Americana

1. Face in the Crowd - Holly Dunn, Michael Martin Murphey

2. Long Line of Love

3. Once Upon a Time

4. Out of Touch

5. Almost Free

6. Worlds Apart

7. No One Else But You

8. You're History

9. My Darling Wherever You Are

10. I'm Never Gonna Let You Go

Americana,Michael Martin Murphey,Wounded Bird Records,Country,Cowboy,Neo-Traditionalist Country,Pop,Progressive Country,Singer/Songwriter

Average customer rating: Glad I bought this Lucinda Williams, Who Knew... Please Don't Say "This Is Her Best" Very disappointed.... Good; not great

West Lucinda Williams Manufacturer: Lost Highway ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Alt-Country & Americana | Country | Styles | Music Contemporary | Bluegrass | Country | Styles | Music General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Alternative Folk | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music General | Folk | Styles | Music Folk Rock | Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Not Too Late Van Morrison At The Movies: Soundtrack Hits The Calling Freedom's Road A Hundred Miles or More: A Collection ASIN: B000LXHGFI Release Date: 2007-02-13

Tracks:

1. Are You Alright?
2. Mama You Sweet
3. Learning How To Live
4. Fancy Funeral
5. Unsuffer Me
6. Everything Has Changed
7. Come On
8. Where Is My Love?
9. Rescue
10. What If
11. Wrap My Head Around That
12. Words
13. West

Amazon.com

Though the arrangements stray from Lucinda Williams's motherlode blend of blues, country, and folk, West may well be her best album. It is easily her most musically adventurous, and often her most lyrically inspired. Williams's singing has never sounded better, from the aching tenderness of "Where Is My Love?" to the ravaged catharsis of "Unsuffer Me." New York producer Hal Willner, who has worked with artists such as Marianne Faithful and Lou Reed, enlists the support of eclectic progressives like guitarist Bill Frisell, keyboardist Bob Burger, and violinist Jenny Scheinman, along with harmonies from the Jayhawks' Gary Louris, to weave a subtly rich sonic tapestry. Much of the material was inspired by the death of Williams's beloved mother ("Mama You Sweet," "Fancy Funeral") and the bitter breakup of a relationship (the jagged-edged emasculation of "Come On," the repetitive incantation of "Wrap My Head Around That"), though "Are You Alright?," "Learning How to Live," and "Everything Has Changed" could reflect the aftermath of both. Other highlights include "Rescue," with a languid subtlety and ambient pulse reminiscent of Beth Orton, and the dreamy, wistful title track. Where Williams's music has long cut close to the bone, the best of West slices right through it. --Don McLeese

Lucinda Wiliams Photos

More Lucinda Williams

Car Wheels on a Gravel Road

World Without Tears

Essence

Customer Reviews:

Glad I bought this.......2007-07-17

I had never listened to Lucinda Williams before and saw her performance recently on Jay Leno and liked it. I sampled the album and decided to buy it. Some of her older fans have shown disappointment in this album but I don't have anything of hers to compare it to and I love it. At first the songs sound overly simple and the lyrics seem plain. But it grows on you more and more each time you listen to it. It just gets better and better. It's a unique style, I think, a little blue grass, soft rock and blues all in one. If you saw her performance on Jay Leno and liked that, you'll like this CD and it's a bargain now at $9.99.

Lucinda Williams, Who Knew..........2007-07-12

I know a lot of people have listened to Ms. Williams for years. I had heard of her, but never listened to her music. I was definitely missing out!

This cd was incredible. I loved all of the songs.

I mostly listen to mainstream country music, and I think it's sad that people like Lucinda Williams and Alison Moorer aren't played. Their music is amazing.

I have since bought two more of her cds, and plan to buy more!

It's nice to listen to songs that actually have something to say.

Please Don't Say "This Is Her Best".......2007-07-10

Disclaimer: I am new to Lucinda's own albums, so maybe I shouldn't be reviewing this just yet before hearing a few more. But it does seem like everything else has been steering me right here, with everybody telling me to proceed no further before checking this out. So now *please* tell me that West is some kind of fly in the ointment. She sounds totally rasped out, like Stevie Nicks with a really bad cold. Please tell me that she's in a songwriting slump, too. I find myself in accord with Big Jim's one-star review below - these songs don't feel like stories, let alone lyrics - there's too much line repetition to communicate much except dull emotion. If this were a blues album it would be one thing, but clearly it's not. And how can these be called melodies when all they do is hover around one or two notes in practically every song, showing off very little of her range (somebody please tell me that she displays some vocal range somewhere else).

Coming from a pretty good appreciation of lady singer/songwriter/interpreters like Emmylou Harris, Bonnie Raitt, Alison Krauss, Gillian Welch, and others with similar talents, even ones with narrow but beautiful instruments like Rickie Lee Jones, I was hoping to add a little bit of spice to the rack - but this album is a huge let-down. When I learned that Hal Willner, Bill Frisell and Jim Keltner were major contributors to West, I figured that I would at least be intrigued by *some* of the tracks - sorry - even after several listenings that's not happening. I really do like Lucinda's one track on the 2001 MJH tribute album Avalon Blues: A Tribute to the Music of Mississippi John Hurt, but then again I like ALL of that 5-star gem. Somebody *please* confirm for me that this is not the best way to be introduced to Ms. Williams on a large scale. How much longer should I listen to my trusty sources when West is what they are telling me is my next "must have".

Very disappointed...........2007-07-08

that's that I was when I heard this record. Even in concert, Lucinda just seems like such a drag anymore. I know, her mom died recently, but this whole record is such a downer, and her voice just drones on and on and on.

Give me Lucinda's self titled CD any day over her last 2 records...

Good; not great.......2007-07-07

She has a couple of excellent tracks on this CD. I especially like "Are You Alright", but the overall work seems uninspired. I find it a bit of a downer, in the main (and, yes, I understand the inspiration.) I recognize her artistry as a songwriter, but her voice on this CD -- after a while, its nasal quality begins to grate; she doesn't do that as well as Tracy Chapman.

Average customer rating: A Songwriter's Songwriter Nick The Nife is Back A mature work as title implies.. Not long enough Still the Jesus of Cool

At My Age Nick Lowe Manufacturer: Yep Roc Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Alt-Country & Americana | Country | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Country Rock | Rock | Styles | Music Similar Items: Sweet Warrior Easy Tiger Don't Tell Columbus Sky Blue Sky Icky Thump ASIN: B000Q9OD4O Release Date: 2007-06-26

Tracks:

1. A Better Man
2. Long Limbed Girl
3. I Trained Her To Love Me
4. The Club
5. Hope For Us All
6. People Change
7. The Man In Love
8. Love's Got A Lot To Answer For
9. Rome Wasn't Built In a Day
10. Not Too Long Ago
11. The Other Side Of the Coin
12. Feel Again

Amazon.com

When he laid down 1994's The Impossible Bird--the ninth solo album in a career that already, via Rockpile, Brinsley Schwarz, Kippington Lodge, and production work for Elvis Costello, the Damned, and the Pretenders, stretched back over 25 years--Nick Lowe probably wasn't setting out to create a four-part trilogy à la Douglas Adams. But with At My Age (which is 58, incidentally, as of the album's June 2007 release), Lowe has created a fine companion to Bird, 1998's Dig My Mood, and 2001's The Convincer. Six years was a bit too long of a wait, 2004's live Untouched Takeaway notwithstanding. And given all that time, Lowe breaks no new ground: At My Age is essentially more of the same combination of blue-eyed soul and pre-Sweetheart country-rock that characterized those previous releases. But when the results are so deliciously horn-drenched and include songs like "Long Limbed Girl," "People Change," "The Club," "Not Too Long Ago," and the delightfully malicious "I Trained Her to Love Me" ("If you think that it's depraved and I should be ashamed, so what? / I'm only paying back womankind for all the grief I got"), who's complaining? Good things have indeed come to those who waited. --Benjamin Lukoff

Album Description

Blue-eyed soul? You don't even know the definition until you've heard the sweet smoke of Nick Lowe's trademark croon. Now, later in life, Lowe's rootsy, grown-up soul has risen to the surface of what was a cracked and stripped-down artistic aesthetic in the late '70s, when he produced records for Elvis Costello, the Pretenders, and influential British proto-punkers the Damned. During his years as house producer for Stiff Records Lowe's oft-copied rough-hewn production style set the stage for the DIY philosophy of the punk revolution.

Sublimely aged in a solid oak barrel, At My Age showcases Lowe's perfection of his own unique brand of soul-soaked country-pop, resulting in an album as refined and perfectly distilled as he is. Lowe's convention-breaking phrasing shines backed by gorgeous '60s Memphis-style horns and tastefully subdued guitar hooks. At My Age displays, with Nick's signature polish, the sublime, linear connection between country, rhythm and blues, and rock 'n' roll. So, grab a drink, a smoke, and hear Americana done right...by a Brit.

Customer Reviews:

A Songwriter's Songwriter.......2007-07-14

When asked about his influences, Orson Welles reportedly said "John Ford, John Ford, and John Ford."

Such is his imprint that journeyman songwriters might answer, "Nick Lowe, Nick Lowe, and Nick Lowe."

This is how it's done.

Nick The Nife is Back.......2007-07-12

Of the last four Lowe CDs, all of which stray from country to lounge to classic pop, this one is the 2nd best, trailing only the magnificent "The Impossible Bird," but much better than the uneven Dig My Mood and the hit-and-miss The Convincer. It's still a grand cry from the glory days of the late 70s--the clever phrases are still here but much of Nick's "new" music lacks melody or a musical hook that marked his rock stuff. But the the bottom line is, Nick Lowe is a true original and always has been, and if you like his style, you'll like this CD.

A mature work as title implies.........2007-07-05

I suppose that, being the major fan I am and having so many "already favorites," it's pretty hard to just sally forth with another 5 stars. I prefer it when Nick leans toward the up-tempo and, as the title implies, he's doing more crooning these days than rocking. And, as happened to me when I listened to John Prine's recent release with Mac Wiseman, I heard something different in the voice nowadays. Nick sounds "husk-ier" these days (not "husky" as in being a large man, but "husky" in that there is a little crackle there now). Oh, to be sure, this is well deserving of at least 4 stars, big fan or no. Nice full accompaniment with horns and backup vocals, a little more "fleshed out" soundwise than some earlier things. And there are indeed some nice up-tempo tracks like his remake of the Unique's "not Too Long Ago." Most people know that band for the tender ballad "All These Things" but I appreciate Nick covering the lesser known and, to me, better song.
A word about the 3 free downloadable songs available with the CD: while the songs themselves aren't new songs, we get a nice acoustic version of "What's So Funny About Peace Love and Understanding" and a nice live version of "12 Step Program." And also 9 other downloadable songs from the YepRoc catalog. At least at this writing.

Not long enough.......2007-07-05

As brilliant as The Convincer, but, at 33 minutes, there isn't enough of it. This album is so well produced, I, for one, would appreciate some longer pieces with more instrumental breaks. I''m grateful for the new release and am enjoying it, all the same.

Still the Jesus of Cool.......2007-07-05

The monicker that Nick Lowe earned almost three decades ago seems even more apt with each new release. His "The Convincer" was one of three CD's that helped me through a rough patch five years ago (the others were Graham Parker's "Deepcut to Nowhere" and John Hiatt's "The Tiki Bar is Open"). And "At My Age" is equally as good; slightly more upbeat, in a downbeat way. Every song's a gem.

Average customer rating: My first CD by Josh Turner Josh Turner CD love it Old school country with a modern sound Great Service

Your Man Josh Turner Manufacturer: Mca Nashville ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Alt-Country & Americana | Country | Styles | Music General | Contemporary Country | Country | Styles | Music New Traditionalist | Contemporary Country | Country | Styles | Music General | Country | Styles | Music Contemporary | Bluegrass | Country | Styles | Music Country | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music All Blowout Music | Blowout Music | Stores | Music More Titles at Least 25% Off | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Long Black Train It Just Comes Natural White Trash with Money Time Well Wasted Precious Memories ASIN: B000BBOVGW Release Date: 2006-01-24

Tracks:

1. Would You Go With Me
2. Baby's Gone Home To Mama
3. No Rush
4. Your Man
5. Loretta Lynn's Lincoln
6. White Noise
7. Angels Fall Sometimes
8. Lord Have Mercy On A Country Boy
9. Me And God
10. Gravity
11. Way Down South

Amazon.com

The success of his debut, Long Black Train, had folks in Nashville making bets about Josh Turner's capturing 2004's CMA Horizon Award, but then Turner, whose resonant baritone-bass will rattle the screws out of your car stereo speakers, seemed to quickly fade from sight. Now, with his sophomore album, he proves he wasn't a fluke, even if nothing here immerses itself in the baptismal fire of temptation, death, and redemption with the power of Train. His duet with Ralph Stanley, "Me and God," which Turner wrote, somehow falls short, especially since Stanley sounds so weak that he might have fallen over at the microphone. Where Turner does bring home the bacon is in moving out of the gospel area and wisely choosing four songs from the pen of the underrated Shawn Camp: "Would You Go with Me," the irresistible bluegrass invitation to forever (with lyrics that sound Biblically inspired, despite the overly romantic tone); the hilarious "Loretta Lynn's Lincoln"; the bluesy "No Rush," which walks the same sexy path as Tony Joe White and Conway Twitty; and the frustrated-husband lament "Baby's Gone Home to Mama." Turner also scores points in tipping his hat to heritage, sometimes more subtle (reworking Don Williams's "Lord Have Mercy on a Country Boy") than overt. But not always. When the South Carolinian launches into his own "Way Down South," a mandolin-and-electric-guitar paean to the geographical womb that formed him, that sound you hear in the background is the whoosh of cowboy hats, sailing through the Dixiefied stratosphere. --Alanna Nash

About the Artist

New artists dream about the kind of results Josh Turner achieved with his 2003 debut, Long Black Train. Spurred by its haunting, gospel-inflected title track, the album sold a million copies and brought Turner a pair of nominations from the influential Country Music Association, plus a Top New Artist nomination from the Academy of Country Music. That debut, however, was merely a prelude. Turner's sophomore project, Your Man, demonstrates an increased maturity, a better-honed sense of his strengths, and a more specific portrait of the singer as both an artist and a man.

"I've really learned a lot," Turner reflects. "We were listening to my first record the other day, and I couldn't believe how much my voice has matured and grown from that time."

The album covers a range of emotions--from romantic devotion to spiritual intimacy to ethereal silliness--while paying overt allegiance to many of the musical figures who inspired him. Two of his biggest influences, honky-tonker John Anderson and bluegrass pioneer Ralph Stanley, make guest appearances; a Don Williams hit, "Lord Have Mercy on a Country Boy," gets reworked; and the Coal Miner's Daughter is even referenced in the title of the inexplicably weird "Loretta Lynn's Lincoln." If that weren't enough, Turner pays tribute to Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton, Charley Pride, and even trucker-ballad specialist Red Sovine. In fact, the last notes Turner sings on the album are an unintentional tribute to a country-gospel master, as the singer recaptures the way on down line from the late J.D. Sumners performance on an Elvis Presley hit.

Born and raised in Hannah, South Carolina, Turner got his first exposure to music at the Union Baptist Church. But his introduction to country music came through his father's mom, who acquainted him with Southern gospel quartets; country stars Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Roy Acuff and Ernest Tubb; and bluegrass legends the Osborne Brothers and the Stanley Brothers.

"Ralph Stanley has such a unique voice, and he's really carved a niche for himself," Turner says. "He's kept mountain music and bluegrass music alive, and introduced a lot of new fans to that kind of music, and I was one of those people from a very early age."

After his initial success, Turner was empowered on the second album. He explores more emotional avenues and utilizes the lower end of his identifiable bass/baritone range more frequently. Though it sets him apart from his contemporaries, he's careful not to turn his signature into a novelty. Instead, he's picked material in which his basement tones are a natural enhancement to the messages hes conveying. Still, Turner's voice is ultimately an instrument that communicates the deeper influences in his world. His wife, his musical heritage, and his deeper understanding of his art all make their presence felt through inspiration or expression on Your Man, an uncommonly seamless sophomore effort. It's clear that calling his award-winning first album a debut was right on the mark: It was merely an introduction to an inspired and evolving artist.

Customer Reviews:

My first CD by Josh Turner.......2007-05-30

Really like the songs...wish the case had been intact when it arrived. I ordered 3 CDs at the same time. Two of the 3 cases were broken, so it's difficult to put them away properly.

Josh Turner CD.......2007-05-17

Love this guy's voice. I heard the song, Will You Go With Me, on the radio and ordered the CD. You don't have to be a C & W fan to love Turner's music.

love it.......2007-05-14

This CD is one of my favs! His voice is so unique. Good stuff!!

Old school country with a modern sound.......2007-05-13

This is one of my favorite country CD's. Not since Garth Brooks have I been so excited over the quality of EACH song on the CD.

Great Service.......2007-03-19

This was a great buy. Was very thrilled to hear this CD.

Average customer rating: This gal and her music are white hot! Good What a great surprise! Best work yet from an artist whose talents are blossoming so rapidly they'll need that room to grow!

Room to Grow Adrienne Young Manufacturer: Addie Belle ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Alt-Country & Americana | Country | Styles | Music General | Country | Styles | Music General | Traditional Country | Country | Styles | Music General | Folk | Styles | Music Similar Items: A Hundred Miles or More: A Collection Plow to the End of the Row The Art of Virtue Translated From Love Waterloo, Tennessee ASIN: B000P46QBI Release Date: 2007-05-22

Tracks:

1. All for Good
2. Sgt. Early's Dream/Maids of Castlebar
3. Room to Grow
4. Natural Bridge
5. In Between the Heartbeats
6. High Flyin' Dream
7. Free Man in Paris
8. River and a Dirt Road
9. Givin' Up the Fight
10. Dark Around the Moon
11. How Is This World Better Now
12. Once More
13. Leaving It Behind
14. Happy Ending

Amazon.com

Adrienne Young has the banjo skills to make a bluegrass disc with the best of them. But on her third album, she largely trades in the string-band sound that characterized her previous efforts for a more straightforward folk-pop approach. As the lead track proclaims, this is "All for Good," and Room to Grow turns out to be a confidently self-produced work of both personal and artistic maturity. On first listen, Young's opener might seem to be a page out of Candide, with its refrain "all that is here is for good." But the song's lyric "struggle is perfect" is a clue to Young's larger themes. Besides that of nature, most purely celebrated here by "River and a Dirt Road," the album gives an inescapable feeling, not exactly of hope or optimism, but of sweet surrender: surrender not to defeat but to the idea of fully living one's life by "relinquishing control," as Young sings in "Giving Up the Fight," and concentrating on the here and now. "All this worryin' about what's to come/Don't amount to nothin' when it's said and done," says Young in "In Between the Heartbeats," and "It's a flyin' leap from birth to death/Gotta treat each moment like a special guest." And though "we all outgrow the skin we're in," as she sings on the title track--along with "All for Good," the high point of a record that should bring Young the acclaim she richly deserves--"we can weave, we can mend/Stitch by stitch, row by row/Making sure there's room enough to grow." One does wish she and her cowriters (longtime collaborator Will Kimbrough and Mark D. Sanders--who penned, among other country #1s, Lee Ann Womack's "I Hope You Dance") had included two more originals in favor of otherwise admirable Joni Mitchell and Dusty Owens covers, as they are obviously self-sufficient. But that doesn't diminish the force of this resounding, album-length carpe diem. --Benjamin Lukoff

NOTE: The Save a Seed Fund has been "founded by Adrienne Young and AddieBelle Music, in conjunction with the American Community Garden Association, to promote continued efforts to preserve all aspects of our collective heritage. AddieBelle Music will donate a portion of the proceeds from each copy of Room to Grow sold to a seed fund which will provide non-genetically modified seeds and support for urban and community gardens throughout the United States and Canada."

Customer Reviews:

This gal and her music are white hot!.......2007-06-17

On June 14, 2007 two of us caught her show at Longwood Gardens in PA. All I can say is this was a treat for the ears and down right FUN. I loved everything she played and you could she that she really enjoyed what she is doing. You could feel her spirit in every song! She got so into it that after about 55 solid minutes of song she was surprised to learn that she was running out of time. All of the artist were GREAT! This was my fist exposure to Bluegrass and it won't be my last. Adrienne all we can say is YOU GO GIRL...you ROCK!

Good.......2007-06-13

I like this CD. Nearly all the songs on it are really strong lyrically compared to the other 2 albums. Musically though this is not as unique as the others. I'd like to see her do another album on the other end of the spectrum. Less commerical sounding with more old timey.

What a great surprise!.......2007-06-07

I had never heard of her prior to attending the Appel Farm Art & Music Festival on June 2, 2007. She was one of the performers at the festival. I immediately took a liking to her music. I purchased this CD at the festival and have listened to it countless times without getting tired of it. Their isn't a song on the CD I don't enjoy listening to over and over again. She puts much feeling into her music. The added plus is to see a musician with a social conscious, unlike some of the canned music coming out the music industry these days, with her Save A Seed Fund. Looking forward to seeing her play next week at Longwood Gardens!

Best work yet from an artist whose talents are blossoming so rapidly they'll need that room to grow!.......2007-05-26

While Room To Grow has much in common with Adrienne Young's earlier CDs, is a much more polished and mature effort than its predecessors. This is clearly the work of a more seasoned professional, somebody who's serious about what she's doing, somebody who's ready to play in the big leagues. The whole project, the songwriting, the performances, and the production, absolutely shine.

These songs carry the positive messages Adrienne's fans would expect, but they're tempered by an understanding that the world can and often does crush our best efforts. This acknowledgement of the struggle between good & bad, light & dark, runs throughout the album, but nowhere is that duality presented better than in the opening track, "All For Good." Where the previous CD opened with the rollicking and anthemic declaration, "Gonna start a revolution, made of action not of words," this one begins with sparse instrumentation, an almost autumnal melody, and world-weary resignation: "It's just one more day out of my life gone for good... I keep turning over in my mind, did I get it right?" It's the self-doubt of the traveler who has devoted enormous energies to making a positive impact during life's pilgrimage, but inevitably must confront the possibility that it wasn't enough, or worse still that it's all been for naught. But then out of the darkness comes a beam of light, a joyous and hopeful chorus made all the more beautiful by the contrast, justifying the effort and resolve required to forge on. The realization that "all that is here is for good" makes for an even more powerful anthem than the one that opened the last record.

Even the up-tempo, happy numbers, like the title track, are made more potent by at least a passing nod (or is it a wink?) to life's downside. Extolling the virtues of those pastures where there's "room enough to grow" implies an understanding of less enjoyable places and ways of life. Like the places that inspired "What I Wouldn't Give For a River," an aching expression of yearning for the solitude of a quieter and simpler way of life that is among Adrienne's best songwriting efforts. "Natural Bridge," the track that's racked up the most plays on my iTunes, could be the result of having finally gotten a taste of that simpler life where "my soul will dance again with my true love and all my kin." It also features some lovely dobro work from Andy Hall. The amazing Will Kimbrough, Mike Gordon from Phish, and one of my favorite bluegrass singers, Dale Ann Bradley, also make marvelous contributions to this CD. Former members of Adrienne's band (including fiddler Eric Merrill, bassist Kyle Kegerreis, and guitarist Hans Holzen) lend their considerable talents as well, and I would be remiss not to mention the wonderful work of guitarist Edward O'Day who is definately someone from whom we should expect big things.

Initially I questioned the decision to cover Joni Mitchell's "Free Man In Paris." Amazingly, it fits very comfortably smack dab in the middle of Adrienne's songs. If her originals weren't so good, Joni's tune would stick out like a sore thumb, but as it is, "Free Man" is just another great song among many and is a spirited, first-rate performance by both vocalist and band. Plus it nicely echoes the sentiments of the opening track: "you just can't win," but you do your best just the same.

"Plow to the End of the Row" and "The Art of Virtue," both of which I love, serve as the great foundation upon which "Room to Grow" and whatever may follow will stand. This is something more than what we've heard from Adrienne in the past, and something greater and more powerful than we could have expected. Here's hoping it's just one more step down a long and fruitful path.

Average customer rating: Springsteen's best album ever Get American Land Edition Great fun, don't be turned off Lame Record of Lame Songs Folk Can Rock

We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions Bruce Springsteen Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Alt-Country & Americana | Country | Styles | Music General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Folk Rock | Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Roots Rock | Rock | Styles | Music Similar Items: All the Roadrunning Taking The Long Way Surprise Living With War Modern Times ASIN: B000EU1PNC Release Date: 2006-04-25

Tracks:

1. Old Dan Tucker
2. Jesse James
3. Mrs. McGrath
4. Oh, Mary, Don't You Weep
5. John Henry
6. Erie Canal
7. Jacob's Ladder
8. My Oklahoma Home
9. Eyes On The Prize
10. Shenandoah
11. Pay Me My Money Down
12. We Shall Overcome
13. Froggie Went A-Courtin'
14. Buffalo Gals (bonus track)
15. How Can I Keep From Singing (bonus track)

Amazon.com

The premise was simple. Bruce Springsteen invites a dozen or so New York City musicians--packing banjos, fiddles, accordions and the like--to his New Jersey farmhouse for a three-day hootenanny, and tape is rolling. The results are sublime, his 21st album featuring their versions of songs harvested from Springsteen's dog-eared LPs by Pete Seeger. Not all written by Seeger, the songs are how the American folk icon interpreted them, and these organic recordings, with no rehearsals or overdubs, pay tribute with the simplicity and spontaneity he intended. It's not hard to link Springsteen's dissatisfaction with American politics to the protest song "We Shall Overcome" or even the Irish ballad "Mrs. McGrath," where he alters the lyrics to read, "I'd rather have my son as he used to be/Than the King of America and his whole navy." But the beauty of these Seeger Sessions are pieces that underscore the mood of the bandleader, which borders on down-home amusement: the bluegrass outlaw ballad "Jesse James," the Dylanesque "Pay Me My Money Down" and the euphoric "Jacob's Ladder," a gumbo-and-whiskey-fueled romp that could pass for the closing hymn at the Church of Asbury Park. --Scott Holter

Album Description

VIDEO

A 40-minute film about the recording of the album with artist commentary. Includes filmed performances of:

John Henry Pay Me My Money Down Buffalo Gals Erie Canal O Mary DonÂ't You Weep JacobÂ's Ladder Froggie Went A CourtinÂ' Shenandoah

Plus four bonus live tour videos:

How Can A Poor Man Stand Such Times And Live (Bruce Springsteen Version) Bring Â'Em Home American Land Pay Me My Money Down

Customer Reviews:

Springsteen's best album ever.......2007-07-17

When this album first came out I listened to it non-stop. My favorite track: "Oh, Mary, Don't You Weep." I went to see the band when they toured to promote the album in the spring of '06. Wow. There were something like 15 musicians on the stage and their passion was palpaple. This comes through in the album, too, which was recorded live.

Get American Land Edition.......2007-07-16

This is a great album, but notwithstanding the reviews written here, you should get the American Land version of this album (We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions - American Land Edition). It has all the same songs, plus four more tracks on the audio CD, including "American Land" which is one of the best songs he's done in years. There are also several additional videos. Unlike this version, the American Land edition is not a dualdisc; instread it consists of an audio CD and a DVD disc.

Buy the American Land edition instead (ASIN: B000GG4XJM).

Great fun, don't be turned off.......2007-07-08

I'm a guy with some pretty diverse musical tastes, but quite honestly, I probably never would have gotten into Pete Seeger's brand of country-folk music on my own. But as a lifelong Springsteen die-hard, I put aside any skepticism I might have had and bought the "We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions" DualDisc. As his career progresses, Bruce Springsteen is a constantly changing artist, and he is always drawing influences from new and different sources. But this album is definitely different from any project he's ever done before. The banjoes, accordions, and twangy fiddles might put off some listeners at first, but give it a chance. You'll actually find that this stuff has a lot of similarities to classic rock, with the catchy hooks, instrumental solos, and song structures. Songs like "Old Dan Tucker," "Jesse James," and "Pay Me My Money Down" are upbeat, totally fun tracks. There's a few songs worth skipping on the tracklist, but overall, "We Shall Overcome" is a fun listen of folk standards and covers. I challenge Springsteen fans to go into this album with an open mind, and I think they'll enjoy it just as I have.

Lame Record of Lame Songs.......2007-06-26

If I had a hammer
I'd hammer on the hippies
I'd hammer on some commies
All over this land
I'd hammer on the peaceniks
I'd hammer on lame Jerseyites
I'd hammer out all the rotten filthy dirty draft dodgers
All over this land

Folk Can Rock.......2007-06-19

This is a fantastic album. High energy folk must suits Bruce's style so well; I can't imagine that there's anyone out there who can resist the infectious energy of this well-crafted album. This is a must-listen for those who think that folk is a quiet, downer form of music; these songs will get them out of their seats and up on their feet.

It's really one of Bruce's best albums ever.

Average customer rating: Not a carbon copy Walk the line CD walk the line Walk the Line Great

Walk the Line Joaquin Phoenix , Reese Witherspoon , and Original Soundtrack Manufacturer: Wind-Up ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Alt-Country & Americana | Country | Styles | Music General | Traditional Country | Country | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music $8.99 and Under | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Pop | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Rock | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Country | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Soundtracks | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music All Blowout Music | Blowout Music | Stores | Music $8.99 and Under | Prices | Blowout Music | Stores | Music More Titles at Least 25% Off | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: At Folsom Prison Walk the Line (Widescreen Edition) The Essential Johnny Cash At San Quentin Taking The Long Way ASIN: B000BM7YYW Release Date: 2005-11-15

Tracks:

1. Get Rhythm -- Joaquin Phoenix
2. I Walk The Line -- Joaquin Phoenix
3. Wildwood Flower -- Reese Witherspoon
4. Lewis Boogie Blues -- Waylon Payne
5. Ring Of Fire -- Joaquin Phoenix
6. You're My Baby -- Johnathan Rice
7. Cry Cry Cry -- Joaquin Phoenix
8. Folsom Prison Blues-- Joaquin Phoenix
9. That's Allright Mama -- Tyler Hilton
10. Jukebox Blues -- Reese Witherspoon
11. It Aint Me Babe -- Joaquin Phoenix & Reese Witherspoon
12. Home of the Blues -- Joaquin Phoenix
13. Milkcow Blues Boogie -- Tyler Hilton
14. I'm A Long Way From Home -- Shooter Jennings
15. Cocaine Blues -- Joaquin Phoenix
16. Jackson -- Joaquin Phoenix & Reese Witherspoon

Amazon.com

This is not a review about Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon's hair. However--as any self-respecting fan knows--in country music, after proving you can pluck a guitar and carry a tune, the power of the right hairstyle is not to be underestimated. Johnny Cash, in fact, was famously vain about his locks--perhaps one of the few things he was vain about--and many a guitar store employee can attest to the fact that when the Man in Black came in to buy his special brand of guitar pick, his hair was dyed a jet black more often seen on a boy of 20 than a man of 60. In any case, Phoenix and Witherspoon's performances as Johnny and June Carter Cash succeed more in the style and hair department than in their musicality. Phoenix fares better than his co-star in reinventing the Cash mystique, and his sweet, almost earnest interpretation of "Get Rhythm" is as charming as it is honest. Unfortunately, the powerful song "Ring of Fire" is flat and wholly without the narrative pull it had when Cash sang it. And Witherspoon is simply not up to the warbling task she's faced with in singing as June Carter Cash. (To be fair, it's hard to know who would be, but the estimable Loretta Lynn or Tift Merritt would have had better luck). Carter Cash's honeyed gift with melody, and the largeness of her voice, honed over decades in live performance, is hard to replicate for even a seasoned singer, and predictably, Witherspoon falls short of the mark. It's certainly seductive to imagine that playing a figure as compelling as Johnny or June would allow an actor to channel the soul and some of the talent of the artist, but the closest this record comes is in "Cry, Cry, Cry," where Phoenix's gravelly voice offers the same sustained thrill that made Johnny Cash irresistible--to June and his fans. --Megan Halverson

Customer Reviews:

Not a carbon copy.......2007-07-08

Within the liner notes of the gem of a CD, the director of the movie "Walk the Line" was quoted as saying he wasn't looking for a Johnny Cash impersonator, but for somebody who could make the legend come alive.
I personally really like Joaquin Phoenix' smooth, sexy voice. My favorites are "Get Rhythm" and "Walk the Line."

I strongly reccommend this CD.

Walk the line CD.......2007-06-13

The music was wonderful. I think Reese Witherspoon needs to do more signing. I certainly would buy her CD

walk the line.......2007-06-09

Disappointed with this CD lacked body and character music sounded thin and repetative

Walk the Line.......2007-06-01

A wonderful movie. Joaquin Phoenix was ideal as the young Johnny Cash - 19 to 37 years, The producers said they didn't want an actor and actress to portray John and June precisely and this is what I saw. The singing and guitar playing was right on. Joaquin should have won an Oscar also!

Great.......2007-05-17

I bought the cd for my husband who is a huge fan of the movie. He absolutely loves the cd! He has practically worn it out listening to it.

Average customer rating: Southern Blues-Rock with a Contemporary Twist Great Album louisianas answer to john mayer Can't go a day without listening to it! Buy This CD

Carencro Marc Broussard Manufacturer: Island ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Alt-Country & Americana | Country | Styles | Music General | R&B | Styles | Music General | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music Blues Rock | Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Pop | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Rock | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Alternative Rock | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Country | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music R&B | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music All Blowout Music | Blowout Music | Stores | Music More Titles at Least 25% Off | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Momentary Setback Bootleg to Benefit the Victims of Hurricane Katrina S.O.S.: Save Our Soul ( Amazon Exclusive with Bonus Track ) Beneath These Fireworks Trouble ASIN: B0002IQIG0 Release Date: 2004-08-03

Tracks:

1. Home
2. Rocksteady
3. The Beauty Of Who You Are
4. Save Me
5. Come Around
6. Where You Are
7. Lonely Night In Georgia
8. Saturday
9. The Wanderer
10. Hope For Me Yet
11. Let Me Leave
12. Silent Track 1
13. Silent Track 2
14. Silent Track 3
15. Silent Track 4
16. Silent Track 5
17. Silent Track 6
18. Silent Track 7
19. Silent Track 8
20. Silent Track 9
21. Silent Track 10
22. Silent Track 11
23. Bonus Track 1

Amazon.com

Carencro, named for Marc Broussard's Louisiana hometown, is at times a swamp-pop masterpiece, with leadoff track "Home" stealing the mud-crusted show. What happens in the 11 songs that follow, though, could redeem major record labels from their bullying reputations. Because instead of shoving this pop/rock/soul/R&B wunderkind in the right direction--that being the direction that center-spears his gift for channeling greats like Sam Cooke, John Hiatt, and Stevie Wonder in the space of a single song--whoever was in charge let him wander, and what resulted is a collection that, while hugely promising, fails to measure up to his big, baritoney talent. The songwriting is troublesome in spots ("I know you can break these chains/and set me free," from "Save Me"), and the genre shifts, while fun ("Saturday" is a '70s-style, horn-studded affair), can be jarring. For next go-round, fans--he will earn them, and deservedly, with this disc--should keep their fingers crossed that "Home" is where his heart is. --Tammy La Gorce

Customer Reviews:

Southern Blues-Rock with a Contemporary Twist.......2007-06-14

Love, love, love this CD. I like its southern down-home style and the raspy, bluesy voice of Marc Broussard. Just when you think it's going to be all blues, it turns into rock and roll. I've listened to it many times on the drive into work in the morning and it puts a smile on my face everytime.

Great Album.......2007-05-14

His debut album is good, but this is a Great Album. Such a big voice, real soulful. One of those albums you can leave in your cd player and just listen to over and over again.

louisianas answer to john mayer.......2007-05-06

this record starts off so amazingly strong with the first track, "home", then seems to just completely fall off from that point. as you can tell by the cover, marc broussard is louisianas answer to john mayer... the only problem is, marc broussard actually has more then just barely an ounce of talent. broussards voice is powerful, and at first listen, you would think your listening to an old, black, blues man. broussards failure to live up to his skills as a singer and a guitar player only stems from the terrible poppy faux blues songs. theres no originality, nor any thought process to the one dimensional songs that follow the first track. southern tinged blues / rock has so many bands right now actually contributing to the musical landscape, north mississippi all stars, gov't mule, the black keys, etc... that its a damn shame that this guy cant hook up with a producer who can help get the REAL music out of this guy. a lot of promise, but he still needs time to develop into a musician...

Can't go a day without listening to it!.......2007-05-06

I love this album. Everyday I change my mind about which song is my favorite. I started out being interested in the album after seeing the video for Home, but since I got the album I've found I love other songs even more. I can't decide between Let me Be what I am, and Loney Night in Georgia, Gavin's Song, etc. My husband even thinks it's the greatest, and we were hooked after just one listen. This album should be up there with some of the most well known albums, it's that good. Can't wait for a new release.

Buy This CD.......2007-02-18

I loved this CD. My friend from Baton Rouge turned me on to this soulful Louisiana boy, and I have been turning all of my friends on to him ever since. The opening cut, Home, sets a very high standard for what follows. Crank up the volume and get into it. The rest of the CD doesn't quite live up to the opener, but it's very good, nonetheless. I highly recommend Marc Broussard's Carencro.

Average customer rating: re: ManStar's review How does he do it? What music has been missing Sweet and Honest Music-Making Is Sufjan Stevens a Genius?

Illinois Sufjan Stevens Manufacturer: Asthmatic Kitty ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Indie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Alt-Country & Americana | Country | Styles | Music General | Folk | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Similar Items: Z Plans The Crane Wife Fox Confessor Brings the Flood Takk... ASIN: B0009R1T7M Release Date: 2005-07-05

Tracks:

1. Concerning The UFO Sighting Near Highland, Illinois
2. The Black Hawk War, Or, How To Demolish An Entire Civilization And Still Feel Good About Yourself In The Morning, Or, We Apologize For The Inconvenience But You're Gonna Have To Leave Now, Or, 'I Have Fought The Big Knives And Will Continue To Fight...
3. Come On! Feel The Illinoise!: Part I: The World's Columbian Exposition/Part II: Carl Sandburg Visits Me In A Dream
4. John Wayne Gacy, Jr.
5. Jacksonville
6. A Short Reprise For Mary Todd, Who Went Insane, But For Very Good Reasons
7. Decatur, Or, Round Of Applause For Your Stepmother!
8. One Last 'Whoo-Hoo!' For The Pullman
9. Chicago
10. Casimir Pulaski Day
11. To The Workers Of The Rock River Valley Region, I Have An Idea Concerning Your Predicament
12. The Man Of Metropolis Steals Our Hearts
13. Prairie Fire That Wanders About
14. A Conjunction Of Drones Simulating The Way In Which Sufjan Stevens Has An Existential Crisis In The Great Godfrey Maze
15. The Predatory Wasp Of The Palisades Is Out To Get Us!
16. They Are Night Zombies!! They Are Neighbors!! They Have Come Back From The Dead!! Ahhhh!
17. Let's Hear That String Part Again, Because I Don't Think They Heard It All The Way Out In Bushnell
18. In This Temple As In The Hearts Of Man For Whom He Saved The Earth
19. The Seer's Tower
20. The Tallest Man, The Broadest Shoulders: Part I: The Great Frontier/Part II: Come To Me Only With Playthings Now
21. Riffs And Variations On A Single Note For Jelly Roll, Earl Hines, Louis Armstrong, Baby Dodds, And The King Of Swing, To Name A Few
22. Out Of Egypt, Into The Great Laugh Of Mankind, And I Shake The Dirt From My Sandals As I Run

Amazon.com

Illinois sounds like The Sea and Cake collaborating with the high-school band from a Wes Anderson film on banjo-driven, pulsing meditations on Vince Guaraldi's music for Peanuts. Sufjan Stevens, the singer-songwriter behind the endeavor, is an earnest and whimsical young man who aims to record an album based on every state in the union, though this is just his second attempt since 2003's Michigan. Lavish praise has been heaped upon this precocious twenty-something, who weaves personal recollections, historical narratives, and strange facts together to create lush portraits of Midwestern life. It's not maudlin stuff, and the atypical instrumentation (strings, choirs, trumpets, vibes) is beyond gimmick. Halfway through "John Wayne Gacy, Jr.," when Stevens has you feeling true empathy for a serial killer, it's clear that he really is an artist of the highest order. These are weird and lovely middlebrow ditties; we eagerly await the Broadway adaptation. --Mike McGonigal

Customer Reviews:

re: ManStar's review.......2007-07-15

ManStar took a swipe at Sufjan as a cold practitioner making sterile music for self-important women dating closet cases for boyfriends. He later lamented that music, whether it's folk or rock is best served with some outrage, protest and emotion. I have to admit when I first read this I laughed. I went to a post-Illinoise show (in Chicago) and was a little annoyed at Sufjan's campy stage presence, how serious most people took themselves, hanging on every word and not moving. Nobody drank, nobody spoke and heaven forbid if I wanted to whisper to one of the people I was with. A quick "shhhhhh" quickly followed. I understand the idea that Stevens' music is extremely vulnerable to hipster pandering because the result is that humorless, insecure, high IQ, well-educated d-bags seem drawn to it because it confirms that their opinions of themselves. They get the local and historical references, and it seems emotional.

However...that's painting with a broad brush in many respects. First, music doesn't have to be punk, protesty, or in-your-face to be excellent. Folk and rock music is big enough to include music made by and for people who aren't railing at some government/inner demon/society. Second, this music resonates with more than just the aforementioned well-read d-bags because it manages to be celebratory (Chicago), smooth (Jacksonville), narrative (the whole album), quirky (Zombies song) and relatable in its forays into tragedy (Casmir Pulaski). I agree with the people who dislike the Gacy song for its disingenuousness and faux attempt to "relate" to a serial killer. Even if Sufjan is sincere in his relating to Gacy, it's still ridiculous and stupid of him to try to sell his audience on our similarities to mass murderers...and the song comes off as creepy. Sufjan Stevens, and the people who or are listening to him, are not on the precipice of some Gacy-like meltdown.

There is no percentage in calling out an entire fanbase and tarring them as either self-important or "closet-cases." That shows how small-minded you are. What, are all guys supposed to be so jacked up with testosterone at every given minute that even in their free time, when they listen to music, they need to unwind to something that stokes the fires of anger and aggression? Dude what kind of way to chill out is that? There's a time and place for everything. To people who think like that, sorry, but the Minutemen aren't coming back and there are people out there who need a little bit more than three chords and a hollow slogan about how the government sucks.

How does he do it?.......2007-07-07

It seems like an impossible feat. That one person could produce work of such consistent genius. Surfjan seems to have a supernatural songwriting gift. When I first listened to this album I sat in shock as the John Wayne Gasey Jr. track started playing (I hadn't looked at the track listing). Here is a song about a serial killer that, far from leaving the listener wallowing in hatred or revulsion leaves us with a new and completely astounding insight. I won't give it away. If the album consisted of just that one song I would recommend it. But, of course, it has many songs, and it is a wonderful achievement. Some of the material seems to take an odd direction, but it works into the whole. I also have a suspicion that there are many musical references that I'm not catching.

Highly recommended. (If you have a record player, get the vinyl. It's stunning.)

What music has been missing.......2007-06-12

Although Sufjan Stevens has been around for several albums, his musical influence has not been felt as deeply as it should have been. He breathes fresh air into music and makes albums that defy classification.

Many of the tracks on 'Illinoise' have a way of reaching inside and staying with you in a manner that is difficult to find in music. Many evoke emotions that are difficult, if not impossible, to commit to paper. 'John Wayne Gacy Jr.' is a particular haunting track. It is testament to Sufjan Stevens' talent that he manages to make a song about a serial killer sound moving and seemingly sympathetic.

With lyrics that occasionally meander through U.S. history and beats to match, 'Illinoise' can sometimes feel like a throwback to the music of bygone decades. Perhaps the track 'The Man of Metropolis Steals Our Hearts' is most typical of Stevens' eclecticism. Here he switches back and forth between his own harmonious sound and that of a church choir as well as a drum backing that sounds like something from a White Stripes album.

It remains to be seen whether Stevens will follow through on his promise to make an album in each of the 50 states of the U.S. However if he does it will be to the massive benefit of the listening public.

Sweet and Honest Music-Making.......2007-06-09

It's really hard to put Sufjan's music into a category. I suppose folk music is close - but it has a unique cadence which is hard to really define. This is perhaps why I love this music so much. Sufjan's voice is incredibly sweet and clear, and the music is gentle without ever once being insipid or dull. The blend of instruments at times creates an almost magical feel - banjo, oboe, strings, horn. The chorus of voices on some of the tracks is also clear and cool, as in "They are the Night Zombies."
This album is dedicated to the state of Illinois, and there has also been one of Michigan. I guess it was probably too ambitious to do one for each state, and I think he has abandoned that idea - but the concept works well on this one. It has a city feel and there is a twinge of nostalgia in some of the songs. Mostly, however, the lyrics are unsentimental but thoughtful.
This is the kind of music to listen to late at night, or early in the morning when you get up and are fixing a cup of coffee. It goes with the chirping of crickets, or the early morning twitter of birds. Relax and enjoy it - it is therapeutic. I found it inspiring and would highly recommend it.

Is Sufjan Stevens a Genius?.......2007-05-18

No matter how dark his subject matter (serial killers, assassinated presidents, etc.), Sufjan Stevens' bouyant melodies and soundscapes carry the listener happily along. I have my issues with the album (hence the 4 stars): he seems to take himself too seriously, the choruses can sound a little too much like Polyphonic Spree, and so many musical interludes begin to feel like filler. However, the whimsical tone does not undermine his literate lyrics and the tunes are so catchy and memorable that my 6 year-old daughter can often be heard singing "Chicago".

Average customer rating: Lustful Lucinda Williams is my ELVIS! Grreat Transaction - Fast A solid 5 stars Excellent CD from Lucinda Williams

Car Wheels on a Gravel Road Lucinda Williams Manufacturer: Island / Mercury ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Alt-Country & Americana | Country | Styles | Music General | Country | Styles | Music Contemporary | Bluegrass | Country | Styles | Music General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music General | Folk | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Folk Rock | Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music $9.99 and Under | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Pop | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Rock | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Alternative Rock | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Country | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music All Blowout Music | Blowout Music | Stores | Music $9.99 and Under | Prices | Blowout Music | Stores | Music More Titles at Least 25% Off | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: West World Without Tears Essence Live @ The Fillmore Sweet Old World Accessories: Real Day ASIN: B000007Q8J Release Date: 1998-06-30

Tracks:

1. Right In Time
2. Car Wheels On A Gravel Road
3. 2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten
4. Drunken Angel
5. Concrete And Barbed Wire
6. Lake Charles
7. Can't Let Go
8. I Lost It
9. Metal Firecracker
10. Greenville
11. Still I Long For Your Kiss
12. Joy
13. Jackson

Amazon.com's Best of 1998

Six years in the making, Car Wheels somehow lives up to its lofty expectations because of Williams's direct songwriting and her wonderfully unaffected vocals. With assistance from cohorts such as Steve Earle, Williams uses the acoustic accents of Dobros, mandolins, slide guitars, and accordions to add color to her grooves, whispers, and rumbles. Her lyrics are undisguised as she presents to us the travelogue of her memory. We can't wait for 2004! --Marc Greilsamer

Amazon.com essential recording

Lucinda Williams makes this whole music thing seem so simple: Write in plain language about the people and places that crowd your memory; add subtle flavors of a mandolin here, a Dobro there, perhaps an accordion or slide guitar; above all, sing as honestly and naturally as you can. Of course, it took her six years to achieve this simplicity, an amazing achievement considering the number of knobs that were turned. Her exquisite voice moans and groans and slips and slides--she delivers a polished tone in a coarse manner. On the superb "Concrete and Barbed Wire," soft acoustic guitars are punctuated by electric slide, accordion, mandolin, and Steve Earle's harmony. Williams's deeply personal stories are matched with bluesy rumbles, raunchy grooves, and plaintive whispers. The entire Deep South is reduced to a sleepy small town filled with ex-lovers, dive bars, and endless gravel roads. --Marc Greilsamer

Customer Reviews:

Lustful.......2007-06-09

If you're looking for a nice soothing CD to "set the mood"...then this CD album by Lucinda Williams should do the job quite nicely. There are a couple of songs that are just a bit "too country" for me...but the rest of the CD more than makes up for this minor deficiency.

Lucinda Williams is my ELVIS!.......2007-04-12

I am BLOWN AWAY by this album!

Only once or twice if you're lucky in a lifetime if you come across an artist with this level of creativity and talent.

"Too Cool to be Forgotten" - Hey Hey....this song will be remade by future generations of Rockers.

"On the way to Jackson" - A fantastic song that sounds like it's been around since pioneer days and yet it had just been CREATED by Lucinda!

"Lake Charles" - Oh my! What a DELICIOUS SONG!

I can't say ENOUGH how FANTASTIC this whole album is and I don't like writing long-winded reviews...but to give it justice - I would have to create a review as big as anyone's viewing area. Every song on this album is INCREDIBLE!

Every song...something that future generations will re-do. Way ahead of it's time in creativity and originality.

P.S. I've read a lot of people comparing Lucinda Williams with Patty Griffin. Hands down. No contest. Lucinda RULES though I also love Patty Griffin incredibly well.

Grreat Transaction - Fast.......2007-02-14

Recommend this seller highly - quick delivery and CD was perfect.

A solid 5 stars.......2007-01-20

This has become one of my desert island CDs - right along with Joni Mitchell's "Hejira", Bob Dylan's "Desire", Stevie Wonder's "(well, ALL of his 1970's music), Emmylou Harris' "Wrecking Ball", Neil Young's Crazy Horse stuff... The song that really gets me is "2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten" - for that incredibly liquid guitar sound. It's not my favorite song on the CD - that is "Lake Charles", but hey - the next time I listen I'll probably have another favorite song. Every single selection on this CD is a masterpiece of the genre - there is not a single throwaway track in sight. This is roots soul music - anyone who has ever lived on a farm, hitchhiked across the countryside, found themselves alone and come to terms with their own sense of being, been hammered by the storms of life and love - would find a lot to like about this music. Her voice is not polished, it is not a five octave mindblower, it is not smooth or pitch-perfect. What Lucinda William's voice is though is... real, powerful, compelling and very sexy. This vocalist writes songs perfectly fitted to her instrument, and then creates a sound that washes over me in a hundred layers all at once. That's damn fine music in my book...

Excellent CD from Lucinda Williams.......2007-01-09

The CD Car Wheels on a Gravel Road contents of rather good music numbers, many of the numbers are exceptionel good. E.G, Car Wheels... Joy and Still I Long for Your Kiss.

Average customer rating: Great Artistic Achievement Great record! A nice visit from an old friend An Instant Classic

The Salvation Blues Mark Olson Manufacturer: Hacktone Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Alt-Country & Americana | Country | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Country Rock | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Adult Alternative | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Easy Tiger Blood on the Slacks Sky Blue Sky The Search Sweet Warrior ASIN: B000P6R6W4 Release Date: 2007-06-12

Tracks:

1. My Carol
2. Clifton Bridge
3. Poor Michael's Boat
4. National Express
5. Salvation Blues
6. Keith
7. Winter Song
8. Sandy Denny
9. Tears From Above
10. Look Into The Night
11. My One Book Philosophy

Amazon.com

Here starts the third stage of Mark Olson's recording career. He first came to prominence as the primary singer-songwriter for the Jayhawks, before leaving that seminal alt-country band to make music with his wife, Victoria Williams, in the more acoustic, organic Creekdrippers. With his reedy voice and elemental imagery, Olson details the painful dissolution of that marriage on this solo album, clinging to music as a lifeline when everything else is lost. In the album-opening "My Carol," he compares his love to "an animal bleeding in the snow," while "National Express" asks "Where's my home? How could I lose this in a day?" Yet musically, "Clifton Bridge" and "Winter Song" rank with the best of his Jayhawks work, and both the title track and "Look into the Night" find redemption in the midst of despair. Gary Louris joins his former Jayhawks bandmate for harmonies on three cuts. --Don McLeese

Album Description

In a time of true loss and redemption, Mark Olson found his way through music. This collection of songs describes his struggles and triumphs as he journeys through unspeakable hardships. Featuring a long-awaited reunion with Jayhawk Gary Louris, this album takes you along for the ride.

Customer Reviews:

Great Artistic Achievement.......2007-07-17

Loved this album from start to finish. Mark's unusual vocals and phrasing make his peotic lyrics even better. Gary Louris makes an appearance for all you Jayhawk fans.[like me!] Great packaging too.

Great record!.......2007-07-08

This is easily the best work Mark Olson has done since he was with the Jayhawks. This record shows the heartbreak he has recently encountered, but all the time there is a message behind the music, that there is something better coming along and he is ready for whatever that is. Through the heartbreak this is hope, and well, salvation.

The 3 tracks that his former partner Gary Louris sings on, are just what is needed, it brings us back a little to their former greatness, and promises what is to come when their duo record comes out next year. Best tracks are Clifton Bridge, Salvation Blues, Sandy Denny and of course the old Jayhawks gem that was never recorded until now, Poor Michael's Boat.

Highly recommended for anyone who loves singer-songwriter, from the heart, just good music, something that is sorely lacking in most of today's music.

A nice visit from an old friend.......2007-06-20

I get the same feelings from listening to this as I always got from Mark's songs with the Jayhawks. The production is slightly slicker than previous Creekdipper records, thanks to Vaughan's production, but it doesn't stand in the way of strong songs, of poetry, of inspiration. Those stand head and shoulders above the wonderful backing music.
I like his oblique lyrics and his pining voice, reaching past the melancholy of life and finding joy, without escapism. Though inspired from a sad split-up, Mark doesn't dwell on that. He sounds joyful in re-connecting with his muse. You can hear the satisfaction of making music more than the joy of 'getting over', and that is what listening to music is about, innit?
Salvation indeed!

An Instant Classic.......2007-06-19

Mid-way through Mark Olson's new album The Salvation Blues, the track Sandy Denny references the late 60's, early 70's British folk artist who would come to known as much for her personal difficulties with her husband (and alcohol) as she was for her songwriting. Such allusions echo Olson's painful split with his now ex-wife and bandmate Victoria Williams and loss of his beloved home in Joshua Tree, California; they also set the tone for this highly moving and personal recording, his first standout release since the Creekdippers' December's Child album from 2002 and My Own Jo Ellen, a classic from 2000.

As opposed to Olson's recent recordings that seem born of his life grounded in the California desert, pure Americana radiating joy, warmth, and belonging, The Salvation Blues conveys a sense of movement, distance, coldness and isolation while also making several references to Olson's travels through Europe (check out Clifton Bridge and National Express, both great songs). However, though the lyrics are evocative and moving, if not somewhat oblique, they aren't overly mournful either. Similarly, the music is generally, surprisingly upbeat, more sweet than bitter (as on Winter Song), capturing that folksy, acoustic sound Olson has become known for. Don't get me wrong, there are some sad tunes here (his solo Wurlitzer performance on My One Book Philosophy). It's just that in spite of darker themes, these songs ultimately give rise to deliverance and liberation, and in that context are as much about hope and optimism as they are about pain.

And while the excellent understated instrumentation of Olson's accompanying musicians should not go unacknowledged, Jayhawks fans will especially rejoice in Olson's former bandmate, Gary Louris offering up sweet vocal harmonies on a few tracks including Poor Michael's Boat, one of the album's standout tracks. It's revisiting Jayhawks days gone by and their collaboration on December's Child (Say You'll Be Mine), as well as foreshadowing a new Olson/Louris album which Louris himself reported has been recorded and is set to come out in early 2008. When you consider that Olson's relationship with Ms. Williams marked his departure from the Jayhawks and the dissolution of one of the best songwriting teams of our generation, this album finds him coming full circle; opening his heart, exposing his soul, and achieving epic proportions.

Salvation indeed.

Music Album:

1. Anthology [Import]
2. At Folsom Prison (Multichannel/Stereo) [Live] [SACD]
3. Barricades & Brickwalls [Import]
4. Bluegrass Number 1's
5. Christmas Celebration
6. Christmas on the Range: Cowboy Classics from Capitol Records
7. Classic Country: Country Tradition
8. Classic Country: Early '70s
9. Classic Country: Golden 50's
10. Classic Country: Honky-Tonk Favorites

Music Album