As reported by Billboard, Hot Apple Pie's self titled debut album has shattered a pair of chart benchmarks with a No.6 bow on Top Country Albums. Bypassing the Heatseekers list with a No. 60 start on The Billboard 200, the group inks the fattest opening sum and highest starting rank by a new country group in the Nielsen Sound Scan era. Both newly minted benchmarks top the No. 12 arrival, with 17,000 units, by Trick Pony's self-titled debut in the March 31 2001 issue.
Hot Apple Pie drives its noteworthy debut with lead single "Hillbillies," which rises 35-33 on Hot Country Songs in its 18th chart week. Video play is likely a bigger factor than radio: VH1 Country has aired the clip 959 times, followed by 221 at CMT and 194 at Great American Country. Watch the "Hillbillies" video now:
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Windows Media. MusicRow.com proclaims, "This is new-but deep-rooted-country a-buzz with hot licks and cool attitude."
Little Texas alumnus Brady Seals comes by his considerable talent naturally, to say the least. His family tree includes Chuck Seals, who wrote the 1956 Ray Price classic "Crazy Arms," as well as '80s country star Dan Seals and his older brother Jimmy Seals, of Seals & Croft fame. "Seven Spanish Angels" writer Troy Seals is Brady's uncle. A veteran of the road before he was out of his teens, Brady went solo for a while after Little Texas disbanded. Then in 2002 he joined forces with ace guitarist Sparky Matejka and drummer Trey Landry to form the nucleus of Hot Apple Pie, soon completed with the addition of bassist-guitarist Keith Horne. Combining decades of road and studio experience with boundless energy, top-notch songwriting and picking chops galore, these boys seem to be having the time of their lives and that makes this 13-track debut fun to hear. From the grinning sass of "Hillbillies" (sort of a T-shirt slogan set to a country-funk groove), through the soulful sweetness of "Why Can't I Get To You" to a rambunctious cover of The Band classic "The Shape I'm In," we're reminded that this is new-but deep-rooted-country a-buzz with hot licks and cool attitude. "California King" spins a life lesson tale with echoes of Dr. John. "The Good Life" offers Beach Boys-meet-Diamond Rio escapism. "Slowin' Down The Fall," which Brady Seals co-penned with Uncle Troy, is a sorrowful, ironic barroom ballad worthy of Willie Nelson…who in fact obliges with a guest appearance. "Annabelle (Arkansas Is Callin' You)," a Brady Seals/Rodney Crowell co-write, is a jubilant country rocker reminiscent of The Band. If the pumped-up "Redneck Revolution" seems just a little too determined to flog its Muzik Mafia-like rallying call, "All Together Now" rings like a genuine Hot Apple Pie mission statement, complete with anthemic "Hey Jude" finish. "It's all about the music and the need to run," we're told. And who are we not to believe? — Larry Wayne Clark
– MusicRow.com
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Hot Apple Pie official website
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