Remember the Sun (One Little Indian, 2007)
Pieta Brown
Reviewed by Tim FitzPatrick
Up and comer Pieta Brown offers a likeable follow up to her 2005 release "In the Cool." As the daughter of noted songsmith Greg Brown, Brown has an enviable songwriting pedigree. Her writing tends toward repeated phrases rather then big choruses. She can be direct and personal, as on the rocker "Not Scared." She is also comfortable with broader themes (the opening "Innocent Blue") where she asks wistfully "Peace on Earth where'd you go?"
The stronger tracks include the small town lament "West Monroe" and the more upbeat "Sonic Boom." Also notable is "In My Mind I was Talkin' to Loretta" in which she connects to a simpler past through the country legend's music.
Most of the cuts find her voice nested in subdued layers of guitars and keyboards. The album is produced by Lucinda Williams's producer Bo Ramsey, and Williams's influence can be felt here, particularly on "Rollin' Down the Track."
This formula provides a feel consistently pleasant, while allowing some of the tracks to blend together. Ultimately, the album is buoyed by the understated charm of Brown herself.
CDs by Pieta Brown
©Country Standard Time • Jeffrey B. Remz, editor & publisher • countrystandardtime@gmail.com
About • Copyright • Newsletter • Our sister publication Standard Time