As the month, and indeed the year, begins to run out in the last desperate charge towards Christmas and the hot-on-its-heels advent of New Year and 2011 becomes 2012, I thought it was about time I kicked myself up the arse and started reviewing these current albums more frequently. Therefore, expect to find this section hopefully more than once a week, as I try to wade through the large collection of this year's releases I've accumulated. Lots of work ahead (to say nothing of the rest of the journal: see the latest reports from Stacey-Lynn's NewsFoxes for details of the other things going on at the moment) so let's plug ahead.
Hell on heels --- Pistol Annies --- 2011 (Columbia)
A country supergroup? Well, so they style themselves, but I have to admit I have never heard of any of these three ladies. Then again, I'm not a huge country fan and I hardly keep my finger on the pulse of country music, so what do I know? But apparently Miranda Lambert was a finalist on the Nashville Star contest in 2003, has three albums and two number one singles (presumably in the country charts only) to her credit. Ashley Monroe is a singer/songwriter with one album released in 2009 (doesn't sound like qualification to the “supergroup” club to me) and Angaleena Presley, despite the famous surname, does not appear to be related to the King.
But whether or not they're a supergroup, or even well known outside country circles, it is, as always, the music that does the talking. So talk, ladies!
Well, it starts with the title track, almost a Bon Jovi “Wanted dead or alive” vibe with nice acoustic guitar, joined by really nice combined vocals with of course that recognised country twang endemic to most of the female country singers. The combination of the singers is very effective, howevber the song is a little restrained, and I would have expected something more in-your-face from three sassy ladies and a title like that. “Lemon drop” is basic country bopalong, with nice guitar. I'm having trouble finding out who plays what, but I see on the sleeve of the album one of the girls has a guitar, and checking on their website it turns out to be Angaleena, the only brunette, who goes by the nickname of “Holler Annie”, with the other two being called “Hippy” (Monroe) and “Lone Star” (Lambert).
I could certainly do without the twee whistling on “Lemon drop”, and the end-line where they all chorus
”I know there's better days ahead/ Thank God” is just barf-inducing, but “Beige” is a nice steel guitar-led ballad very in the mould of Nanci Griffith's best, nice measured percussion keeping the beat perfectly. Vocals on this track are taken by Ashely Monroe, and she does a great job. Is it anything new though? Is it exciting? Will it light the world on fire? Well, so far I see no evidence to support that.
Let's give them credit though: Pistol Annies write all their material themselves, and there's not a single cover or song written by anyone else on the album. It's fairly standard country fare though, as far as I can see: lots of songs about men, trailers, agriculture and the simple life. Nothing wrong with that, but what marks this out from any of the other good country female artistes out there? Nothing much so far, other than the novelty factor of having three hot women in the band. “Bad example” is a Willie Nelson styled bopper, with the expected high notes on the gee-tar, double bass and tap-along drums, the three girls singing it must be said like angels, but is it a triumph (or defeat) of style over substance?
“Housewife's prayer” is another ballad, with an interesting opening line:
”I've been thinking about/ Setting my house on fire/ Can't see a way out / Of the mess I'm in/ And the bills keep getting higher.” Well, we can all identify with that sentiment from time to time, regardless of gender. Pedal steel is to the front again, with some nice acoustic guitar adding a little flavour of semi-rock to the proceedings, and as a song this is probably the best so far, with Presley taking the lead.
You also have to admit they know their market. There are no long songs on this album, no epics. Only half of the ten tracks are over three minutes, some of those only by seconds, and the songs are short, snappy and catchy, for the most part. “Takin' pills” is good fun, while “Boys from the south” goes back into steel guitar balladry, with what sounds like a banjo or mandolin doing its thing too. Could be a smattering of violin in there: lot going on. Lambert takes the vocal for this one, and it's the first time we hear her singing on her own. She certainly has a nice voice, sweet and sexy but with that raw, tough edge no doubt honed in the bars of west Nashville.
There's an interesting mix of moods on the album, and to be honest I think Pistol Annies are best with the slower, or even mid-paced ballads, though when they rock out, as on the abovementioned “Takin' pills” or the next one up, “The hunter's wife”, they really hit the mark. There's a kind of a rockabilly feel to this track, seems to be the story of a woman sick of her man spending so much time in the woods away from her. The old “golf widow” story, transplanted to the country setting, where the top male solitary pastime is huntin', shootin' or fishin'.
Lambert is back then for the next-to-last track, “Trailer for rent”, a Neil Young-ish half-ballad as the woman prepares to leave home and her man behind. To be fair, there's a deep sense of earthy honesty about the songs, and you get the feeling that these women have either lived the stories played out in their lyrics, or know someone who has. This is why I prefer artists to write their own material --- makes it so much more personal. Of course, it may not be, but it definitely lends an authenticity and a certain heart to the songs. This could be another standout really.
And then we close with the uptempo “Family feud”, with all three girls again singing. Reminds me in places of the Eagles' “Get over it”, the fast vocals, the melody and the beat. It's a good, if somewhat downbeat despite the boppy tempo, closer as the girls sing
”She's only been in the ground/ A day or two/ I'm glad momma isn't here/ To see this family feud.” All too true, sadly.
So, country supergroup? Your guess is as good as mine, but this is not a bad album. When I say that, it should be clear that it is also not a
great album. I must say, given the fanfare I expected more, but it's just okay. Good songs, good songwriting, sexy ladies. Guess in some ways you could find it hard to ask for more. I just had hoped there would be something, some spark, some difference that would mark this album, and this band, out from the hundreds of other country artists out there making their way in the world. Maybe it's my fault: maybe this rocker just ain't enough of a country boy. But Pistol Annies leave me feeling vaguely disappointed.
TRACKLISTING
1. Hell on heels
2. Lemon drop
3. Beige
4. Bad example
5. Housewife's prayer
6. Takin' pills
7. Boys from the south
8. The hunter's wife
9. Trailer for rent
10. Family feud