Tag Archives: Americana

Reviews

Album Review: Jade Bird (self-titled)

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Rating: 10/10

For lovers of the folk rock side of Americana, passionate and thought-provoking songwriting, and/or rich, unique vocal quality, meet Jade Bird, a 21-year-old singer-songwriter from the UK who has just released the best album of the year so far. Continuing the excellent trend led by Charles Wesley Godwin and Emily Scott Robinson, Jade Bird has released an incredible debut, showcasing nothing but promise for her future and hopefully introducing many more years of strong output.

Sonically, this album can be a little difficult to pin down. It’s not quite country, for the traditionalists out there, but it fits squarely in Americana and features some acoustic songs and piano ballads that most closely resemble folk, country’s introspective cousin. But it doesn’t fall into the trap of sleepy, introverted Americana either; Jade balances the softer stuff well with edgier rock songs and an angst reminiscent of Alanis Morissette on Jagged Little Pill.

Vocal ability is always welcome in folk and Americana, and Jade Bird delivers this in spades. There’s a little of the aforementioned Morissette in her voice, and perhaps some Amanda Shires, particularly as Shires sounded on her latest incredible record. But Bird’s uniqueness sets her apart from these artists and really from everyone, and she also shows an awareness of her strengths, the care and ability to write songs that best showcase her incredible voice. There’s a little rasp in her voice that only increases as she reaches for higher notes, and she writes to take full advantage of this. It’s almost as if ‘Lottery” were written especially to test the limits of her vocal power, and she passes the test beautifully. Few vocalists can sing a sustained chorus at the very reaches of their range like this, but even fewer can sing the same chorus with measured intensity and yet still keep the same grit, as Jade manages to do on the last, quieter chorus of this song.

Lyrically, this album is fascinating. Most of this focuses on the dual personalities of relationships, the endless cycle between happiness and heartbreak, and the way the two can exist almost simultaneously. “One minute I love you, and the next it’s all in ruins,” she sings on the opener, aptly titled “Ruins.” Bird says she almost named this album after the song “Love Has All Been done Before,” and it would have been perfect because that track sums everything up; it’s the jaded feeling of not even wanting to start a new relationship and be in love because the inevitable end is already in sight. “17,” a beautiful piano ballad that shows Bird restraining her voice to deliver something heartfelt and sad, also takes this approach; she pushes her partner away because she’s afraid he’ll “just get up and leave,” and her heart won’t be able to take it. And “My Motto” sees her literally repeating to herself not to trust and let people in because it can only lead to pain and heartache.

Sometimes this jaded view of love comes out in anger and frustration rather than in hurt. “Uh Huh” and “Good at It” are placed back to back in order to best display this side of heartache. in “Uh Huh,” Bird is telling her ex that his new love is playing him the same way he played her, and her grim satisfaction gives us a glimpse of that Morissette angst. “Good at It” takes the opposite approach, as she’s resentful of the new lover, whom she sarcastically calls a “goddess,” bitterly demanding if this woman is “good at it” because that has to be the reason her ex won’t call her anymore. Bird described this to Apple Music as the feeling that you gave everything to the relationship and the worry that it must be something in the bedroom which is driving him to someone else. That insecurity is taken out in this song as pure anger, and credit again to Bird for writing this in the right key in order for her vocals to be especially intense and outraged.

But it’s not all so jaded and bitter. In fact, two of the album’s strongest moments come when Jade is simply having fun. “Side Effects” is the moment where she gives in for awhile to being in love and feeling free, and the driving guitars really add to this song about running away together. There’s an almost 80’s rock flavor to this which would be great to see Bird exploring more on future projects. The other fun moment is again dripping with angst and sarcasm, but “Going Gone” is very obviously delivered with humor, and you can just tell Jade is having the time of her life singing it. This one is about her drunken boyfriend who talks a lot of shit about himself in the pubs but in the end still lives with his mom and doesn’t own a car. This one has instant replay value. Another impressive note; Jade wrote this song when she was only fourteen years old.

The album closer departs from this theme of love and heartbreak, but perhaps the most impressive song on a record full of impressive songs is “If I Die.” This one features simply a piano and Jade’s vocals, and it’s a song to her mother, to give her strength if Bird should pass away. It’s filled with emotion and perfect for her voice, an outstanding way to end the album.

This is an incredible, fascinating record, and it’s almost unbelievable that it’s her debut full-length album. On a site called Country exclusive, this album probably won’t be for everyone, leaning more to the folk rock-Americana end of the spectrum. But it’s excellently written, with thoughtful songwriting wrapped in accessible hooks and melodies, and delivered with exceptional vocal ability and passion. It’s simply an album for fans of good music. Hopefully, this is just the beginning, and we’ll be talking about Jade Bird for years to come.

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Collaborations, Reviews

Collaborative Album Review: Molly Tuttle–When You’re Ready

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Rating: 7/10

I collaborated with The Musical Divide on the debut album from Molly Tuttle, a gifted bluegrass instrumentalist who has released a record blending those influences with folk pop and Americana to create something unique and promising. Check out the full review here!

Collaborative Album Review: Molly Tuttle – When You’re Ready

Reviews

Album Review: Alice Wallace–Into the Blue

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Rating: 8/10

Too often, the “western” in “country and western” gets overlooked. We seek to keep the traditions of the South alive and well, desperately searching for artists who can carry the torch for country music into the future while still embracing the roots of the genre and the rich Southern culture that is so much a part of this music. But we forget that the West had as much influence on the genre as the South, and that California country music should be preserved and carried forward just like the more traditional styles. Enter Alice Wallace, who delivers a rootsy album that is as much California as Tyler Childers’ record is Kentucky, and makes a case for herself as a vocalist as well as for the importance of the West to country music.

Sonically, this record is quite varied; in fact, it seems to be a rather common criticism that this album is a little scattershot, and that Alice Wallace might not yet know who she is. It can be argued, however, that Wallace knows exactly who she is and brings that California spirit to life on this record. “When She cries” and “Echo canyon,” placed beside each other on the album, are about as sonically different as the city of Los Angeles and the rugged landscape not far from the city’s limits, but both of these represent California correctly. It’s Los Angeles, the city where the sun always shines and whose residents curse the sky but still race along the freeway at 80 miles per hour on the rare occasions when it rains, like in the soulful “When She cries.” But California is just as much the lonely deserts and forgotten canyons outside L.A., and it’s this aspect that’s brought to life by “Echo canyon,” the most country offering on the record. “Santa Ana Winds” goes for more of an Americana/rock feel, but this works perfectly with the sinister nature of the song, which addresses the wildfires so common to the region. And the Mexican influence is also a part of California’s heritage, represented here by the Latin-flavored “Desert Rose.”

It’s these distinctly Californian textures and references to things like I10 and mountain roads which tie this record together despite the sonic variety. Even “Elephants,” which sticks out the most sonically, fits in with the narrative of this album. at first glance, it’s a quiet, singer/songwriter moment that doesn’t really go with the rest of the record, but the song does a great job painting a picture of the fears and dangers women face on a daily basis. Considering that Hollywood has been at the center of all of this, it’s fair to say that this track certainly earns its place on a California album.

It’s also a testament to Alice Wallace’s vocal skill that she succeeds so well at all of these styles. She sounds just as natural belting “When She Cries” and the other soulful number, “The Same Old song,” as she does yodeling on “Echo Canyon.” It’s versatility which marks this album rather than indecision, and in the world of Americana, it’s always good to have a competent vocalist.

If there is one weakness here, it would be some of the songwriting on the back half of the record. The first seven songs are excellent, including the aforementioned “When She Cries,” “Echo Canyon,” and “desert Rose.” Another standout both melodically and lyrically is “The Blue,” also one of Wallace’s best vocal performances on the album. But for the last four tracks, the lyrical quality drops off a bit. “Motorcycle Ride” is the exception here, with its soaring melody and message of taking risks and opportunities when they come. There’s no filler on this album, but the front half is definitely stronger, and this is where you’ll find the songs that hook you on Alice Wallace as both a vocalist and a songwriter.

Overall, this is a strong album from Alice Wallace, as well as a cool showcase of the western influence and California spirit so important to country music. The sounds and styles are quite varied, but that just means there’s something here for everyone. It works because it’s all united by the California thread running through it, and it’s great to see the “western” in our beloved country music living on and marching proudly into the future.

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Reviews

Album Review: Colter Wall–Songs of the Plains

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Rating: 6/10

Colter Wall could be a timeless voice of this generation, and I believe he will be. When I first heard his voice, coming straight out of the past and echoing the ghost of Johnny Cash, I got chills. And his stories match his voice; he weaves tales of hopping trains and plowing fields with a natural ease, and not dated by his language but rather enhanced by it, for his turns of phrase would seem more forced if he modernized them, a direct contrast to so many of his peers who seem to choose their words carefully and intentionally to evoke days gone by. But unlike so many of these–Joshua Hedley and Zephaniah O’Hora come to mind immediately–Colter’s not trying to revive classic country. He’s not trying to bring back the outlaw era, an exercise so worn out by now that the effort to be an outlaw has become a cliché. Rather, Colter Wall goes even beyond that, seeking to keep alive the oldest forms of country and folk music, going back to the days of Wooddy Guthrie and Roger Miller for his inspiration and preserving those primitive styles and traditions in his songwriting.

Songs of the Plains seems like a natural progression for Wall, an album made in tribute to his prairie homeland in Canada and featuring some traditional tunes from his home country as well as Colter’s originals. The idea is fresh as well, keeping Colter firmly within the parameters of what he does best while also dispelling the notion created for some by his last album that he could only sing about these things for so long and in so many ways before it became stale and uninteresting. Perhaps it is the power and magic of his voice, or perhaps it’s because people have been so starved for this sound and in some cases have never been exposed to it at all, but there’s no doubt that Colter Wall’s music is resonating with many and opening windows to the past. There was the concern that he’d be a niche performer, but that niche has made him unique and seems to be what many have been longing to hear, even if they didn’t quite know it themselves. Songs of the Plains doubles down on all of it, more sparse and primitive in numerous places than Wall’s previous efforts, and it should have been a fantastic listen.

Indeed, it could have been a fantastic listen. Certainly the opener, “Plain to See Plainsman,” stands out as a brilliant ode to the prairie and starts off the record in fine fashion. Colter Wall’s love for his homeland is on full display here, and it’s one of the highlights of the whole album. “Thinkin’ on a Woman” is an excellent moment as well, a classic country heartbreak song that should have been written fifty years ago when it would have been a mainstream hit. As for the covers, “Calgary Round-Up” was a great choice, and “Night Herding Song” fits in well after it, almost like an outro. It’s hard even to distinguish these as covers given how naturally they work on this album. And then there’s “Manitoba Man,” an original which comes out of nowhere near the end of the record to remind us all that Colter Wall’s voice is not just special for its timbre but also for its ability to capture raw emotion. I think this one may be overlooked among the other songs, and that would be a shame, for it’s definitely a standout here and in Wall’s young discography.

But too often, this album is just a scattershot, frustrating listen. “Wild Dogs” is the worst misstep, and although not Colter’s original work, it was a terrible choice for a cover and just makes for a very weird, unnecessary moment. The song itself is just awful and strange, but it’s not fair to dwell on the writing as much as the choice by Wall to cover it here. AS for Colter’s own writing, the lyrics are mostly strong, although some songs feel underdeveloped. “The Trains are Gone” is just boring and forgettable, and “John Beyers (Camaro Song”) just feels too short, as if Colter stopped writing in the middle of the story. Also, you can find the same melodic line in “saskatchewan in 1881” that was present in “Bald Butte” on his debut record. I enjoy both these songs, and this might be more easily excused if the same melodic line didn’t come up again in “The Trains are Gone.” It just seems like such a lazy songwriting decision and one which Colter Wall is better than making.

There are some lazy production decisions as well. On the surface, the production seems perhaps more interesting than that of his first full album, with harmonica and steel adding color to some of these tracks. Many criticized the production of Wall’s self-titled record as being too plain, too sparse, and even boring. Personally, I felt Dave Cobb did well by getting out of the way and letting the songs speak for themselves, and I enjoy the fact that Colter often needs nothing more than his voice and a guitar to bring those songs to life. But when you’re relying so heavily on a voice and guitar, the guitar work needs to be better. There is noticeable, constant buzzing of the strings in several of these songs, most obviously in “John Beyers (Camaro Song.”) This song, as mentioned, also seems too short, and the whole thing just comes across as unfinished and rushed. The buzzing guitar strings return in “Wild dogs” and in “Thinkin’ on a Woman” and really, in places all over this record. This is something you hear inevitably with acoustic guitars, and hearing it on occasion can even add to the live feel of a song, as the imperfection brings the human touch to the recording. But it is so constant in some of these songs that it becomes distracting, and the obvious question is why did Colter wall accept these recordings as the final versions he wanted to send out to the public? Once again, he is just better than this.

This record is ultimately just not up to the standards Colter Wall has set for himself. The idea behind it was fantastic, and there are some excellent songs on this album. “Plain to See Plainsman,” “Manitoba Man,” and “Thinkin’ on a Woman” particularly stand out as being timeless additions to Wall’s discography. But the album as a whole just feels rushed and underdeveloped. It’s a collection of little things, but all those small decisions add up to a finished product that seems unfinished. Clean this record up a bit, and it improves significantly. Just a little more care was needed to make this album what it could have been. The potential and talent in Colter Wall remain endless, but unfortunately this album as a whole falls short of that potential.

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Reviews

Album Review: John Prine–The Tree of Forgiveness

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Rating: 7/10

How can I actually find a way to properly introduce the great John Prine. If background info seemed superfluous with Willie Nelson, it seems almost ridiculous with John Prine, as that name should be an introduction in and of itself, carrying the legend of the incredible songwriting that has marked his career. Indeed, he wrote one of my favorite songs in “Angel From Montgomery,” and I am nothing but glad to see that with this resurgence of his popularity at this point in his life, new generations are coming around to the fact that Prine is a songwriting genius.

John Prine was never an especially remarkable singer, and time and especially cancer can be cruel to a voice, but that’s not why anyone ever listened to Prine in the first place. If it was a great voice you were looking for, it’s your loss because it’s wisdom and passion which outlast even time and circumstance, and Prine displays both in his songwriting. Anyone looking to become better at this craft should study this album and the music of John Prine, for the man is a world-class wordsmith, and no one can pen songs quite like him.

It’s not just his choice of words or the unique way he can empathize with the world, either. It’s the way he can make death seem like a party in “When I Get to Heaven”–in fact, the very name of this album comes from the name of a nightclub he plans to open in the afterlife. He speaks of starting a band and smoking cigarettes that are nine miles long and makes it all seem like an adventure, all but eliminating the fear of death with this picture of it. He can make us all feel at once sympathetic with the forgotten, lonesome narrator of “Knockin’ on Your Screen Door” and guilty for not helping the less fortunate. With the pictures he paints, he lets us know it’s our business to be more compassionate to people, to understand their circumstances and put ourselves in their place. It’s not preachy because John Prine is not a preacher–he’s a storyteller, and this is a story of the downtrodden that needs to be told. He can even humanize “poor planet Pluto,” as he does in the album highlight, “Lonesome Friends of Science,” the once majestic planet which has now been demoted.

It’s also in that song that he speaks of actually “living” in a place deep inside his mind while collecting his mail in Tennessee. It’s an interesting perspective and one that is common among songwriters and other creative souls, as they interpret the world with deeper emotion and unique insight, feeling things from deep within and letting their imaginations run free. It’s certainly from a place like that where songs like “Egg & Daughter Nite, Lincoln Nebraska, 1967, (crazy Bone)” originate; yes, that’s a real title here on this album, and yes, the song is about as strange as that title would imply. But it’s a cheerful reminder for us all to stay weird if nothing else.

Dave Cobb was, for the most part, a good producer for this because he knows how to get out of the way of an artist and let their lyrics be the focal point. This is pretty minimalist in its approach, and usually, that serves Prine well. There’s some upbeat, cheerful acoustic guitar in “Knockin’ on Your Screen door” which helps to give that track some life, and some lively drums and more energetic production to help the humorous “Crazy Bone.” The piano adds to “Lonesome Friends of Science” as well, creating a nice interlude in the middle of that track. There are some collaborators, most notably Jason Isbell, Amanda Shires, and Brandi Carlile, and they do their part to enhance, rather than take away from, the lyrics. Prine and his words are always the main focus.

Still, it does feel like sometimes John Prine is left too exposed by the production. “Summer’s End,” for example, could have done with a bit more, especially at the beginning, as it sounds sort of unfinished. “NO Ordinary Blue” could have benefited from some collaboration to support the vocals as well, and “Caravan of Fools” just feels like it needed something else, maybe some strings or piano to add to it. There are some strings which come in at the very end, but they would have served the song better if they’d come in earlier. It’s an odd thing to say because a record usually suffers from the opposite when it comes to production issues, but this one is underproduced in places.

As for John Prine himself, this album proves why he’s become so popular again later in his life, why people are once again taking notice of his songs and his career. It’s because he is a songwriter like no other, and people recognize that wisdom and talent when they hear it. They admire his compassion and love the weirdness and wit which separates him from many of his contemporaries. On a side note, this record is also a great case for the fact that artists don’t magically stop having something relevant or profound to say when they’ve reached a certain age or point in their careers–it’s a lesson Americana knows well but which country needs to learn. Aspiring songwriters and fans of good music, acquaint yourself with Jon Prine. This is just another good place to begin.

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