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Loretta Lynn Van Lear Rose Released in 2004 7.8/10 Styles Country Folk Blues Song Highlights Van Lear Rose Portland, Oregon Miss Being Mrs |
There's one fact alone for which some of you will probably disregard this album - Loretta Lynn sings country & western music. It's a genre often dismissed by younger listeners, and with good reason. There's only so many near-identical songs, full of lost loves, sleazy diners and references to Kentucky, that a listener can take. The genre has become so predictable and downright boring, that there's little suprise in its lack of general popularity. Van Lear Rose" however, does not deserve to be dismissed on these terms. The album is co-produced by Jack White, and as such, is infused with the gutsy, DIY feel of The White Stripes. It was recorded in a minimum of takes, in a stripped back home studio, with no computer alterations. The music is predominantly straight country style, full of guitar, harmonica and strings, but there are injections of blues-rock and even 70s psychedelia, which give the album a fascinating edge. Make no mistake, though, this is not a White Stripes album. Jack White sings on the great duet "Portland, Oregon", but is otherwise relegated to production and instrumentation. Lynn belts out each track with great passion and enthusiasm, singing about her family, her upbringing and her experiences in adulthood. The songs do have the anecdotal/narrative style used in most country music, and Lynn's voice is so yee-haw as to sound like a charicature of herslf. However, these more traditional elements complement the music, but never dominate it, so it never sounds cliched to the extent that it stops being enjoyable. Her life itself may even read like a bad country & western cliche - she's the daughter of a coalminer and got married when she was thirteen years old - but this only serves to back up the authenticity of her lyrics. There will still be those who dismiss this album based only on a predisposition against country music. This is really quite unfortunate, because Van Lear Rose is a great album, regardless of genre. It's catchy, well written and a hell of a lot of fun. |