Tag Archives: Music

Record of the Week # 167

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Trisha Yearwood – The Mirror

Legacy artists obviously still release records but, notably, Yearwood and her record label have invested an immense amount of effort into promotion, a tour, a torrent of social media and wider outlet coverage. This, I think, is due to her ambition and pride with this release. It’s a ‘record of letters to her former self’ and she’s co-written all the songs and joined in with the production. This is the first time she’s been actively involved as a songwriter. That change is due in part to her later life confidence and reassessment of her capability to write music.

After bestriding the 1990s as one of the major female country artists with a string of hit singles and chart topping albums then inevitably, despite continuing releases, her importance and profile waned as the sound moved on. Nevertheless, her importance has barely dimmed for many of her fanbase and her catalogue of timeless songs endures. To return with such an album of self penned creations was a risky affair compared to hiring the best songwriters in town and chucking in a duet with Shaboozey or Jelly Roll. There are some duets here but they complement rather than act as a crass promotional instrument.

Lyrically it’s familiar territory: the duet with Jim Lauderdale, The Shovel, is advice to a husband who misread his wife’s question for an opinion rather than just affirmation or dwelling too long on the tanned legs of a rival. The digging tool should be dropped rather than used for a deeper hole! With similar humour Hailey Whitters joins for Drunk Works to share the joy of imbibing despite the hangover. Both sounds are timeless and redolent of the 90s. This will delight the many who still reach for her CDs. A familiar theme of more mature female country artists is the promotion of a steely resolve that they’ve developed after years of marginalisation. Fearless These Days asserts her now loud and confident point of view where once it was hidden. Bringing The Angels is another declaration of assertion – “You’d better roll up your sleeves / ‘Cause you ‘bout to see the fighting side of me”. It comes with a full rock band and full throttle vocals. In fact the voice is still an instrument of power, beauty and expression.

After the adrenaline there’s a few songs where she turns down the volume and slows the pace. The Mirror shows the beauty of her voice with harmonies and a sing-along melody (it could be 1991…)  and So Many Summers and Goodbye Cruel World go acoustic and she captivates and draws you in. Again the lyrics tell stories of a character’s life journey and their growing wisdom.

We hanker for a return to form for our favourite artists and want respect for the traditions of the genre. If you can allow the 90s to count as a golden age of country, as I can, then you’ll love this release.

Record Of The Week # 166

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James McMurtry – The Black Dog and the Wandering Boy

It’s four years since his last album and so when this dropped in the Inbox I was delighted. I’d include him in a list of top singer songwriter poets. His lyrics are often first person stories or pithy observations of the old, weak, downtrodden or deluded seemingly inhabiting the fly over States or fringes of the Union. The language is roughhewn with stinging yet honest depictions of his characters where even the good are often subsumed by their faults. These actors exist in plots where they seem to have little control or have probably ceased caring.

The title track needs explaining: it’s inspired by his late father’s dementia induced hallucinations and the album sleeve drawing is an old sketch he found. The dialogue, I take, is his father’s understanding of the here and now. Returning to a McMurtry theme there are songs where he paints a derisive view of bullies. Here the villains may be corporations, lawyers or his favourite bêtes noires, Republican politicians. Frankly, after Trump’s first term I became weary of 60 something artists seemingly entering therapy on vinyl and unloading their anger, but at least McMurtry, with craft and guile, places the listener in a plot and gently reveals his views rather than clumsily railing. Annie is an unusual lyric set in the aftermath of 9/11 where George W Bush gets portrayed as feckless and incapable of dealing with the situation. Sons of the Second Sons, as the titles suggests, is about the disinherited and disenfranchised who built America, fought its wars and provide the backbone that are, he asserts, the manifest strengths of the USA. Yet, they’re misled by flags and border walls.

If not finding villains he’s ruminating on the everyday such as the grind of touring. Sailing Away gives a snapshot of what he’s thinking as he stands on stage: “Tryin’ to remember, did I lock the front door? And have I any business bеin’ in this business anymore?” As he navigates his mid-sixties he dwells on ageing; South Texas Lawman tells about the demise of an old police officer who’s out of time with the modern world and current policing. His coping mechanism has been the bottle but we’re left with the lawman reaching the end of his tether and maybe his life.

If I’m painting a downbeat picture of McMurtry’s world then a contrast is the music. He’s brought back Don Dixon who helped produce his 1995 Where’d You Hide The Body? to freshen up his approach and it’s paid off. Tunes are aplenty with memorable choruses. Conventional rock sits tight and lively behind gruff and hard vocals that can carry a tune yet are most memorable for their conversational delivery where he inhabits the characters in the stories.

McMurtry seems a ‘take it or leave it’ kind of guy. He’s ploughed this furrow for decades and accumulated a wonderful catalogue of records that fans of, say, Dylan, Earle and Prine will own. Like these luminaries he can compile a lyric that stays with you as you continue to savour the couplets, character assassinations and their usually dysfunctional lives. I love the old curmudgeon and let’s hope it’s not another four years before he troubles my Inbox.

Record Of The Week # 165

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Mary Chapin Carpenter – Personal History

Carpenter’s name has been in circulation of late: touring and an album with Karine Polwart and Julie Fowlis, a US nationwide tour in the offing with Brandy Clark and now her 17th studio album released in June. For an artist into her seventh decade with a lifetime of accumulated awards there’s no slowing down or a desire to stop travelling. This album was recorded near Bath in Peter Gabriel’s Real World Studios. She likes these shores.

Her gift for couplets and story telling remain intact and a hallmark that elevates her work. Over the 11 tracks there’s an acoustic vibe although the instrumentation is varied. The songs are reflective and personal about her life or imagined scenarios where she’s singing in the first person or observing at a distance. If you followed her during Covid you’ll have enjoyed her kitchen concerts on Instagram where she worked through her catalogue and fussed about her Golden Retriever, Angus. Girl and Her Dog revisits her current peacable and simple life at home and the constant presence of the mutt. This vocal, like the rest of the album is delivered with her warm and on occasion, slightly breathless intimacy. She seldom raises her voice but with the appearance of brass in The Saving Things she matches the loud backing and it’s a refreshing switch. 

Bitter Ender starts with harmonica and immediately hits a groove. The song contains her best melody on the album. Lyrically it returns to a common theme throughout of loneliness, introspection, struggle and regret – ‘Once in a while the universe smiles / Lets you think that you’re in on the joke / The plans that you made /And the life that you craved /Now it’s all going up in smoke”.  (The video is fabulous and worth a peek.) The Night We Never Met is a clever lyric that identifies scenes of love and companionship that never happened. The accompanying piano plays along to a rhythm created by brushes on the snare. Say It Anyway has a beautiful spaced piano accompaniment allows her lyric to appear as clear as an opening in a forest – “The storms of life will always toss us on their waves / Wherever there’s a lighthouse there’s a light that saves”.

Her legion of long time fans will be delighted and need to know that this is a continuation of her recent sounds, pace and melody. Fill your boots. However, I suppose I loved her 90s work more and some of the exuberance and feisty attitude that’s missing here ensured songs such as He Thinks He’ll Keep Her, I Feel Lucky andPassionate Kisses are still on my iPhone playlists. Her view nowadays seems to be via the rear view mirror rather than the windscreen. That aside class is permanent and this is a fine release.

Record Of The Week #164

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Sierra Hull – A Tip Toe High Wire

Folk/roots musicians are getting more mainstream recognition of late. Billy Strings, Rhiannon Giddens and Molly Tuttle come to mind but Hull could easily join this pantheon. Her talent on the mandolin, with an attractive voice, has already garnered awards but she’s not prolific and this is her first album in five years. Here she’s written or co-written ten songs and co-produced this acoustic record as a self release. Often the decision to release an album independently is the artist’s only option but after decades on Rounder Records Hull wanted the freedom that route gave her.

On A Tip Toe High Wire she’s added tunes that aren’t solely from a pure roots tradition and it’s lifted the whole experience. The intricacy and deftness of bluegrass in the musicianship, however, has been maintained. The quality of the playing strikes you immediately and Hull has used her touring band in the studio. Their empathy and familiarity with each other are evident as the solos and arrangements seem organic to the structure. Let’s Go is as intricate as a piece of jazz with different paces and rhythms. Her vocals, back in the mix, enable you to focus on some sensational playing. Come Out Of My Blues is a positive lyric about seizing the day. It catches fire after her initial verse. Tim O’Brien (Hot Rize) helps out and the band cut a rug with some memorable fiddle from Avery Merritt.

From earlier in her recording career she attributes her growing confidence to lead a band to advice from Béla Fleck, who urged her to step forward. On E Tune, as one of her heroes and influences, he joins the band on banjo for this instrumental. Again a sophisticated rhythm grabs your attention and the drama builds as the song progresses. She’s a capable lyricist and takes inspiration from her family. Spitfire is a homage to her grandmother who’s triumphed through many adversities. Muddy Water is a beautiful ballad that reminds you, for its gossamer wing fragility, of Alison Krauss. It’s a sweet melody that her voice nails and its lyric of finding strength within ourselves, when the time comes, captures a sentiment of support and affection that runs through many of the compositions. Not least she brings her mandolin to the fore whilst Erik Caveney, on bass, anchors the whole piece. Similarly, Redbird is a cathartic melodic starburst that arrives toward the end of the album. I have to repeat myself and say that if you’re a fan of Alison Krauss this is another track you’ll love.

This release is very much a collaborative affair, which summarises Hull’s approach and I’ve found the whole album gives up more on repeated listens. It seems I have one for my end of year list already.

Record Of The Week # 163

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Jason Isbell – Foxes In The Snow

Isbell is a busy boy and seemingly peripatetic. Late 2024 saw him performing at the Democratic National Convention to nominate a US Presidential candidate. From here it was over to Europe for some gigs (including appearing in front of me in Stockton with his band, the 400 Unit, in late November.) Next year sees him embark on a long international solo tour including London and finishing in Australia. In October he spent five days in New York at the legendary Electric Lady Studio (Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Wonder, David Bowie, Adele and Taylor Swift) recording a solo album. You’d worry that the quality of his creative output would slip with his schedule but the needle is still well away from the red zone on the gauge judging by this release.

Isbell delivers eleven songs of heart torn melancholia and contemplation on a 1940 acoustic Mahogany D-17 Martin guitar. I’d grown used to him shredding his Telecasters or Gibsons with the 400 Unit and creating some epic, layered and dramatic rock: here it’s the voice and the tunes that attract your attention. Such is Isbell’s talent on an acoustic six string that when coupled to the arrangements he could have released these tracks as instrumentals and you’d still be engaged.

Lyrically there are first person conversations or reminisces that reflect a state of mind rather than tell you a complete story. After the ending of his marriage in 2023, to Amanda Shires, it’s not unnatural to think they influenced the work. Each song gives up more after several listens as you try and interpret the story. Some are plainer to understand such as Good While It Lasted, a love song drips regret or the chipper Don’t Be Tough that lists situations and how you should respond, usually with less judgement and more giving. Foxes In The Snow is another love song where both parties evaluate the other. Gravelweed offers probably the strongest tune with a sublime chorus but there isn’t a weak moment on the album musically.

I’ve long thought that Isbell is amongst the current family of Americana royalty. He’s received many awards and I feel, in his case, they’re well earned. As for many others I often feel other recipients are propelled to the podium by large record company budgets. This comfortably slips into his current canon and doesn’t push the envelope to new areas in terms of his established vocal delivery, lyrical naval gazing, types of tune and song structure. It’s a continuation but stripped back with less pyrotechnics. Outstanding.

Lost In Music – 2024

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Gosh, it’s time, slightly belatedly, to tell you about my best picks for 2024. As usual I received a steady flow of download MP3 files of country and americana music from Country Music People or from various US public relation companies who randomly sent their client’s music to me. Added to this was music I purchased, nearly all of it was from previous years and decades. In this category I mainly bought second hand or new vinyl plus a few CDs and the odd download. I don’t subscribe consistently to a streaming service: I just can’t get along with curating my music that way.

Frankly this all adds up to about 170 albums. That’s between 5 or 6 full days of sound. How do I listen to them all? No I haven’t yet! I will eventually get through them all and some won’t be worthy but I diligently try to listen to all I receive. I remember a phrase applied to an album was that it was a ‘grower’. Frankly I’m sure I’ve got many albums I’ve played only once and maybe with more listening i might have elevated their rating, but hey ho there are only so many hours in the day. So here is my flawed highlights of the year…

  1. Silverada

    Texan Mike Harmeier’s metamorphosis from Mike and the Moonpies’ straight country to the country rock/americana of Silverada was ‘light the blue touch paper’ moment for me. This combination of epic grooves, squally guitar solos and interesting stories with country tinges was completely my bag. Loved it all year.

    2. Johnny Blue Skies – Passage du Desir

    I was sceptical of the publicity that accompanied Sturgill Simpson’s release. However, this is a stellar release that made it worth the wait and his sojourn to Paris to find some wonderful tunes, rock vibes, muscular guitar playing and blue eyed soul was a great detour.

    3. Heather Little – By Now

    This singer songwriter release alighted in my inbox and I was captivated from the first play with the mellifluous vocals, fine arrangements and melodies. Apparently she’s a songwriter for others but she has all the talent to be the main act. 

    4. Maggie Rose – No One Gets Out Here Alive

    After 100 appearances at The Grand Old Opry this Nashville stalwart has moved toward americana/soul; her voice is a siren and the album was so sumptuous and drenched in melodies that I couldn’t resist.

    5. Beyoncé – Cowboy Carter

    No, never a country album, however, all the fuss about it drove it into my orbit and I had a good listen. This icon really is steeped in many genres and this album illustrated many of them from a little line dancing to straight soul often with many beguiling stops in between. Truly a crafted opus.

    6. 49 Winchester – Leavin’ This Holler

    A tight country rock delight with excellent tunes and lyrics from mainman Isaac Gibson. He tells a variety of love songs and tales of life on the road. The band coalesce around his lead and make one of my most enjoyable listens this year.

    7. William Alexander – The Singing Stockman

    He makes a living moving cattle in New South Wales. Here, he picks up his guitar and beautifully sings Western. His simple arrangements place you in the middle of the Outback dealing with blistering temperatures, brutal hours and dreaming of weekends.

    8. Glenn Campbell Duets – Ghost On The Canvas Sessions

    One of Campbell’s last releases was reworked with inserted duets. The fine tunes, arrangements and production add to the pathos. He sings of his impending drift away and its impact on loved ones as Alzheimer’s takes him over. Brave and touching.

    9. Billy Strings – Highway Prayers

    Our Bill is now a major international draw with his complex and expert bluegrass. Who thought banjos, fiddles, mandolins and acoustic guitars could sell out stadiums? This high energy mix of finger frenzy and country tunes has considerable charm and stands clear of the pack.

    10. English Teacher – This Could Be Texas

    A Mercury Prize winner is usually a turn off as an uncommercial indulgence by those music critics who live on the fringe of anything interesting or remotely durable in appeal. However these winners made a complex and densely packed rock record that was worthy of slotting in beside Steely Dan, The Editors and Moloko. Something to explore and extract more pleasure from on each listen.

    Record Of The Week # 160

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    Billy Strings – Highway Prayers

    With an album recorded at the beginning of the year Strings is back. In the interim he’s been touring and debuting the songs. A fan delight amongst comments on his social media is that they’re now recorded. His trajectory has been vertical. Widely feted by music or broadsheet media as a precocious talent; the narrative has been that he’d kicked his early years substance misuse and grew up with a taste for rock but whose heart lay in roots music after the influence of his stepfather. Always a major bluegrass act he’s now one that’s global.

     We should treasure Strings for many reasons but not least because he’s made bluegrass an arena genre and brought it to many new ears. With so much pap filling the country charts and arenas it’s heartening, that with no compromises, he’s packing them in. He’s a musician who’s stretched the genre and popularised roots music with his rockstar vibe. This release, with its muscle car sleeve, is traditional roots music and throughout you are bathed in his acoustic mastery along with some other brilliant players in his band.

    Strings wrote or co-wrote all 20 tracks and I’m pleased to see Thomm Jutz help out on three. The musicianship is peerless throughout with banjo (Billy Failing), bass (Royal Masat), mandolin (Jarrod Walker) and fiddle (Alex Hargreaves) keeping pace with his guitar pyrotechnics. Whilst faithful to bluegrass throughout there are a breadth of ideas and sounds within the genre. Three instrumentals sit with songs with his vocals that contain interesting lyrics whether a traditional dark and haunting bluegrass story about murder (My Alice), sad and happy love stories (Be Your Man, Don’t Be Calling Me (At 4AM) and Cabin Song), hell raising (Leadfoot) and smoking marijuana (MORBUD4ME and Catch and Release). On this latter song Strings tells of driving to a fishing spot whilst enjoying a smoke. Unfortunately, a State Trooper detains him by the side of the road and detects the dreaded weed. It’s all done with a Charlie Daniels’ comic tongue in cheek delivery à la Uneasy Rider.

    Strings has a pleasing tenor voice and on occasion it’s a focus such as on Leaning on a Travellin’ Song that starts with just male harmony vocals over an acoustic guitar that delight or the sublime accapella Richard Petty (a dearly departed NASCAR racer) and Stratosphere Blues/I Believe In You where he slips from bluegrass to sophisticated folk. It’s maybe here that you detect the fingerprints of John Brion who co-produced the album with Strings. Seemingly Brion has no prior credentials in country or roots music yet has previously worked with singer songwriters such as Aimee Mann and Fiona Apple. An hour and a quarter of solid bluegrass might not be my chosen destination but this album is so sweet, jammed with melodies, phenomenal musicianship and enchanting vocals that I shall not complain as it sweeps up, royally, in the end of the year polls and awards.