Tim McGraw, “Overrated”
The title here almost begs to be mocked—to write off Tim McGraw as overrated. But you get the sense that McGraw threw more heart into “Overrated” than any mainstream country single probably deserves. It’s a thrifty little banjo anthem about love and all of the other stuff that, in the end, doesn’t really matter. Take, that beer, trucks, and blue jean-clad women.
Ryan Adams, “Tired of Giving Up”
This is a song that you might hear on your O.A.R. Pandora station. “Tired of Giving Up” is a nice throwback to alt-rock of old. Adams’ steady beat lets the guitar stroll pleasantly down the street that you might soon run on with this song. It sounds like a song you’ve heard before, minus the once-necessary core of angst.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f37Wo8uHWoY
Mary Lambert, “Heart on My Sleeve”
Of “Same Love” fame, Lambert is headed in a groovy direction. Moving from ballad “She Keeps Me Warm,” her single skirts the tropes of the year’s generic pop hits. It may not have the lyrical playfulness or heart of some of her earlier offerings, but it doesn’t rely on a dramatic drop of the bass. Instead, it leans on Lambert’s voice and an eclectic production.
