a once-vital form of rustic
music derived from European styles of folk and dance
music made by European immigrants to America. It's generally played with instruments
like the mandolin, acoustic and steel guitars, fiddle and so on. It used to be about observations of the world, life and love in its complexities. Now it's all cliched, with imagery of cowboys, macho bragadoccio, Southern pride, small town life, "she done him wrong", "tears in my
beer", "
redneck" living, sentimental tripe
like the trend-chasing "Angels
Among Us", and "family values". Oh yes, and "God bless the U.S.A." jingoism. Ever since Garth Brooks (who is a watered down Bob Seger) hit it big in the fucking PC 90s, country has been "yuppified" and formulaic. Now there boring piano ballads with cliched lyrics galore sung by lousy Richard Marx clones with cowboy hats, the generic hat acts, pretty ladies singing tunes fit only for shopping mall opening-dedications, sexy ladies who sing corporate pop (no, it don't impress me much) and preachy, jingoistic sentimental crap in the aftermath of all this 9/
11 business
like the aw-shucks "Where Were You When the World Stopped Turning". This trash is pushed on the sheep public by corporate execs in suits.
Country
music has a rich history, having been around all through the 20th century, maybe before. It is a "root
music" of rock'n'roll (along with jazz, blues and other styles). Then in the
mid 90s country lost its vitality, absorbed influences from 70s adult contemporary acts like Fleetwood Mac and the Eagles and it'
s been gawlee gee money-making yee-haw crap ever since, in other words, a pale imitation of what the genre once was. For hicks, soccer moms and yuppies. Utter puke. Whole families listen to this swill, the kids grow up and become slaves to manufactured trash "
music" and stereotypes. Sad, really sad.