The Album Review Club - End of Round #9 Break (page 1904)

Found this interesting enough so far to want to listen to a bit more of her stuff and given the choice, based on what I’ve read I’d give the Hardest Part a go.

As mentioned in the review though it’s not available on Spotify or Apple, in fact I’d suggest a lot of her stuff isn’t.

So defaulting to the easy option of Spotify top tracks that particular list is over 50% Shelby Lynne. And one from Hayes Carll for good measure.

Oh well…
It might have already been mentioned on this thread, Allison and Shelby are sisters.
 
Found this interesting enough so far to want to listen to a bit more of her stuff and given the choice, based on what I’ve read I’d give the Hardest Part a go.

As mentioned in the review though it’s not available on Spotify or Apple, in fact I’d suggest a lot of her stuff isn’t.

So defaulting to the easy option of Spotify top tracks that particular list is over 50% Shelby Lynne. And one from Hayes Carll for good measure.

Oh well…

It annoying that The Hardest Part isn't available. There are some tracks from it on YouTube, there might be a version of No Next Time, for me the stand out on that album. Most of her other albums are on YT Music. On Spotify I can see "Getting Somewhere" the album she did produced by then hubby Earle; her first album "Alabama" and a couple of others including Miss Fortune which is slightly uneven but a really interesting mix of styles including a couple of tracks that owe as much to soul and jazz as country.
 
Yep, looks like Shelby is the more feted of the two…

Shelby Lynne (who chose to use her middle rather than family name) is the older, within 3 years of the murder suicide of their parents she was recording in Nashville and put out 3 albums in as many years. She then brought her younger sister to Nashville and gave her a start singing backing. She's the better known of the two and has done a bit of acting too, though I like her stuff I'm a bigger fan of Moorer.

The pair of them have played and recorded a fair bit together. Their duet album Not Dark Yet is mostly covers but is nonetheless very good.
 
Shelby Lynne (who chose to use her middle rather than family name) is the older, within 3 years of the murder suicide of their parents she was recording in Nashville and put out 3 albums in as many years. She then brought her younger sister to Nashville and gave her a start singing backing. She's the better known of the two and has done a bit of acting too, though I like her stuff I'm a bigger fan of Moorer.

The pair of them have played and recorded a fair bit together. Their duet album Not Dark Yet is mostly covers but is nonetheless very good.
Had that on earlier, prompted by Into Your Arms coming up in Spotify.
 
I put this on whilst I was tidying up today and although I wasn't too keen on the first track, I really enjoyed the album. Strangely enough, I had the album on repeat and when I heard the first song again I actually quite liked it ha ha!

I think my favourite tracks were 'Thunderstorn/Hurricane', 'Blood' and 'Tear my apart'. It's not normally a genre I'd actively go and listen to and it's been good to hear something a bit different.

Overall, a good pick and good album which helped make the tidying up a lot easier!

8/10
 
The fans who attend are mostly fans of one of the EPL teams, so yeah, it will have it all. I'm sure there will be some MLS fans too, but given the televised focus is the daily slate of EPL matches that NBC/USA/Peacock televises, that's what you mostly get given that's what the pre and post match coverage will focus on.

I've not been to one before (saw the one in Philly on TV last year), but I reckon it doesn't get too messy given it starts at 5:30am CT and there should be more coffee than beer flowing at that time of day.

I walked past the setup today and it is coming along right against the Cumberland River. 2 degrees C and a steady wind is forecasted, so I'll see if I'm still up for it given what happens Friday night. We caught the Fleet Street British Pub for a pint at the end of the Palmer hat trick, and that sure was a delicious finish off of the Rags today.

Fan Fest runs through the day's matches, but I don't plan to stay past City/CP given I've got to check out and then have 3 more hours to drive to the eclipse totality zone that day.

And OK Foggy, I'll leave Timmy alone. ;-) I don't expect to see any ESPN "talent" there.

And to stay on-topic, halfway through the 2nd playthrough after some hot chicken today, and very much enjoying this selection.

Hope you behaved yourself at Fan Fest and you're all set to get a fantastic view of the eclipse (and the traffic hasn't been too traumatic, though no doubt it'll be more than worth it anyway).
 
Hope you behaved yourself at Fan Fest and you're all set to get a fantastic view of the eclipse (and the traffic hasn't been too traumatic, though no doubt it'll be more than worth it anyway).
Ha! Thanks mate, I most certainly did, and of course I got on TV in the very beginning by lucking out into a good spot, and was clearly seen holding up my City "Treble Winner 2022-23" scarf! That was compliments of my Seattle Blues mates who gave it to me on my last visit, and I sent them the photo as a thanks and my way to rep for them (they were surprised!). Given that was 04:00 AM PT for them, I wasn't sure how many of them or Foggy were tuning in that time of day.

Me and the missus also got photos with the EPL Trophy, but that was right about the time that Palace scored their first goal, and boy did the Scousers and Arse fans let us Blues have it then. There were more Blues there than any other group, especially since our match was on at that time. I even saw multiple Arse fans waving CP flags, and wondered if those were other freebies I didn't see.

We left at the half after seeing everything, including the KDB banger, and I got a photo with Moonchester, which was last on my checklist. I was encouraged by the 2nd half result as we packed up the camper for the last leg.

To keep us on topic, I tried to play Allison Moorer again on the way out of Nashville, and I got a question about "haven't we heard this already?", so I had to do a fast pivot over to Isbell's The Nashville Sound. "Anxiety" indeed!

The traffic hasn't been too bad, honestly. We got our camper in place yesterday with some friends who met up with us in Nashville. I may try out Allison tonight as I think they'd like it while we play cards for this last round of storms to pass us as I am typing now.

Of all the locations in the US, here in southern IL looks pretty darn good for tomorrow, and only Vermont and places north of that might have a clearer view. I think we lucked out big time given I made these reservations 9 months ago at 1am on 7/4 (and spots were being snatched up then!). We don't plan to be in our vehicles at all tomorrow in getting 3 min 45 sec of totality and 2 hrs and 35 min of eclipse time. We went to a state park earlier today for a hike and saw many places offering a spot to pull over and park during the day tomorrow, so on the roads is not in our plans.

More to come, and am glad to read here that most others are enjoying this selection too.

(one last note, the coffee line was over an hour long, and the beer lines were mostly 3 people at most. I was denied the 6am suds given I had a bit of a drive that day, but was amazed in the ones there that were well into their day's quota!)
 
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Down to Believing – Allison Moorer

I only know Allison Moorer as being one of Steve Earle’s many ex-wives, but I enjoyed the track that @threespires recently submitted to one of the playlists so I was looking forward to giving this album a good old listen.

“Like It used to Be” starts with terrific strummed acoustic guitar and mandolin, which continues for the first verse before the electric joins in. It’s a good song, but the addition of electric guitar makes it sound a bit more generic than it could have been if it had continued in the acoustic vein. Still, it’s an enjoyable song and a good opener.

The short but brilliantly atmospheric “Thunderstorm / Hurricane” follows. This is such a good track, the haunting feel matched by the lyrics, and I wish it had gone on for longer.

"I Lost My Crystal Ball" – More mandolins mixed in with the electric guitar. I enjoyed this one as well. I don’t think the title track is up with the strongest songs on the album, but Allison Moorer has a good voice and carries it well. A banjo joins in with the mandolins on the jaunty “Tear Me Apart” and this completes a very strong opening for the album that song-for-song, is the best part of Down to Believing.

There are a few songs in the middle of the album that, for me, weigh things down a bit. The aforementioned title track, “If I Were Stronger", "Blood" and “Wish I” are not bad songs, but they just breezed by without piquing my interest every time I put the album on (although there was a nice bit of guitar on “Wish I” that I did enjoy).

I was pleased to see that despite the lull in the middle, there were some more tasty tracks to get stuck into later on. Whilst "Mama Let the Wolf In" might not be a Creedence Clearwater Revival cover it’s got a vibe that’s very similar to “Born on the Bayou” (their best song, IMO). As threespires has explained Allison Moorer’s family history on a couple of occasions, it seems fairly obvious what this song is about, and it’s a terrific song, probably the best on the album.

"I'm Doing Fine" – a bit of breezy country/soul crossover with a good vocal performance, and “Have You Ever Seen the Rain?” is a CCR Cover. I don’t think that this is one of their best but that just goes to show what a prolific songwriter John Fogerty is. Not a bad version. "Gonna Get It Wrong" – Features a lovely bit of resonator – if there’s one instrument I love more than a mandolin and banjo, it’s a National Steel Resonator, and it’s a good song to finish the album.

When reviewing albums on this thread, I do have a tendency to point out how the album would have been better had it done things slightly differently, and this is going to be no exception. There are a lot of good songs and performances here, but I did think that in some cases it was edging into typical commercial Nashville country at times – those electric guitars just riding a little too high in the mix at the expense of the acoustic instruments as if they were only there to signal that this was a country album. But that’s just looking at it purely through the prism of my personal preferences. I don’t think anybody could argue that this is an album that is very well put together, features a good range of instruments and has some terrific songs and vocal performances. A very enjoyable listen and easily an 8/10.
 
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Ha! Thanks mate, I most certainly did, and of course I got on TV in the very beginning by lucking out into a good spot, and was clearly seen holding up my City "Treble Winner 2022-23" scarf! That was compliments of my Seattle Blues mates who gave it to me on my last visit, and I sent them the photo as a thanks and my way to rep for them (they were surprised!). Given that was 04:00 AM PT for them, I wasn't sure how many of them or Foggy were tuning in that time of day.

Me and the missus also got photos with the EPL Trophy, but that was right about the time that Palace scored their first goal, and boy did the Scousers and Arse fans let us Blues have it then. There were more Blues there than any other group, especially since our match was on at that time. I even saw multiple Arse fans waving CP flags, and wondered if those were other freebies I didn't see.

We left at the half after seeing everything, including the KDB banger, and I got a photo with Moonchester, which was last on my checklist. I was encouraged by the 2nd half result as we packed up the camper for the last leg.

To keep us on topic, I tried to play Allison Moorer again on the way out of Nashville, and I got a question about "haven't we heard this already?", so I had to do a fast pivot over to Isbell's The Nashville Sound. "Anxiety" indeed!

The traffic hasn't been too bad, honestly. We got our camper in place yesterday with some friends who met up with us in Nashville. I may try out Allison tonight as I think they'd like it while we play cards for this last round of storms to pass us as I am typing now.

Of all the locations in the US, here in southern IL looks pretty darn good for tomorrow, and only Vermont and places north of that might have a clearer view. I think we lucked out big time given I made these reservations 9 months ago at 1am on 7/4 (and spots were being snatched up then!). We don't plan to be in our vehicles at all tomorrow in getting 3 min 45 sec of totality and 2 hrs and 35 min of eclipse time. We went to a state park earlier today for a hike and saw many places offering a spot to pull over and park during the day tomorrow, so on the roads is not in our plans.

More to come, and am glad to read here that most others are enjoying this selection too.

(one last note, the coffee line was over an hour long, and the beer lines were mostly 3 people at most. I was denied the 6am suds given I had a bit of a drive that day, but was amazed in the ones there that were well into their day's quota!)
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