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MOUNTAIN SOUL
Patty Loveless
(Sony)
What Patty Loveless does to bluegrass should have been done a long time ago.
Simply - giving it a hot voice as powerful as a cartoon steamroller. Nothing against the masters. Bill Monroe's voice has a photo of it in the country dictionary next to "perfect." But when Loveless sings about raising hell, you believe it. And when she sings about loving God, well, you buy that, too.
With the help of Ricky Skaggs, among names, Loveless's new album is wonderfully piercing, and the stories of her home town in Kentucky make this an album that'll be playable in 100 years. Come push me over in my wheelchair then if I'm wrong. If the conventional lyrics aren't quite what those Will Oldham words just mentioned are, don't worry about that, this has more of a roadhouse country feel, back before everything - what's the scientific term again? Oh yeah, "sucked."
Daniel Prayed, the Ralph Stanley song, shows Skaggs and Loveless off nicely.
Yes, Patty, you're my new hero, a no-compromise woman who hires a band that would never play for Def Leppard.
So this is where country's been hiding out so long. Of course, there are those of you who knew this all along.
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Track Listing
1. The Boys Are Back In Town
2. The Richest Fool Alive
3. Daniel Prayed
4. Someone I Used To Know
5. Out Of Control Raging Fire
6. Rise Up Lazarus
7. Cheap Whiskey
8. Pretty Little Miss
9. I Know You're Married (But I Love You Still)
10. Sorrowful Angels
11. Soul Of Constant Sorrow
12. You'll Never Leave Harlan Alive
13. Two Coats