Almost everyone who listens to country music will not only recognize the song “Carolina,” but they will most likely be able to sing every word from the first note to the last. The song has been filling the airwaves of country music radio stations from coast to coast for several months now, and has climbed into the Top 5 on national charts. The song is by Parmalee, a new country group from North Carolina.

This isn’t the first time we’ve had Parmalee in the Top 40. The debut single for the group barely made it into the Top 40 back in 2012. The song was called “Musta Had A Good Time,” and I was actually surprised that it didn’t get up into at least the Top 20. That is especially surprising considering “Musta Had A Good Time” spent four straight weeks at No. 1 on SiriusXM The Highway’s fan-voted “Hot 30 Live” Countdown. The band has selected that fan-voted favorite the lead track on their debut album, “Feels Like Carolina”, set to release on December 10, 2013.

I listened to the review copy, and while I did like what I was hearing, I had a little trouble considering this ‘country’ music. I’m sure that is because my preference has always been real country music – the kind of music we now refer to as ‘classic country’ or ‘traditional country’ – the kind I still call just country.

“Close Your Eyes for This” sounds like much of what we are getting on today’s Top 40 stations. It is a good song. Probably one of my favorites on the entire CD. Of course, “Carolina” is among the 12 songs on this album, and I think it is the best one. For the most part, I don’t have anything bad to say about any of these songs. My only complaints are that the music really country, and it all sounds a lot like everything else that is on the radio today. The songs seem to lack originality.

Matt Thomas, lead singer for the group, had a hand in writing seven of the songs on the CD. And, he was teamed up with some of Nashville’s best writers. Bobby Pinson, Kyle Jacobs and Chris Janson are a few of my favorite writers, and you will find work by all of them on this new album. Preston Brust, half of the duo LoCash Cowboys, was one of the writers on “Back in the Day", and if it gets released as a single, I believe that one would be a hit for Parmalee. If I could pick for them, I would choose “Already Callin’ You Mine” to be their next single.

Parmalee is a family band comprised of brothers Matt and Scott Thomas (lead vocals/guitar and drums), cousin Barry Knox (bass), and life-long best friend Josh McSwain (guitar). They said their music was heavily influenced by musical heavyweights such as the Allman Brothers, Travis Tritt and Bob Seger. Their name is derived from the small town of Parmele, N.C., which has a population of 262, and is home to a small tin-roofed barn dubbed Studio B, where the band practiced on any given evening.

The songs you’ll hear on the new album are Musta Had a Good Time, Day Drinkin’, Move, Close Your Eyes For This, Dance, Carolina, Think You Oughta Know That, Back in the Day, My Montgomery, Already Calling You Mine, I’ll Bring the Music, and Another Day Gone.

For all the latest news about Parmalee, visit www.parmalee.com, and follow them on Twitter @parmalee. For all of your country music news and reviews, visit our web site at www.countryschatter.com, and follow us on Twitter @countryschatter.

A Music Charts Magazine - MusicChartsMagazine.com - Country Music Album Review by CountrysChatter.com ( Country's Chatter - Your #1 Pit Stop for Everything Country Music  )

These days the term “Bluegrass” encompasses a broad range of musical expressions. From the down home, gutsy realism of first-generation entertainers like Ralph Stanley, Bill Monroe and Flatt & Scruggs to the more refined sounds of Alison Krauss to the outer fringes of what is technically and musically possible and still retain some semblance of the core sound. It is indeed a broad genre that continues to give birth to new broods.

All that said, “A Town Called Normal,” in my opinion, does not fit into any honest, objective interpretation of Bluegrass music. Does it have a banjo on most cuts? Yes. Is there a mandolin? Sometimes. However, those characteristics alone do not a bluegrass band make.

There is a ton of music here, but not an ounce of genuine Bluegrass. There is absolutely no “drive,” no cohesive “bounce,” no emphasis on the downbeats. Even to the most liberal Bluegrass listener, the vocals have the wrong feel. There are drums on several cuts and that certain “tightness” we’ve come to expect from better Bluegrass groups never comes into focus…it never even comes into view. 

These things are not necessarily bad, however. There is some good music here, as well as some excellent writing and Vincent Cross is a fantastic vocalist. He has a talent for choosing material that is well-suited for his vocal range and he knows how to sing with passion. Pieces like “Sometimes” seem like they could easily fit into a Pop/Folk Top 40 scenario. The overall feel on this project is like Bob Dylan meets Jimmy Buffet meets banjo, except Cross has a better voice than either one. It makes me wonder why he chose to use banjo, mandolin, acoustic bass, resonator-guitar, etc. as the instrumentation backdrop for this material. Personally, I’m thinking a string-orchestral sound with lots of bows creating the tension and mood would help establish a more rich presence, along with the gravitas and ambiance to properly accentuate his voice.

To read this Bluegrass Album Review in it's entirety please click the below link and visit our friends at the Prescription Bluegrass website:  http://prescriptionbluegrassreviews.blogspot.com/2013/05/prescription-bluegrass-cd-review.html

Music Charts Magazine Bluegrass Album Reviews are done by Prescription Bluegrass - www.prescriptionbluegrassblog.com - ( Your #1 Pit Stop for everything Bluegrass )