1. Much has been made of Dierks Bentley’s latest record Up On The Ridge, with its return to bluegrass-influenced acoustic music. Bentley has always had an affinity for the genre, as he put at least one such song on each of his records (the high water mark coming with Long Trip Alone’s “Prodigal Son’s Prayer”. The true triumph of this record is that its mostly acoustic setting allows the focus to rest on two things: the songs themselves and the voices singing them.
2. On this track, Bentley invites two of country’s rising stars to sing with him: East Texan Miranda Lambert (who has just enough grit to recall Tanya Tucker), and Jamey Johnson, whose That Lonesome Song was proclaimed by many to be the best record of 2008. The fact that these two take a song from Guy Clark sidekick Verlon Thompson’s songbook only ups the potential. The best part? They all deliver.
3. Bentley kicks off “bound and determined” not to “light it up today”, but quickly confesses that “right now [he] could go either way”. His chorus declaration that he is standing on the corner “of Temptation and Salvation street” shows the crisis that Lambert’s alcoholic and Johnson’s gambler also endure. With a simplified instrumental lineup that lets each voice shine, the song rambles along on a loping beat that recalls Johnson’s hero Waylon Jennings. Bentley picked a winner with “Bad Angel”, on a record that takes some risks for modern country music. By placing the songs in an unfortunately unusual acoustic environment, he steers country back in the direction it should be going. More of this, please.
Dierks Bentley – “Bad Angel”
Posted: June 17th, 2010 | 4 Comments »
Here is some of the music that struck me in 2009. In case you missed it, read the manifesto for this site. It might help you understand where I am coming from. If you didn’t see the Bird List, now might be a good time to check it out.
#20: Dave Alvin and the Guilty Women
S/T
Dave continues a great late-career run. Come to think of it, his “run” has never stopped, or really even slowed. Read a single review.
#19: Steve Earle
Townes
Reverent enough to know when to leave the song alone, but restless enough to know when to shake things up.
#18: Gary Floater
A Hero Never Learns
There is country music that is funny outside of “She Left Me For Jesus”. Most of it is here.
#17: Band of Heathens
One Foot In The Ether
Mining that Canadiana sound, BoH comes up with something fresh. Good songs and great voices. Read a single review.
#16: Guy Clark
Somedays the Song Writes You
This should probably be filed under “educational” rather than “country”. Read a single review.
#15: Corb Lund
Losin’ Lately Gambler
Wry humor and stripped down execution from the Great White North. Read a single review.
#14: Charlie Robison
Beautiful Day
A beautiful sounding record, with great songs to back it up. Possibly his most consistent. Read the original review.
#13: Buddy and Julie Miller
Written In Chalk
This sounds old, worn in, and gorgeous. I don’t think people are used to quality of this level anymore.
#12: Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
S/T
His departure didn’t kill the Drive-By Truckers, but gave us double the output. DBT also put out a rarities record, and Isbell had the best song (“TVA”) on it. Read the original review.
#11: Robert Earl Keen
The Rose Hotel
One thing you can say about Robert Keen is that he always sounds like he is having fun. Read the original review.
Posted: December 30th, 2009 | 2 Comments »
1. I started thinking about Rodney Crowell when writing about his recent collaboration with Bruce Robison. Crowell has had a storied career, running with Guy Clark and Townes Van Zandt in Nashville before heading to L.A. to play in Emmylou Harris’ Hot Band, then finding mainstream country success in the 80’s and reinventing himself in this past decade. Though his style has varied over the years, he has a deep catalog of songs that run the gamut from political rants to unabashed love songs. “Bluebird Wine” came early in his career, and was brought more success when Emmylou covered it on her landmark Pieces of the Sky record, though Rodney’s live take from Heartworn Highways better shows the guts of the song.
2. Riding some surprisingly ace finger picking, he tells a story of a new friend who straightened his life out…so that he could better enjoy his precious Bluebird Wine. The irony is not lost here, as Crowell comes in off the highway, puts his money in the bank, and gets rid of worry so that he can cut loose. When he hits the chorus, the song “hits its stride” just like he sings, with an exuberant swagger that mirrors the effects of the precious drink. Crowell returns to the irony by relating that his new friend has taught him the joys of staying in at night and listening to the radio, while “drinking all the Bluebird we can hold”. This slight twist on the idea of turning over a new leaf gives the song an indelible splash of character.
3. Crowell has turned out some great work in recent years, records which his guitarist Will Kimbrough calls “his best“. Though much of his more recent work deals with his disgust with politics, poverty, and other heavy subjects, he has always maintained the ability to write uptempo songs about letting go and having a great time. Great songs are expected from someone with his songwriting pedigree. With “Bluebird Wine”, Crowell shows that he was cranking classic songs out from the beginning, and that these later years are just the icing on the cake.
Rodney Crowell – Bluebird Wine
Posted: October 29th, 2009 | No Comments »
