I loved the music on Songcatcher, and I was so disappointed that the soundtrack from the movie featured big names in country music rather than the voices that made the movie special. It took me some time to find Iris Dement (who appeared and sang in “Songcatcher”) and her music, but it was worth the time to hunt her down. My Life is one of my all-time favorite CDs. It’s one of three that she has out. They are all really great.
I must confess that though I love Dement, her music makes me a little nervous when I spin it for friends. It’s so raw and the sound is so much what I would expect to hear behind a shack in the mountains where I come from that I feel kind of like I’m letting folks look directly into my soul. That’s a step of faith, and I always brace myself for someone to say: “Good Lord, that is awful stuff.” I guess I’ll just have to beat heck out someone who tells me that, but I hope everyone loves it when I spin it. I know I sure do.
It’s really hard to say what kind of music Dement produces. I’ve seen it classified as country, bluegrass, and folk. It does not really fit in any of the categories. It’s not that Dement sings something that has not been done before, but it’s the stuff you hear from your relatives if you’re mountain born and raised and lucky enough to come from a musically talented family. Just imagine a farm wife sitting by the crib of her baby and with no one looking and her pouring her heart out in song. You can always tell your baby and your dog what you really think.
The story that Dement includes in the cover folder for this CD is about her father and how he got “saved” and put his fiddle away before Dement was old enough to remember a house filled with music. When she was 7 or 8 years old, she found his old fiddle, got it out, and asked him to play. He was in a wheelchair at that point, but he played for her that one time. It was enough to put the lust for music in Dement’s heart. She dedicates this CD to her dad who passed away in 1992, and “No Time to Cry” is about his death.
“Well, I stayed at home just long enough to lay him in the ground And then I caught a plane to do a show up north in Detroit town Because I’m older now and I’ve got no time to cry.”
Dement sings solo (these are her own personal stories), and the background is acoustic. If you don’t like her vocal sound, then you will certainly not like the CD. And, her vocal sound is somewhere between alto and soprano with a slight nasal twang. She sounds almost “crying-in-your-beer,” but it would be more like “sitting-home-while-your-man-ties-one-on.” I hate to say that a world still exists where this is still relevant and a reflection of Friday night, but there are women in my family who could tell you stories that would get feminists panties in a wad.
The first song is “Sweet is the Melody.” This is classic Dement. You don’t get any sort of intro. She just belts out the first word, and you have Dement right in your living room. This one has a waltz feel, and it’s about the link between art and reality. I know that sounds a bit high brow for a girl who grew up in the sticks and sings of very real world blues, but people who live the rough life are not beyond deep thought. In fact, they often have more time to think about how the world turns than those who are way too busy with cell phones, video games, and MTV.
“You’ve Done Nothing Wrong” is about how relationships can go stale even when they are basically good. You fall in love, but you work at staying in love. This is a relationship in this song that goes belly up and for no real definable reason. Basically, the couple splits up, because they did not stay in tune. It’s really all about tweaking the notes. This song is followed by “Calling for You.” Oftentimes, you don’t what you’ve got until it is gone. Even if it was bad, there are times that you have to wonder if it could have been better and if you called it off too soon. You may know better in your head, but your heart can play some real tricks.
When your life turns upside down, then you often take inventory of who you are and where you’ve been and where you might go. “Childhood Memories” takes that walk back in time and the yearning for the safe place that you took for granted. Really, a zit is not the end of the world, but it may seem so at the time. This song captures those days when you and your siblings were “the kids” and hints at that “first love” when the match had more to do with proximity than with mutual interests. A lot of people were born in the wrong place at the wrong time and end up with the wrong person.
“Troublesome Waters” is a remake of Mother Maybelle Carter while “Mom & Dad’s Waltz” is a Lefty Frizzel number. Both are given new life for a new generation with Dement’s interpretations. Though I love the originals, I can say that I’m just as moved by Dement’s take on the classics. She can make any song her own with her very distinctive voice.
If you want a bluegrassy sound, then “The Shores of Jordan” is the selection that you’ll want to check out. Obviously this one has a religious theme, but I don’t know of any bluegrass band without a God song. Fiddling and strumming and such were considered devil’s work back when, so the good old boys and girls added some gospel to take the edge off the sinner label. It’s hard to damn someone who is singing about the Lord, and a lot of the singers from the backwoods are torn between Saturday night and Sunday morning.
The title track runs last, and it has a piano background. This one has a Holiday Inn on a weekend feel if the Elvis impersonator backed out and the joint got stuck with a local who is not headliner in the venue but has a lot more to say than polyester covers of old music. I could imagine this one slowly growing on the patrons who are really more interested in sucking down an extra rum and Coke and finding someone to warm the bed on a business trip. You just never know where you might find the light.
If you watched Songcatcher and fell in love with the music, then you want this CD. If you like bluegrass or folk music, then this is one to check out. Even if you’ve never ventured into these musical arenas, you may want to see what the fuss is all about. This old music has finally found some mainstream acceptance, and while it won’t appeal to everyone, it is certainly heartfelt and reflective of a sub culture that many have never come in contact with. You don’t have to travel to experience something unique and new (but old). All you need for a trip is a few dollars for a Dement CD.
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If you haven’t seen the movie “Songcatcher,” then you may want to rent it and get a feel for the Dement style. My review of the movie is at:
If you do fall in love with the sounds, then don’t buy the soundtrack. It does not include the real music from the movie, and it is not anything special. My review on the soundtrack is at:
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