insomniac1587's Full Review: Call Me Crazy [Digipak] * by Lee Ann Womack
I don't drink. I never have, nor do I ever really see myself going down that route. It's not that I have anything morally against it or judge anyone who drinks; on the contrary, after taking into account my family history and other personal factors, the benefits aren't nearly strong enough to warrant my toasting a glass on a cool Thursday night. This has caused slightly rifts between myself and various friends/acquaintances, though nothing too out there or notable. I let them know that I'd rather not drink and would honestly prefer not to be around it (drunk people irritate me), to which they usually oblige.
But this doesn't mean that I can't enjoy some good ol' fashioned drinkin' music. No, sir, there's a soft place in my heart for old time-y country records that talk about cheatin', lovin', and loneliness, all wrapped up in a bow by some whiskey-voiced vocalist. Lee Ann Womack is one of the last mainstream-ish vocalists to carry on the tradition of this type of music, trying her darndest to infuse the generally stale country radio charts with some retro soul. Does she succeed in this, her first studio album since her "comeback" album? Is this good music to drown your sorrows to?
Lead single Last Call was Lee Ann’s return to the top 20, a victory for one of the better singles released last year. Somber and weary, it’s the sister song to I May Hate Myself in the Morning, focused on the bar scene (there’s a metaphor in the lyrics that would sound trite with most vocalists but it comes off as gritty thanks to Lee Ann's delivery), late night affairs, and troubled relationships. It’s bathed in haunting strings and a very sad fiddle, oddly luxurious in its down-trodden aesthetic. Put simply, it’s one of the best singles she’s ever released and a strong way to kick off the record. Either Way is a bit less polished than its predecessor; Last Call was a hybrid of traditional and modern country, but this is “throwback” country music at its finest. The song gradually builds, at its most effective during the feathery first verse and aching chorus. The tale of an empty marriage and putting on airs when out in public, the maturity and knowingness in her delivery is shiver-worthy, evocative and simply stunning. Solitary Thinkin' is the first “drinkin’ song” on the record, despite the bar-centric opening track and the raw second track. From the hushed back-up vocals to the bare bones structure of the track, it’s a waltzing good time; Womack is fortunate as her production is mostly scaled back, compared to her contemporaries, which allow the melodies room to breathe and her vocals more space to do what they do best. With talk of drinkin’ alone, double barrel whiskey, and missin’ the one you love, this would not be out of place with music from the likes of Hank Williams, George Jones, and Conway Twitty from decades earlier.
One of the handful of co-writes on the record, Have You Seen That Girl is an example of why I’m such a supporter of Womack; the autobiographical material that she gives us isn’t sunny, cleaned up, and overtly optimistic. In her last couple of records, especially, she really gives us glimpses of Lee Ann Womack as a person, vulnerable, wounded, and introspective. This tale of losing yourself and wondering what happened to get you where you are is extremely emotional and lush, relatable enough that anyone can listen and know where she’s coming from. It may not be a show stopper in the “epic” sense of the phrase but its understated beauty and simple charms are, simply put, wonderful. The Bees was a track that had enormous hype going into the release, as it was said that this was different than anything Lee Ann had recorded before. It lives up to the promise, surprisingly, a drum heavy ballad that features some guitar playing from Keith Urban. It has a lot of soul to it, extremely well-written and complex enough to make you wonder just exactly what Lee Ann is capable of as an artist. With windy back-up vocals, nearly tribal drums, and a delicate hook, you don’t quite know how to take it upon first listen, but once it registers, you realize you were just witness to something pretty darn great. An artistic risk is an amazing gain; it’s easily the highlight of the record. I Think I Know pays tribute to three of country’s most hallowed veterans (Keith Whitley, Johnny Cash, and Hank Williams, Sr.), throwing in some commentary on fame and life in general along the way. It’s not a song that I go back to often whenever I listen to the record, but that doesn’t take away from its merits. It’s refreshing to hear a tribute done from a bit of a different perspective, the obvious respect and reverence that Womack holds these men obvious from her impassioned delivery. It’s a solid listen but will pass you by, especially because of the lack of a strong hook.
I Found it in You is one of the few love songs on the record and easily the most radio friendly song present, which makes its status as an album track a bit puzzling. It has one of the more “epic” choruses on the album, Womack’s vocals restrained and solid. Though it’s not one of the more artistic tracks on the record, it still will garner repeat listens, the pop/rock edge to the production making it a rather addictive listen. Some could argue that this doesn’t necessarily fit into the record’s theme, but it’s similar enough in tone and texture to where the record flows quite nicely. Recently nominated for an ACM Award for Vocal Event of the Year, Everything but Quits marries Lee Ann’s sound with her musical counterpart, George Strait, as both Womack and Strait are two of the very few artists making music of this ilk that can still muster up a hit. It’s a country music fan’s dream come true; I’m not the biggest George fan, necessarily, but his chemistry with Lee Ann is palpable. This is easygoing and charming, to say the least, a piano-laced ballad with elegant strings and some stirring production. Sepia-toned and hypnotically performed, this provides evidence that a duets album should be in the future plans for these two, at least in this review’s opinion. The Story of My Life has a few lyrical moments that could have been fine tuned but still manages to be one of my favorite listens of the record. In some ways, this feels like her advice to the listeners and in some ways, it feels as if she’s trying to reassure herself into being more thankful, never being afraid, and choosing each word carefully, among other things. It feels very personal and good-natured, mostly acoustic with a few touches of steel guitar and fiddle, which only accentuate the sound of the song. One of the more visual songs on the record, it has a strong heart to it, almost motherly in its warmth and gentle disposition.
This record may not be the hippest or the most trendy you'll find in country music, but it's a rather solid effort from the last of a dying breed. Womack's vocals are stark and raw, refreshingly emotive and powerful enough to wring every ounce of ache out of these lyrics that she can. She's one of the most effective vocalists in country music, consistently elevating usually strong lyrics to other worldly regions. She doesn't have the power or glory note ability of some of the other women in the industry, but she knows how to make you feel what she's saying. If this were a different time and place, Lee Ann Womack would be the biggest thing in country music, or at least be farther up on the totem pole than she is now. Sadly, her position is unlikely to change; at least, it won't change until the overall sound of Nashville reverts back to the more traditional sounding music. Nonetheless, if you can't stand modern country, if you yearn for the days of Tammy Wynette and Loretta Lynn, if you like your vocalists relatable and realistic, look no further than this record. Now raise a glass to one of the many underrated vocalists in country music, Miss Lee Ann Womack.
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