Second helping of acoustic mountain music

Patty Loveless is one of Nashville’s few contemporary stars who hsds always managed to infuse her hits with a helping of mountain soul. Her run through the top-40 mixed twangy steel-lined modern country production with the sounds of rockabilly, gospel, blues, and a voice that’s country to the bone. All of that adds up to great recordings, but what made great records was a selection of material that drew from the best of Nashville’s pros and a deep helping of outsider gems. In the former category are Kostas’ “Timber I’m Falling in Love” and Matraca Berg’s “You Can Feel Bad,” and in the latter category is Lucinda Williams’ “The Night’s Too Long,” Rodney Crowell’s “Loving All Night,” and Jim Lauderdale’s “You Don’t Seem to Miss Me.”

Beyond the singles charts, Loveless released albums full of quality tracks, particularly those produced by her husband Emory Gordy Jr. Midway through her tenure with the Epic label Loveless took a break from contemporary country to record Mountain Soul, an acoustic album of bluegrass and mountain music. The arrangements and material (which included a few covers amongst contemporary works) grew from an acoustic section of Loveless’ live show and highlighted the mountain roots that undergirded her more highly produced recordings. A second set of bluegrass-flavored productions was recorded for 2002’s Bluegrass and White Snow: A Mountain Christmas, and her return to more typical Nashville production on 2003’s On Your Way Home kept the roots pushed up front.

Eight years after coming out with Mountain Soul Loveless has returned again to mostly acoustic arrangements. The high, lonesome vocals and tight harmonies also return, but the material stretches further into country and gospel, and the guest list expands to include Vince Gill, Emmylou Harris, Stuart Duncan, and Del and Ronnie McCoury. Loveless sings with her typical brilliance, and the accompaniment provides support without covering up any of the emotional colors of her voice. Her held notes, bent sour and brought back to key, communicate more than the typical modern Nashville vocalist says in an entire song.

Loveless is as strong harmonizing as she is singing lead, her tenor is the perfect leavening for Del McCoury on the traditional “Working on a Building,” and she’s warmed by the Primitive Baptist Congregation gospel choir on the original “(We Are All) Childeren of Abraham.” Gordy is equally adept at crafting sympathetic backings as he is in picking spots to let Loveless sing unadorned. The traditional “Friends in Gloryland” is sung a cappella with Vince Gill and Rebecca Lynn Howard, blending their voices into thick chords that need no additional instruments.

There’s some fine picking from Rob Ickes, Bryon Sutton, and Stuart Duncan but the lasting impression of this album is its mountain vocal soul. Amid the talents of Del and Ronnie McCoury, Carl Jackson, Vince Gill, Rebecca Lynn Howard, Tim Hensley, Jon Randall and Emmylou Harris, Patty Loveless’ voice stands tall, ringing down from the mountains of her native Kentucky. Perhaps the greatest thing that’s come from Loveless’ commercial country success is the freedom it’s bought her to pursue the old-timey sounds that are near to her heart. “Country” radio may ignore this, but Loveless’ fans, and all fans of hill-bred folk and country music will enjoy this second helping. [©2009 hyperbolium dot com]

Patty Loveless’ Home Page
Saguaro Road’s Home Page