Invitation to The Blues – Emmylou Harris And Rodney Crowell – It is hard to go wrong with this Roger Miller song, it is part of the pantheon and every one from Ray Price to Reba McIntyre have covered it, indeed this isn’t even Emmylou’s first trip to the rodeo. S stellar band really sells it – B+
Crowell’s lead on Roger Miller’s “Invitation To The Blues” is heartbreaking and swinging, any night you get to hear Emmylou singing “Red Dirt Girl” is going to be one of the best nights of the year by definition.
Fever On The Bayou – Rodney Crowell – What a tinglingly wonderful singalong country swamp song, it rolls off the tongue and snaps like a frog at a flea – A
Rodney Crowell makes an appearance with a hat in the ring country song of the year, as do the bluegrass Seldom Scene, the Stampfel album is a real treasure and Bruce releases a fair EP. I guess Bruce got the memo: keep your name out there.
. While it doesn’t fit together as a theme or even as a presentiment of country, it does as a collection of strong songs from the same pen; a vision of a sound that will always have an audience.
Built On Glass – Chet Faker – Aussie trip hop mood guy and very very good as well. This album works as sonic sound ambient deep beats thing and works as song, song after song. I bet it sounds awesome with beats: it’s like the percussion reverberates in the back of your head while the songs settle in the front – ALBUM OF THE WEEK – B+
I am going to go with Jason DeRulo even though I wasn’t thrilled by his performance at Jingle Ball because whatever you want to say about him being a pop manufacturer, he is a hit machine and a good one.
