Artist: Female solo artist
Career: debut as a solo artist
Language: English
Genre: Roots rock
A bunch of ‘80s jangle and roots rockers get together to record a barnstorming barroom country album, like they used to do, and find exactly the right singer for it in Christy McWilson. Actually it’s the other way around, McWilson is very much in control here, writing all but one of the songs (a fine but not remarkable cover of the Beach Boys’ ‘Till I die’, which may have been suggested by guitarist Peter Buck), and they’re great songs, and singing the hell out of them, the weepers and the sweepers equally. She did get exactly the right band for it. Producer and leader Dave Alvin, Peter Buck, Greg Leisz, Don Heffington, Rick Shea and other guests play it exactly as is required –a sort of roots/jangle hybrid tailor-made for these country tinged songs (you didn’t really expect anything else, right?) -, and that’s all these songs really need. You’ve got desolate ballads like my favourites below (the ballads are always my favourites), and great stormers (check out ‘Little red hen’ –a searing putdown in song- and ‘Cryin’ out loud’ especially). Sure, it dips a little in the second half with Doug Sahm-like ‘Today is yesterday’s tomorrow’ and what could be an unused ‘80s REM backing track ‘Eloda’, but even then, the record just won’t let up, and it’s a ton of fun.
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