Dolly Parton - Blue Smoke/The Best Of
Sony Masterworks
Dolly Parton continues in her own inimitable way creating new music for her many millions of fans around the world. This latest album ties-in with her Blue Smoke world tour which has already sold out concerts in Australia and New Zealand and at the time of writing the diminutive singer is trekking across the UK and Europe breaking box office records as she goes. To coincide with the UK dates, this is a special 2-CD set with disc one being a newly recorded album of a dozen songs, whilst the second CD is a 20-track Best Of … with the usual hits—9 to 5, Jolene. Here You Come Again—augmented with lesser-known favourites like Applejack, Little Sparrow, My Tennessee Mountain Home and her 1968 version of In The Ghetto.
The newly recorded album opens up with the title song, a typically exuberant Dolly song which with its catchy rhythm, infectious chorus and her joyous vocal disguises the fact that this is a break-up song. Though it’s given a ‘country’ arrangement utilising fiddles, banjo and pedal steel, this one verges more towards pop than the traditional strains of country that Dolly was raised on. Closer to pure Appalachia is Unlikely Angel, a sad-tinged rural tale with Dolly in top vocal form. But what makes this work so well is the sensitive musical backdrop of heartbreaking fiddle, steel and mandolin. The current single, Home, is superb slice of pop-country with a sing-along chorus, positive lyrics and an inspiring vocal performance. As the title suggests, there’s a gospel approach to Lay Your Hands On Me, with a feel-good vibe and a contemporary musical arrangement that is quite irresistible. Miss You-Miss Me, a softly sung plea from a daughter to her divorced parents is heart-rending, though those lacking passion or heart might describe this as way too maudlin—but that’s their loss if they don’t get it.
Dolly also throws in her own distinctive rendition of Dylan’s Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright and a fine revival of the traditional Banks Of The Ohio, both of which are straight traditional country. There are also a couple of duets featured; You Can’t Make Old Friends, has Dolly joining Kenny Rogers on a typical heartbreaker of how does one cope after a break-up or the loss of a partner. From Here To The Moon And Back is by Willie Nelson and features Dolly guesting on a string-laden romantic ballad that is heartfelt, but nothing too special. That might well sum up this whole album. It’s good, typical Dolly Parton, but nothing here that is life-changing or really grabs your attention. Having said that, the whole album is definitely a cut above the average and will bring me and millions more, endless listening pleasure.
www.dollypartonentertainment.com
Dolly Parton continues in her own inimitable way creating new music for her many millions of fans around the world. This latest album ties-in with her Blue Smoke world tour which has already sold out concerts in Australia and New Zealand and at the time of writing the diminutive singer is trekking across the UK and Europe breaking box office records as she goes. To coincide with the UK dates, this is a special 2-CD set with disc one being a newly recorded album of a dozen songs, whilst the second CD is a 20-track Best Of … with the usual hits—9 to 5, Jolene. Here You Come Again—augmented with lesser-known favourites like Applejack, Little Sparrow, My Tennessee Mountain Home and her 1968 version of In The Ghetto.The newly recorded album opens up with the title song, a typically exuberant Dolly song which with its catchy rhythm, infectious chorus and her joyous vocal disguises the fact that this is a break-up song. Though it’s given a ‘country’ arrangement utilising fiddles, banjo and pedal steel, this one verges more towards pop than the traditional strains of country that Dolly was raised on. Closer to pure Appalachia is Unlikely Angel, a sad-tinged rural tale with Dolly in top vocal form. But what makes this work so well is the sensitive musical backdrop of heartbreaking fiddle, steel and mandolin. The current single, Home, is superb slice of pop-country with a sing-along chorus, positive lyrics and an inspiring vocal performance. As the title suggests, there’s a gospel approach to Lay Your Hands On Me, with a feel-good vibe and a contemporary musical arrangement that is quite irresistible. Miss You-Miss Me, a softly sung plea from a daughter to her divorced parents is heart-rending, though those lacking passion or heart might describe this as way too maudlin—but that’s their loss if they don’t get it.
Dolly also throws in her own distinctive rendition of Dylan’s Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright and a fine revival of the traditional Banks Of The Ohio, both of which are straight traditional country. There are also a couple of duets featured; You Can’t Make Old Friends, has Dolly joining Kenny Rogers on a typical heartbreaker of how does one cope after a break-up or the loss of a partner. From Here To The Moon And Back is by Willie Nelson and features Dolly guesting on a string-laden romantic ballad that is heartfelt, but nothing too special. That might well sum up this whole album. It’s good, typical Dolly Parton, but nothing here that is life-changing or really grabs your attention. Having said that, the whole album is definitely a cut above the average and will bring me and millions more, endless listening pleasure.
www.dollypartonentertainment.com