Here’s what happens when someone who doesn’t know much about music writes a music review:
I fell in love with Nicki Bluhm and the Gramblers while watching this video. Yes, I know it’s a Hall n Oates song, but bear with me…there’s kazoos:
I loved her voice and being the diligent librarian that I am, I went searching for an album I could buy. Surely this group that plays in their van is the long lost perfect complement to my never-ending commute.
The answer I found in Driftwood, a 2011 release. And I couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed. It is a fine album. It’s pleasant, it’s good company. “Jetplane” should have been in the Beautiful Girls soundtrack…or some other movie where the characters realize something at sunrise.
But, the thing that happened on first listen is that I wanted to play it for my mom. It reminded me of Linda Ronstadt (and really, I have no idea why, except that it sounded something my mom would have played in the 80s. And that’s all Linda Ronstadt or Barry Manilow in my memory). And, both of those things are fine on their surface; my mom and I like a lot of the same stuff and Linda Ronstadt did her thing. But, I wanted more…something.
I didn’t realize what exactly was bothering me until I listened to another CD, one I borrowed from the boyfriend: Alabama Shakes Boys and Girls.
Listening to this album makes you feel cooler. The lead singer’s voice worries me, because I fear for her vocal cords. But, as long as she’s belting, I’m buying. The songs evoke images of every rock’n’roll girl we all longed to be. (At some point, I delved into watching Some Kind of Wonderful in my head, but again, another story for another time). The music is excellent, as has been pointed out in many, many places. If you haven’t heard it, check this out:
In listening to this band and the seeming rawness of this album – I figured out what was bothering me. I wanted Driftwood to be raw, too. Raw like four people singing in a van, the sound of the road providing a white noise backdrop to the recording. And that’s where it fell a little short for me. For example, “Women’s Prison”, one of the tracks on Driftwood, is a harmonious musical expression of a young mother going to prison. Read that again – it doesn’t quite fit, right?
But maybe that’s not fair. I based my expectations for a professional recording and arrangements based off casual, fun cover songs. If I hadn’t seen the YouTube video, I might not have had the same expectations, but I also might have never sought out the album at all. Then I couldn’t crank up “Kill You to Call” and all would not be right with the world.
Plus, if the worst thing that happened to me this week was having two new albums featuring amazing female voices to keep me company on my long drive, that’s not so bad, right?