Whenever I return home from vacationing in Canada I feel the need to listen to Country music. I assume It's so I can keep the feeling of vacation for just a little longer. This time instead of buying collection CDs, like I've done in the past, I decided to look for the the current country hits online and evaluate them through Spotify. These are my top picks (so far) in no particular order:

Dierks Bentley - Tip It On Back

A bit slower then I usually like, but the song really puts an image in my mind of a nice bar with friendly subdued patrons, and something strong burning at your throat as you "Tip It On Back".

Little Big Town - Tornado

Not your standard Country tune. It has a strong beat, and quite toned down melody. This puts a lot of emphasis on the singing, and to me makes it sound like a backing tune to a cowboy movie, possibly while the poor unsuspecting heroes enter a city full of bad guys.

The Band Perry - DONE.

A good upbeat tune about How to get rid of a bad man. Feels like a sort of pop:ish version of Country. It would probably do ok in Europe, only they would destroy it with blips and blops. I also like their track Better Dig Two from an earlier album.

Brad Paisley - Southern Comfort Zone

It's something quite magical hearing a country singer talk of other places than Dixie! I can just see him on a wheel legged trek through Europe, wearing a big white cowboy hat, a red and white plaid shirt, and light blue jeans with a ridiculously large belt buckle (classy like and all but the size of a hub cap). All cutesy awkward out of place, but then then saving a puppy by borrowing a police-woman's horse and swooping the puppy up just before it gets hit by a truck. A tip of the hat as he returns the horse make the police-woman swoon and forget all about the horse theft.

Blake Shelton - Boys 'Round Here - feat. Pistol Annies & Friends

Wonderfully Redneckie, or how does the line "Chew tobacca, chew tobacca, chew tobacca, spit" suit you? The rest of the song has a kind of carefree laid back feeling to it. A summer song for the less stressful moments. Blake Shelton also brought us Some Beach which should be played in every anger management class ever.

Darius Rucker with Lady Antebellum - Wagon Wheel

I'm not sure if he was Hootie or the Blowfish, but apparently he should have been doing country all along. I would also say I like Lady Antebellum's track Downtown but it's a bit soft, and the hint of old school country stops me from ever admitting to it.

Carrie Underwood - Two Black Cadillacs

It's a good track with some creepy/fun lyrics that gives me a The Dixie Chicks - Goodbye Earl sort of vibe.

Miranda Lambert - Mama's Broken Heart

There is a fair share of Country songs about women being strong, but having to sort of explain why, or apologize for it, or more likely, having to point out that they don't have to apologize for it, thus in a sense apologizing for it (understandable subject matter considering where the songs are from). Mama's Broken Heart does neither. This is about a woman going slightly crazy over a breakup, while ranting about her crazy mothers must be a presentable lady attitude. I can almost smell the whisky she's downing (no tipping it back here). A woman being human.

And then there was Lee Brice - Parking Lot Party. I can't make up my mind about this one. It has a some sort of appeal. It has a nice groove to it and all but there's just something about it that rubs me the wrong way. Perhaps it's the fake crowds cheering, or perhaps it's the fake radio intro or that his own name gets mentioned. All I know is that I have listened way more times to it then it deserves trying to figure it out (twice while writing this.).

Here's hoping my need for country music ends soon so I can go back my normal life.