kknox0616's Full Review: Lonesomers by Mare Winningham
Anyone who has seen the films ST. ELMO'S FIRE or GEORGIA knows what a fine actress Mare Winningham is. For years, she has toiled in what are commonly supporting roles on the big screen and juicy lead roles in made-for-TV movies that often cast her as a long-suffering mother and/or sister.
What some didn't know is that Mare Winningham is not simply a great actress. She's also an exceptionally talented singer/songwriter. Her Oscar nominated turn alongside Jennifer Jason Leigh (as, what else, the long-suffering sister) in GEORGIA helped to shed some light on her hidden talent, proving that Mare could belt out a folk tune in the fine tradition of Joan Baez.
Residents of the San Francisco Bay Area know all too well that Winningham can sing; she frequently performs in clubs in the area in and around her current hometown. One can almost see her standing on stage, belting out the lyrics as patrons drink beer and dance on a red-brick floor littered with peanut shells. It's an experience I'm going to have to partake in one day, to be sure. Until then, I have her 1998 Razor & Tie release, LONESOMERS, to keep me sated.
On this fine set of 11 folk-tinged chestnuts, Mare has culled together a stellar collection of originals (and one cover) that showcase her melodic flair for songwriting and her powerful set of chops.
The arrangements are deceptively simple, from the country-tinged opener "Miles" (a winsomely jangly treat) to the sparsely haunting "Are You Smiling," a beautifully realized song that uses cinematic imagery to tell its story of a woman's obsession with a man who has taken up with someone else. (It might be interesting to some to note that Mare wrote "Are You Smiling" as a tribute to Joni Mitchell's "Blue" album. Indeed, one can hear echoes of Mitchell's "All I Want" in Mare's lovely homage.)
Elsewhere, Mare deconstructs her feelings of awkwardness on the title track, a somber but gorgeous ode to loneliness. Mare sings her heartbreaking lyrics with a voice to match: "Come on all you lonesomers/Hermetic and proud/Can I join up ranks with you/Even if I'm loud/I'm dying for the solitude/Can I pass the test/I better learn to be alone/If I'm ever going to rest."
The stellar "Silver Bullets" creates an evocative western mood, both haunting and eloquent. Mare talks of her need to create within the entertainment industry while she longs for peacefulness and privacy. It's an incredibly insightful look into a performer's life that is deftly realized by an appropriately barren arrangement.
Mare also tackles The Rolling Stones' "The Last Time," giving it the alt-country work-over in the process, and ends this superb little album on a gorgeously tender note as well. I've since forgotten the name of the track, since I don't have the CD in front of me as I write this, but I'll update this review when I get home.
At any rate, for those who admire singer-songwriters like Joni Mitchell, Dar Williams and Joan Baez, this is a must-own. It's also a fine album on its own merits, with Winningham's straight-forward and sentimentle approach to songwriting shining through.
This is a pleasant surprise and a truly great find -- that is, if you can find it. It was on sale on Amazon.com, but I've recently noticed that it is no longer available there. You might have a hard time tracking this one down, unless you go directly to Razor & Tie's website or you have a Borders bookstore in your area. That's where I found my overplayed copy.
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