New Music ! Maddie and Tae Debut Album: Start Here

My ear holes were so happy today. I finally had my hands on the new Maddie and Tae album Start Here. If you don’t know the Country Duo Maddie and Tae (Maddie Marlow and Tae Dye both 20 years old) you likely know their music but soon you will also know their names, faces, and story. Their “hit” list includes their break out single Girl in a Country Song and their current single Fly.

Long before Tomatogate, Maddie and Tae burst on the scene in 2014 with “Girl in a Country Song” which shined the spotlight on the way “females” are talked about in recent country “hits” by artist who frankly couldn’t carry this duo’s guitar straps. It was brilliant and the way Country radio embraced it was awesome to watch too! They were nominated for several CMT Music Awards in 2015 and more nominations will be coming in the future for this duo.

These ladies, while beautiful, have amazing talent and that combination will keep them around for a while. They wrote or co-wrote ALL of the tracks on their album, which includes the songs from their earlier released EP and 6 brand new tracks! They are currently on tour with Dierks Bentley on his Sounds of Summer Tour, if they come near you check them out.

You can find out more about them on their website http://www.maddieandtae.com including a tour schedule.

It’s been a while since I put up a music post and what better way than to do a critique an album that I have literally been waiting on for what seems like forever! What’s awesome about Start Here is that typically there are a few “throw away” tracks on an album, ones that you skip over after a while but I've had this album on repeat all day long and have yet to skip a single track. It’s that good people. Even if you aren’t a “country” fan your soul needs this album.

1. “Waitin’ on a Plane”    *new track

I love the way this duo writes, the way they tell their tale with cleaver metaphors. The line, “cause it’s my time to paint a little streak on a blue sky” makes me see the trail from the plane in the sky as I’m listening to the track. I love when that happens. I also love the expert way they harmonize throughout this track. This track was a great way to start this album cause it’s a girl power type song without throwing it in your face. The young lady in the track is moving on with her life and can’t wait for her next adventure. She’s not running away from anything, she’s running to something and I love that. She’s not waiting on someone to make life better for her, like other female based songs, she’s making it happen for herself, cause she can. That’s what I love most about Maddie and Tae they make girls sound like powerful women with a brain.

2. “Girl in a Country Song”

The first time I heard this track, I was in the car on my way to hear Markus Fox and The Highway on XM radio was talking about this new track and I was in heavy traffic. All of the sudden this song comes on and I’m immediately out of traffic and sucked into this song. I LOVE EVERY LYRIC on this song. It was about time someone said it and that it was these two young unknowns made it even better. I remember telling Markus all about it at his show, I wanted to talk more about this song than what he was up to, which is saying something. I’m not a fan of the “bro country” that’s vomited all over the radio lately and this was such a refreshing sound I couldn’t wait to get home and look it up. Then I got home I was crushed that all I had was their video, which I must have played a million times. I immediately followed them on twitter and read every line on their website. I was so excited when I heard they were releasing an EP. The love from the EP eventually led to this album. I can’t think Maddie and Tae enough for this track because it gave birth to this album and started a dialogue in this genre that was long over due.

3. “Smoke”    *new track

Another new track and when it first came on the fact it was slower made me stop and really pay attention to it. I’m a lyric person, I love lyrics and finding the fun little nods in a song that others might not notice, like Bryan White yelling in the chorus Another Day in the Sun. The chorus of this song is amazing. It’s a fantastic reminder that these ladies know how to string an idea together. I mean whose brain comes up with something like this …

Baby, you're just like smoke, blowing on the wind
One minute, you're by my side and then you're gone again
You might be bad for me, but I just wanna breathe you in
Every time I reach out, I find there ain't nothing to hold
Boy, you're just like smoke

These ladies have mastered the use of metaphors in a song and I for one appreciate the effort.

4. “Shut Up and Fish”    *new track

A fun cute track that's funny as hell! It makes me smile everytime I hear it, and I can’t wait for this video. I can see it in my head as I listen to it. I’m not giving anything away on this track cause if I do I deprive you the joy of hearing it the first time and realizing damn these girls are talented as hell. Is it a little pandering, maybe, but it’s such a fun ride it’s not something I mind. One of my favorite lines on this CD can be found in this song … see if you can guess it :D

5. “Fly”

I am so glad this became their second single, cause when I heard it on the EP I knew these ladies weren’t going to be just “one hit wonders” with GIACS. This was the song that, in my opinion, made these ladies true Artist. It showed their true talent far more than any other track they have released. The first time I heard this song, I won’t lie, I cried. It transported me back to when my Dad basically told me I could do anything when he was leaving me at college for the first time. I was scared as hell about what I had gotten myself into (this was prior to meeting Golden, my suite mate, and realizing that was I was going to be ok) and my dad pulled me aside and “it’s ok to be a little overwhelmed, it’s ok to fail, it’s ok to want to turn and run but you are exactly where you need to be. You have worked for this and you are ready for this now go get em." My dad is a man of few words and it meant the world to me. This song took right back to that moment and I think of all the young ladies/young men who need to hear that and might not have a dad to say it to them. This song will now give them that conversation. So glad it was released.

6. “Sierra”

I LOVE this track. I love everything about it. I love the sass, the playfulness, the polite way it tells Sierra to “duck off” (stupid auto correct). :D I hope there’s a Sierra out there who knows this song is about them, and if there isn’t I don’t want to know. Everyone has a Sierra in their lives and when you listen to this song you dream of saying these things to your Sierra and hope she hears it and knows it about her. This is just a brilliant track in the writing, the delivery of it, and the message behind it. BRAVO!

7. “Your Side of Town”

This is another fast catchy song that stays with you for a while after you listen to it. It’s another song about broken love, but the way they do it is refreshing. It’s not a young girl waiting for her man to come back and break her heart again, it’s not a young lady saying oh woe is me he’s gone, or even a lady saying how she can fix him. It's a young lady saying you had your chance now get away from me and stay there. It makes me think of Reba McEntire or Martina McBride. Try to listen to it without tapping your foot or nodding your head … I dare you.

8. “Right Here, Right Now”    *new track

As much as I love their fast catchy songs, when they slow it down and rock a track with soulful lyrics this Duo is even better. They blend perfectly on this track and know what they want and how to ask for it. It’s sultry without being slutty and I love that. In a world where artist now a days feel they have to be sexy or frankly naked on a stage to get attention it’s nice to hear a track from two very attractive young ladies who show us that a girl can be both sexy and not slutty. Well played Maddie and Tae.

9. “No Place Like You”    *new track

I love the banjo in this track, it moves the track forward and you can almost picture them moving through the day. Again it’s a track about a young lady who is following her dream but remembering what’s at home waiting on her and able to have both. This reminded me of Bryan Whites Every Where I Turn and I love any track that makes me think of Bryan White.

10. “After the Storm Blows Through”    *new track

When I heard this song today, for the first time, while at work, I started crying. I don’t know if it’s the anniversary of Katrina and all of that being on the news, but I was transported back to that moment when a friend calls to say they have lost everything and not having a clue how to respond to it. This song could literally be about anything, from a personal struggle, or health problems, basically it’s saying whatever you have to face I’m there with you let’s go do this. This one reminded me of Carrie Underwood, which is a huge compliment for these ladies. I have yet to get through this track without tearing up and hope I never do. As well as they do fun catchy Country, these ladies do soulful better than anyone I’ve ever heard and they are only 20 .... think about that for a second. Simply amazing. If you get no other track get this one, and then you’ll go back for the others.

11. “Downside of Growing Up”    *new track

This song perfectly sums up growing up, from moving away for the first time to dealing with life’s drama on your own, and coming out of it with lessons learned. This one is a lot like Fly and has a similar feel but more upbeat. I can see this track being the “class song” of 2015 if it gets released as a single and I really think that it should. It's another track where I can see the video in my head as I listen. It’s the perfect transitioning from this moment to the next moment song.

So that’s the album in a nutshell. I know I gushed over a few of these tracks and maybe fan girled a little bit more than I meant to but when I tell you this is the first album in a while I was really excited about that means something. It’s an album the world needs it’s an album that deserves some love and I hope the Country community continues to embrace these ladies cause I think Country Music, or Music in general needs role models like Maddie and Tae if only so that things like Tomatogate don’t happen again.

Check out the album and if you download Smoke, Fly, After the Storm Blows Through, and Downside of Growing up, I swear you’ll go back for the rest.

Follow these ladies on Twitter and get to know them they will be here for a while. 

@MaddieandTae

-Marcy

Lessons of a fangirl

I am a total Bizzaro, but I find it super weird that I am not an isolated incident. My parental units produced for me a younger brother, I'm not really sure why either but still it's happened and it produced two pretty awesome nieces so it's ok. Even though my brother and I share similar traits we are polar opposites! It has always fascinated me that he and I were raised in the same house, by the same parents, went to the same schools, had a lot of the same teachers, being only 3 years apart we even had friends in the same circles.

So how did we become such a study in black and white? What molded me into such a special fucking snowflake? 

We were allowed a lot if the same experiences but it's the way we respond to our experiences that began our different paths. Most of our responses are ingrained in us based on our teachings, likes, and our interests. And there lies our big differences. At some point mine and my brothers interests diverged and I....I took the fangirl path less traveled by, and that has made all the difference. (My apologies to Robert Frost). So while Ray (My brother who does have a name you know) chose normal more traditional interests, I fell into the fangirl life.
 

I fangirl most over tv shows, books, and movies, and when you submerge yourself in a lifestyle you take with you a few lessons along the way. What are some of them? Oh I'm so glad you asked I happen to have a list right here ....

§   Psych (tv show) taught me that having at least one really great friend can get you through anything

§   Doctor Who (tv show) taught me that it doesn't matter where you go, or when you go, or even sometimes who you go with, but that there is always an adventure to be had if you're willing to find it.

§   Scooby Doo (tv show) taught me that the only real monsters out there are people out for themselves, usually hiding behind costumes....working at carnivals

§   Horror movies (movies) taught me that sex kills. That running upstairs to hide gets you killed. That running into the basement gets you killed. Taking heels on a camping trip gets you killed. Having big tits and good hair gets you killed. Essentially just stop what you're doing, look around and realize only 1 of you is going to live.

§   Harry Potter (Book Series) taught me that no matter how unimportant we feel, we are always the heroes of our own stories

§   Shakespeare (Literature) taught me that it's a tragedy when everyone dies and young love never lasts, but that men dressed as women are always funny.

§   Star Wars (movies) taught me that you always need a good copilot when you travel. And even if nobody else understands, your best friend always knows what your saying. (C3PO & R2D2/Han & Chewie)

§   Kung fu movies (movies) taught me that with enough training, no matter how small you are, right will win over might.

§   Marvel (Comics and movies) taught me that even heroes can have a dark side and every villain has the potential to be heroic.

§   1970s Blaxploitation movies (movies) taught me to damn the man and fight the power!

§   Godzilla movies (movies) taught me that even though people may not like you because your ugly, loud and constantly tearing shit up, you just keep on being you and maintain the earthly balance. Also try not to stomp on too many villagers in the process.

§   Quentin Tarantino films (movies) taught me that it is impossible to overuse the word "fuck".

§   The Muppets (tv show and movies) taught me that although we may all be bizzare and we all have our own kinks (A pig and a frog? Gonzo and his seduction of chickens?), we can all come together with a semi famous guest star to create a beautiful song and dance!

§   Zombie (movies and tv shows) have taught me that some are fast and some are slow (I prefer the slow) but that usually trying to hold up in a mall never works.

§   Calvin & Hobbes (Comic books) taught me that to give a voice to the voiceless improves each and everyday. And that you should never get between a stuffed tiger and a can of tuna.

Ok..... So some of these lessons I've learned are practical some are not, I admit that. But knowing what I do, I could probably kung fu my way through a zombie apocalypse better than my brother and that makes me the better sibling. So I win. And in the end, kicking my little brothers ass is what matters.

Golden (@theonlygolden) 

Golden takes one for the team...

I have no intentions of telling you my age, just know that I'm in the age group of “My Little Ponies”, “Rainbow Brite”, “Transformers”, and “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles”. I’m one of those weirdo’s that has done very little to grow up and I try my hardest to live in a world of magic as often as possible. Dark confession time.....I am a fangirl. No, no, now hold on. I know that immediately you start imagining psycho hose beast tween girls, but that ain't me. I'm just extremely passionate about my particular brand of Geekery.

I am currently at odds with the demon known to mankind as Michael Bay AKA childhood ruiner. I had all intentions of purchasing a movie ticket to see any other movie and then sneaking in to see the new Ninja Turtles flick, also known as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles or TMNT for lazy marketing people. But then my 9-year-old niece called and said that she wanted me to take her to see it. I, being a fucking all-star Auntie, said yes immediately. I do all I can to encourage awesomeness in my nieces so they don’t become those psycho hose beast tween girls that you thought of earlier.

Before I purchased our tickets I explained what my intentions were; that yes we were going to see TMNT but I didn't want my money to go to Michael Bay, so I was going to buy passes to a different movie worthy of my hard earned $20 (not including snacks and drinks). She seemed confused. She wanted to know why I didn't just buy for what we were watching. So I clarified, by telling her that it was an abomination unworthy of my hard earned money; a bastardization of all that was right and true with my childhood and I couldn’t fully support it. That it was created by a man so purely evil that his unending appetite could only be fed on the money and the tears of children that never grew up. She admitted that he did seem bad, but why did it mean that I had to lie and be a bad person too? (Fucking hell, she gets her moral compass from her parents). So I tried quiet unsuccessfully to explain the workings of the universe and that sometimes there are small necessary evils in order to overcome the greater evils in this world. She wasn't budging and we were missing the trailers. So, I bought the fucking tickets.

For it to be opening weekend there were only us and 4 other small groups in the theater (faith in humanity restored somewhat by this). I was thankful for this because the 9-year-old and I talked through most of it. Since the nerd force runs deep between us, she noticed most of the problems without any help from me, cue Proud all-star auntie moment here. She rightfully asked why if Megan fox was too good to have orange hair couldn't she at least do it red…. why their faces looked like overgrown Shrek frogs…. why shredder was a robotic samurai that looked like her dads hedge clippers…. and why was their back story all wrong? All I could do was explain about the ancient evil Michael Bay. (I think she is starting to get it.) NOTICE A NINE YEAR OLD GIRL knew all this but a grown ass man Michael Bay couldn’t be bothered.

Taken from TMNT Twitter Acct to prove a point

I didn't like how it really downplayed Splinters history by ripping away his past and making him a rat that learned to read a random ninjutsu book in the sewer, as rats do, and gave April O'Neil the position of savior. Shredder was just a complete hot mess; his costume is all over the place, and he spends the majority of the movie by refusing to speak any English until he puts on his Edward Scissorhands outfit then randomly speaks nothing else. Not to mention it's very distracting that they use the same sound effects for Shredder as they do for the Transformers.

Of course Michelangelo got the most laughs. But at one point he farted and even the 9-year-old looked at me and said "Well that was extremely unnecessary." And I agree. She also made the valid point that it didn't make sense to have them fighting in so much snow. Being reptiles, they would be sluggish and wouldn't do good in such cold temperatures, that it wasn't realistic (Because 6-feet tall mutated turtles that fight crime with sweet Ninja moves is.)

I guess to sum up, it was a typical Michael Bay production filled with cheap jokes, cheesy heroic lines, and over the top explosions. If you have no prior knowledge of the many incarnations of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles you will be fine. Admittedly it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be but it still wasn't as good as my heart had hoped it would be. Plus they didn't even try to slip in a Vanilla Ice cameo. So shameful.