"Did you forget how much I love you"
Nov. 14th, 2001 10:29 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
raybearSo there this musician. With a strong country tradition. And she's been in the business for more then 10 years with only marginal success, as far as money and name recognition. Then suddenly, she puts out a masterpiece album. Every track is perfect, from beginning to end. Word of mouth spreads, and suddenly her album is on EVERY critics' top ten list for the year. She has huge crossover success and radio airplay. She wins awards. People think she's the best "new thing", despite her previous years of producing songs and albums and live performances.
Then it's 2001 and she releases a followup. And after so much hype from the last album, folks might seem a bit disappointed. "It's not the same". "Why does she sound different?"
Shelby Lynne, meet Lucinda Willaims. Y'all should go have a beer -- you have a lot to talk about.
Fuck alt country. Fuck neofolk, jazz-blues, soul fusion. To quote Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, "this is rock and roll!" That's really what "Love, Shelby" is -- a rock-n-roll album. Sure there's still jazz and blues and soul and country and folk in each song. But that's what rock music is supposed to be -- it's just recently been taken over by Papa Roach and other pop-wanna-be-punk acts.
Now, you're still asking: is this album as good as "I Am Shelby Lynne"? No. It's not. Sorry. Don't waste my time. But it's still pretty damn good. The opening track is appropriately titled "Trust Me" -- as if she knows that we're thinking and wondering and hesitant to open ourselves up to her new music. So she gently coaxes and seduces us into believing her.
The beauty of "I Am" was the ability to be lush and full and rich in sound without crossing over the line into saturation. But "Love Shelby" at times seems over-produced. After the strings, the swell, the back-up singers, and the horns, did you HAVE to throw in the steel pedal guitar at the very end of the song? I think she should have backed off a bit and kept things a tad more simple on the mixing board. Some may argue that she didn't cross the line -- and others may say the blew past it and is currently residing in "camp". But then again, I think it's brilliant to channel Dinah Shore on some of the instrumentation.
Her lyrics aren't quite as tortured and painful this time around -- she's gotten over the lover from "I Am" and is now struggling with the ups and downs of a new love. Her ability to convey intimacy is still amazing, and I find myself longing to be on the receiving end of her words, only not through a discman on a commuter train, but rather at night under the covers after a long confusing day. The last track, a cover of John Lennon's Mother, stands out in a different way. Shelby already fooled the world when she thanked her parents at the Grammys last year. Now she's twisting the knife of sympathy that folks might be feeling for her. She uses her fucked up past as inspiration for herself, but ONLY herself. She's not letting other folks' perception of her life control her music. She brings something a bit new to the song -- John sang with a lot of anguish, while Shelby sings with a lot of anger. But in her sardonically sweet way.
Or maybe this song just hit me more because of my own familial difficulties.
But that's why I love the Shelby album, despite any flaws. It speaks to my own difficulties and imperfections. She's not perfect, and I don't want her to be.
Then it's 2001 and she releases a followup. And after so much hype from the last album, folks might seem a bit disappointed. "It's not the same". "Why does she sound different?"
Shelby Lynne, meet Lucinda Willaims. Y'all should go have a beer -- you have a lot to talk about.
Fuck alt country. Fuck neofolk, jazz-blues, soul fusion. To quote Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, "this is rock and roll!" That's really what "Love, Shelby" is -- a rock-n-roll album. Sure there's still jazz and blues and soul and country and folk in each song. But that's what rock music is supposed to be -- it's just recently been taken over by Papa Roach and other pop-wanna-be-punk acts.
Now, you're still asking: is this album as good as "I Am Shelby Lynne"? No. It's not. Sorry. Don't waste my time. But it's still pretty damn good. The opening track is appropriately titled "Trust Me" -- as if she knows that we're thinking and wondering and hesitant to open ourselves up to her new music. So she gently coaxes and seduces us into believing her.
The beauty of "I Am" was the ability to be lush and full and rich in sound without crossing over the line into saturation. But "Love Shelby" at times seems over-produced. After the strings, the swell, the back-up singers, and the horns, did you HAVE to throw in the steel pedal guitar at the very end of the song? I think she should have backed off a bit and kept things a tad more simple on the mixing board. Some may argue that she didn't cross the line -- and others may say the blew past it and is currently residing in "camp". But then again, I think it's brilliant to channel Dinah Shore on some of the instrumentation.
Her lyrics aren't quite as tortured and painful this time around -- she's gotten over the lover from "I Am" and is now struggling with the ups and downs of a new love. Her ability to convey intimacy is still amazing, and I find myself longing to be on the receiving end of her words, only not through a discman on a commuter train, but rather at night under the covers after a long confusing day. The last track, a cover of John Lennon's Mother, stands out in a different way. Shelby already fooled the world when she thanked her parents at the Grammys last year. Now she's twisting the knife of sympathy that folks might be feeling for her. She uses her fucked up past as inspiration for herself, but ONLY herself. She's not letting other folks' perception of her life control her music. She brings something a bit new to the song -- John sang with a lot of anguish, while Shelby sings with a lot of anger. But in her sardonically sweet way.
Or maybe this song just hit me more because of my own familial difficulties.
But that's why I love the Shelby album, despite any flaws. It speaks to my own difficulties and imperfections. She's not perfect, and I don't want her to be.
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the inside scoop
Date: 2001-11-14 10:34 am (UTC)Side A:
1. It's a Cool World -- Cool World Ensemble
2. The Revolution Was Postponed Because of Rain -- Brooklyn Funk Essentials
3. The Murder of Almilcar Cabral -- Kalamu Ya Salaam & Fred Ho
4. My Problem -- Dance Hall Crashers
5. Follow the Music -- Ramsey McLean
6. She -- Harry Connick Jr.
7. I'm Diggin You (Like an Old Soul Record) -- Me'shell Ndege Ocello
8. Across 110th Street -- Bobby Womack
9. Long Time Woman -- Pam Grier
10. All I Need -- Jhelisa
11. I Had to Pull off the Road at Coldwater Canyon or After Hearing Miles Davis -- Lisa Rafel
Side B:
1. Bohemian Rhapsody -- The Braids
2. Memphis -- Cassandra Wilson
3. (You've Got to) Love Her With Feeling -- Taj Mahal
4. Rock Me Baby -- Tina Turner
5. Live Man in the Dead of the Night -- Kristina Olsen
6. Southbend on Sea -- Mark Eitzel
7. When You Got a Good Friend -- Guy Davis
8. Freedom of Speech -- Above the Law
9. South Carolina -- Bus People Express
10. Venus Drops -- Rad
11. Lovin' You -- Minnie Riperton
12. Crazeology -- Charlie Parker
Re: the inside scoop
Date: 2001-11-14 11:52 am (UTC)and yes, i remember being at your apartment until 2 am, then going on campus. and i also remember painting the rock regarding needle exchange......