McBride, Carter offer new sounds
Tuesday, April 8, 2014 – Martina McBride and Carlene Carter release new albums today, while Emmylou Harris is going the reissue route.
McBride is out with "Everlasting," a collection of R & B and soul covers. Don Was produced the album. This marks the first disc for McBride as an independent artist. Songs include "Do Right Woman, Do Right Woman," "If You Don't Know Be My Now," "Suspicious Minds" and "Bring It On Home to Me," which she does to Gavin DeGraw.
Carter's disc, "Carter Girl," goes back to her roots. Carter sings songs that were done by the Carter Family of which she is a part, along with several others.
Harris reissues "Wrecking Ball," originally released in 1995 on Elektra as a three-disc set. The release contains a remaster of the original, one with bonus material including unreleased songs and alternate takes and the third, a DVD containing a making-of documentary. Harris collaborated with Daniel Lanois, who at the time was best known for his work with U2. The disc had an atmospheric bent. Songs include "Orphan Girl" by Gillian Welch and Lucinda Williams' "Sweet Old World."
More news for Martina McBride
CD reviews for Martina McBride
It's the Holiday Season
Martina McBride's second holiday album is called "It's the Holiday Season," and some of this album was tracked at Capitol Studios in Los Angeles. So, as you might expect, this music is a throwback to the kinds of albums The Rat Pack (and their contemporaries) once recorded at that same studio mostly in the '60s. McBride's version of "Winter Wonderland" is representative of the sort of music she's recorded for this project. It features a full string »»» |
Reckless
Stephen King tells us "Talent is cheaper than table salt." And what a shaker-full is contained on Martina McBride's latest. Songwriters? Hillary Lindsey, Sarah Buxton and Liz Rose are amongst the world's finest. For a producer, how about Faith Hill's or Taylor Swift's? And lest we forget - McBride herself possesses the best, hemi-powered soprano of any working singer today. This is gaudy, Dream Team level stuff. So, why isn't it better?
It's been »»» |
Everlasting
When an established artist is somewhat "in between" albums, a greatest hits package can often bridge that gap. Or a live album. Or perhaps a cringe-worthy Christmas album. If you're Rod Stewart you can create a cottage industry from old standards.
But few decide to try to enhance or pay tribute to old soul songs that can almost never be duplicated. However Martina McBride decided to go down that road on her latest offering with acclaimed producer Don Was helping out. »»» |
Editorial: Walking the talk –
When names like Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, Waylon and the Hag are invoked, you're talking hard core country. These are the touchstones of country , the guys who made country music what it was and still is (or maybe can be). When these folks would sing about being down-and-out and the rough-and-tumble, they knew of what they were singing about. Fast forward a few years to the country singers of today. »»»
Concert Review: With or without band, Isbell satisfies –
Usually, when an artist performs without his regular backing band, it becomes about mathematics of subtraction. That artist is armed with far fewer artistic weapons at his/her disposal, after all. In Jason Isbell's case, though, when he performed with just his wife and fiddler Amanda Shires, it was more about substitution than subtraction.... »»»
Concert Review: Grammy nominations aside, Yola, Kiah are the real deal –
Grammy nominations do not make the artist, but Yola and opener Amythyst Kiah underscored time and again on this night that the honors were well deserved.
In fact, Yola and Kiah's other group, Our Native Daughters, are nominated in the same category - Best American Roots. Yola has three other nominations as well.
The clear winners... »»»
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