This new album by Patty Loveless follows the road she has been on since "Mountain Soul", finding new mixes on the traditional mountain side of Patty's life. She had planned to do a CD for her older sister Dot and this was it. Her sister, she always considered to be a better singer and always kept her close by, then a few years back, she died. Her and Emory went thru 500 songs to get down to the 14 on the disc. On the road, she changed labels too, going with Saguaro Road Records. This is an interesting label, interested in rootsy singers, attracting the likes of Rebecca Lynn Howard and Joan Osborne, besides Patty.
Emory produced the disc, and went with half old school studio musicians and half contemporary types like Biff watson, Al Perkins, and Vince Gill on background vocals.
As for Old school ,there is Pig Robbins, Pete Finnie, Harold Bradley and Jedd Hughes. The result is what is called "traditional country soul", the records sub title.
"Sleepless Nights"(Bryant/Bryant) An awesome sweet ballad with Vince Gill, the title track. There is some really pretty pedal steel here.
"Crazy Arms"(Mooney/Seals) I love this song, heard Linda Ronstadt do a very similar version of it in '73. This is a timeless song.
"Color of the Blues" (Jones/Williams) has guitarist Guthrie Trapp ,a member of her road band for two years answering her vocals with some sweet understated blues guitar, great track. Patty sounds rejuvenated after going thru some trials of family deaths over the last couple of years.
"Cold, Cold Heart" (Hank Williams) Well, Patty closes this record up with a real classic and she is singing full of emotion with nothing to prove. That is a real comfort level.
Overall, this a gal that probably will not get a lot of radio play for these very well sung picks of songs that she loved when she was growing up, but we get to look a little deeper into the gal who helped make country music what it is today.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
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