what Hicks wrote, especially because he's approaching it from a pop standpoint, and, because I'm a middlebrow sourpuss.

At the end of the day, I don't take this stuff as seriously as it seems. But, my whole point is that if you believe that Nashville is destroying Country Music by catering to and acting in collusion with Mainstream Country Radio to deliver the female, adult, home purchasing power demographic, then you realize that Big & Rich are the two phoniest pieces of shit since Milli Vanilli. They're delivering a demo, they're predicated on sales, their rebellion has been shined, buffed, and sold to you in shrink wrap for 14.99 by Warner Brothers Records.

Hicks says as much between the lines in his review.

On the other hand, if you believe that they really are some club-born, edgy, rebellious "Country" act that's truly thumbing their noses at Nashville conventions, well you're just stupid. You're dumber than a bag of hammers. You're as sharp as a bag of wet hair. You're most likely a Kenny Chesney fan.

Hicks is paid to be objective about pop music conventions and aberrations. If he can find New Edition--i.e. boy band--like merit in what Big & Rich are doing, good for him. Just don't tell me it has anything to do with Country.