04/02/08
DOLLY
DOLLY PARTON/Backwoods Barbie: When it became clear that her label, radio and music row turned their backs on Dolly and refused her the love she was due, she turned her back on them and made a series of lovely organic records that didn’t match her hallmark sales figures but sold super fantastic for an indie label. Now she takes the entire bull by the entire nutsack and shows that she can do classic Dolly all by herself, probably just as well as the machine could, without the machine. Without dipping into the Hollywood cheese that made her heights have a soggy underpinning, she’s back in that 70s pocket where she made commercial records that were organic. If you’ve been smart enough to dig up the American Beat reissues of her duets with Porter Wagoner, you got back to the original Dolly and had to be blown away like you weren’t before. This is the next step in that process, a great totally indie album that shows she was no dumb blonde all along. Killer stuff that ranks with her best.
JAZZ PROMO SERVICES
ROGER DAVIDSON/Bom Dia: Davidson is the kind of cat that knows his stuff and has plaid his dues so you have to give him some when he steps up. This time out, he comes in with a set of original Brazilian music–not bad for a Boston cat. With authentic hitters lending a hand, he fashions a fine outing that should be played anytime some samba is needed in the air. Well done adult listening.
1013 (Soundbrush)
MARK PUCCI MEDIA
LAST NOVEMBER/Over the Top or Under the Weather: Second set from contemporary rockers gets some radio ready production and fires up the songs to speak to the kids in the suburbs everywhere. They have the right modern rock moves and their momentum should speak for itself.
1463 (Southern Tracks)
JEFF HEALEY/Mess of Blues: Passing by cancer right on the eve of this sets release, the passionate blues guitarist was always honing his chops. As the house band at his own blues club, Healey and his crew aspired to be the best bar band in the world and certainly had to be on the top rung of that ladder. A high octane set that finds him leaving us on a high note, anyone whose appetite was ever whetted by the Blues Brothers will want to use this as a gateway drug to the blues hard stuff for white boys.
1126 (Ruf)
RICK FOWLER/Back on My Good Foot: Classic white boy blues guitarist that’s happy to be a well regarded journeyman in search of the ultimate riff. The kind of cat that knows his stuff, doesn’t make a big deal out of it and lets the good times roll. Fun stuff for blues guitar fans ready to let it rock.
637 (Jammates)
TWO FOR THE SHOW MEDIA
ELLIS MARSALIS QUARTET/An Open Letter to Thelonious: The elder Marsalis can bring something to a Monk tribute that a lot of other players can’t, age. That and some Nawlins funk. Playing in tight formation, this is a real treat for Monk fans that are getting tired of the same stuff being reissued and would love to hear the classic stuff in some capable hands. Monk isn’t always the easiest to cover and the music isn’t lost to heavy handedness or smooth jazz overtures to round off the edges. Simply a solid set by some real pros giving it their all on some undeniable material.
19787 (ELM)
Volume 31/Number 154
April 2, 2008
MIDWEST RECORD
830 W. Route 22 #144
Lake Zurich, IL., 60047
CHRIS SPECTOR, Editor and Publisher
©2008 Midwest Record