Instant Classic
Tift Merritt's latest record, Tambourine, is an instant classic. With a voice that veers between Emmylou Harris and Maria McKee (though without being quite so extravagantly huge as McKee's) and a sound that is rock-pop-gospel-soul-country rolled into one (rock, in other words, or Exile On Main Street meets Damn the Torpedoes if you need a point of reference), she comes thundering out of your speakers and just knocks them out like it was easy to be this good or something.
"Stray Paper," "Good Hearted Man," "Still Pretending," "Write My Ticket," "Late Night Pilgrim," and "Shadow in the Way" are standout tracks in a standout collection. The last track, "Shadow," is one of those that rollocks along nicely enough, and then just blasts into the stratosphere about halfway through. The guitars, principally by Mike Campbell (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers) are superb, and the production by George Drakoulias is excellent. But the real gift to the world is Tift Merritt, who is the real thing. Where did I hear her first? Bob Harris Country on Radio 2.
Maria McKee does harmony vocals, too.
Fucking fantastic.
"Stray Paper," "Good Hearted Man," "Still Pretending," "Write My Ticket," "Late Night Pilgrim," and "Shadow in the Way" are standout tracks in a standout collection. The last track, "Shadow," is one of those that rollocks along nicely enough, and then just blasts into the stratosphere about halfway through. The guitars, principally by Mike Campbell (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers) are superb, and the production by George Drakoulias is excellent. But the real gift to the world is Tift Merritt, who is the real thing. Where did I hear her first? Bob Harris Country on Radio 2.
Maria McKee does harmony vocals, too.
Fucking fantastic.
posted by Anonymous at
Thursday, November 04, 2004
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