MEMPHIS DAWLS - ROOTED IN THE BONE
2015 - Madjack Records
This is a difficult album to review, or at least it is for me. There are great songs, tremendous playing and some of the most gorgeous lead vocals you will hear anywhere, whichever member of this trio takes them. Added to that is the fact that the virtually peerless, hauntingly beautiful three part harmonies are at times quite breathtaking. In fact, I love the album and yet there are areas where I feel that as far as the instrumentation is concerned less could certainly have equated to more. Maybe it is the fullness of the sound and the mixing rather than the actual inclusion of orchestrated brass and string sections, but I often felt that the purity of the, often stunning vocals, was a little compromised by the production. Having said that, there is a uniqueness and a quality to the album that very few can match, thanks mainly to the way these three hugely talented and experienced young women use their voices, solo and in unison. The overriding atmosphere of this recording is one of a powerfully dramatic sensuality, but one that sometimes takes on an appealing eeriness. These eleven all band written tales are rooted in and around various aspects of love, from lost to found and most points in between and the melodies are gorgeous as well as memorable with the deep atmosphere of the whole album being one of a quite stunning beauty. Many recordings with the same subject matter give the sensation of just telling the story, but these three women immerse themselves in the deep emotional content with the beauty of their vocals having the ability to soften the heart of anyone bearing witness to the gorgeous sounds.
The trio are Holly Cole on guitars and vocals, Jana Misener, cello and vocals and Krista Wroten on viola, mandolin, accordion and vocals. The three of them first played together in high school but eventually went off in various directions, literally as well as metaphorically, eventually gravitating back to Memphis where after numerous musical partnerships they got back together in 2010 with this being their debut album, following on from an e.p.
Album opener Please Don't Leave Me Now is a beautiful ballad with the gorgeous lead vocals and harmonies supported by an atmospheric fiddle on a slow moody tale that gradually builds the instrumentation and power. At times it feels a little over orchestrated, something that seems a little unnecessary but fortunately doesn't spoil the intensity and depth of feeling in the song. The Law is a gorgeous country song, with a lovely steel guitar supporting the beautiful harmonies and an excellent snare and bass propelling another excellent song, this time at a pacy mid tempo, with an instrumentation that is a little less dense than previously. Shadow In The Room is an atmospherically eerie song thanks to the violin and the incredible passion in the harmony vocals on a tale that has an intensely dramatic power. The orchestration builds the song to a crescendo of fiery passion with the strings keeping the slightly sinister air going. Ride Alone starts with what again sounds like an orchestral string section with a piano, before the lead vocal comes in soon accompanied by the gorgeous harmonies, in turn followed by the beautiful steel guitar and a little twanginess that lifts the haunting atmosphere. Where'd You Go To My Love is a mid tempo straight country song with the usual impressively solid drums and bass and a much more sparse sound to allow the gorgeous lead and harmony vocals a little more space before the trumpet comes in again. Sound wise it is reminiscent of the 'Trio' albums by Harris, Ronstadt and Parton, company in which the Memphis Dawls should feel comfortable, such is their quality.
Apart from the slight doubts about the orchestration, which by no means applies to every song, this is a tremendous album that is genuinely different to what others are doing and conversely that often dense sound may well be what holds more appeal for many listeners. What continues to hold appeal for me is the sheer overwhelming beauty of the music, capped by those gorgeous vocal sounds.
http://thememphisdawls.com/
This is a difficult album to review, or at least it is for me. There are great songs, tremendous playing and some of the most gorgeous lead vocals you will hear anywhere, whichever member of this trio takes them. Added to that is the fact that the virtually peerless, hauntingly beautiful three part harmonies are at times quite breathtaking. In fact, I love the album and yet there are areas where I feel that as far as the instrumentation is concerned less could certainly have equated to more. Maybe it is the fullness of the sound and the mixing rather than the actual inclusion of orchestrated brass and string sections, but I often felt that the purity of the, often stunning vocals, was a little compromised by the production. Having said that, there is a uniqueness and a quality to the album that very few can match, thanks mainly to the way these three hugely talented and experienced young women use their voices, solo and in unison. The overriding atmosphere of this recording is one of a powerfully dramatic sensuality, but one that sometimes takes on an appealing eeriness. These eleven all band written tales are rooted in and around various aspects of love, from lost to found and most points in between and the melodies are gorgeous as well as memorable with the deep atmosphere of the whole album being one of a quite stunning beauty. Many recordings with the same subject matter give the sensation of just telling the story, but these three women immerse themselves in the deep emotional content with the beauty of their vocals having the ability to soften the heart of anyone bearing witness to the gorgeous sounds.
The trio are Holly Cole on guitars and vocals, Jana Misener, cello and vocals and Krista Wroten on viola, mandolin, accordion and vocals. The three of them first played together in high school but eventually went off in various directions, literally as well as metaphorically, eventually gravitating back to Memphis where after numerous musical partnerships they got back together in 2010 with this being their debut album, following on from an e.p.
Album opener Please Don't Leave Me Now is a beautiful ballad with the gorgeous lead vocals and harmonies supported by an atmospheric fiddle on a slow moody tale that gradually builds the instrumentation and power. At times it feels a little over orchestrated, something that seems a little unnecessary but fortunately doesn't spoil the intensity and depth of feeling in the song. The Law is a gorgeous country song, with a lovely steel guitar supporting the beautiful harmonies and an excellent snare and bass propelling another excellent song, this time at a pacy mid tempo, with an instrumentation that is a little less dense than previously. Shadow In The Room is an atmospherically eerie song thanks to the violin and the incredible passion in the harmony vocals on a tale that has an intensely dramatic power. The orchestration builds the song to a crescendo of fiery passion with the strings keeping the slightly sinister air going. Ride Alone starts with what again sounds like an orchestral string section with a piano, before the lead vocal comes in soon accompanied by the gorgeous harmonies, in turn followed by the beautiful steel guitar and a little twanginess that lifts the haunting atmosphere. Where'd You Go To My Love is a mid tempo straight country song with the usual impressively solid drums and bass and a much more sparse sound to allow the gorgeous lead and harmony vocals a little more space before the trumpet comes in again. Sound wise it is reminiscent of the 'Trio' albums by Harris, Ronstadt and Parton, company in which the Memphis Dawls should feel comfortable, such is their quality.
Apart from the slight doubts about the orchestration, which by no means applies to every song, this is a tremendous album that is genuinely different to what others are doing and conversely that often dense sound may well be what holds more appeal for many listeners. What continues to hold appeal for me is the sheer overwhelming beauty of the music, capped by those gorgeous vocal sounds.
http://thememphisdawls.com/