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March 09, 2005
kathleen edwards :: back to me + josh rouse :: nashville
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Two fine American roots-rock records have been released in the past couple of weeks, and they're interesting to compare directly. For me, the key phrase is "emotional authenticity", of which Kathleen Edwards has far more than Josh Rouse.
The touchstones are fairly clear and traditional. Edwards is a female folkie in motorcycle boots - a languid, gorgeous melodic sensibility run through the Tom Petty soundbox; a simpler, no less intense Lucinda Williams (I'm frustrated with the easy female roots-rocker = Lucinda comparison, but she really did blaze a trail). Rouse is a sensitive songwriter rifling through the polite, intelligent 70s catalogue - it's no conidence his last disc was called 1972 (and I haven't heard it). Fans of Ryan Adams' Gold will be pleased with his approach - for better or worse.
For all of Rouse's gifts as a songwriter, I can't help feeling like the tunes are pitched as yuppie fashion accessories, Gap ad hopefuls. They're shiny, not deep. There are questionable references - such as a direct Smiths pinch that's incongruously set in the Hamptons, and that Journey "streetlight people" thing. Lyrically, we're in "happy on the outside/she keeps frowning on the inside" territory - not exactly illuminating.
For Kathleen Edwards, it's as simple as "this is your life/I get copied keys" - an entire scene exposed in a line. Where Rouse is copying poems into purple letters, Edwards is writing lurid screeds to her exes. She's the mysteriously cute intellectual shy girl in high school who you later discover had a shocking and devastating taste for biker dropouts; Rouse is the guy who wrote Indigo Girls quotes into yearbooks with an ulterior motive . . . you get the sense he's using his musical acumen for shady purposes. Still, he's got an easy way with the plainer things.
There isn't a lot of writing to link to out there on either of these . . . the British press is generally loving Nashville as can be expected, while I generally agree with Pitchfork's take via Marc Hogan, saying the disc is always pleasant, if unexceptional. Though I do think the songs are strong enough to warrant a slightly higher rating. On Kathleen Edwards, read the ever-reliable Mark Deming of the All Music Guide, who is probably my favorite writer on straight American music: an artist who is quickly establishing herself as a major talent.
Each disc has their its place, and you should make your own judgement. In the end, the chick rocks harder and feels deeper than the dude. Oh, and "Summerlong" has the best 12-string guitar hook that Steve Earle never wrote.
Kathleen Edwards: Summerlong (mp3)
Kathleen Edwards: Copied Keys (mp3)
Josh Rouse: Streetlights (mp3)
Josh Rouse: My Love Has Gone (mp3)
Posted by borrowed_tunes at March 9, 2005 11:45 PM
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Comments
Let me say first that I really like Kathleen Edwards...I just don't like this record. Failer
launched out of the gate in 2003 with solid songs start to finish and a great raw production that matched her brutally blunt and often stinging lyrics. She and the band sounded inspired enough to steam roll you.
On this release Edward's pointed lyrics remain intact but somehow the main thing that I feel is just plain bored listening to this. I really don't feel like she shows up with a great song until track 6 (Summerlong) if you're still around to hear it!!? The old Kathleen makes 2 more great appearances but it's really late in the record on "Somewhere Else" and the best song of the disc "Copied Keys".
Too many similiar tempos, no chances taken and a squashed production sound does not help get her songs across or further build on the uniqueness she displayed on Failer. Unfortunately, Edwards who I know can do better is left sounding safe and like generic roots-rock. Producer D, Songwriter C+
Posted by: TO at March 11, 2005 05:50 PM
Interesting. I'm a much bigger fan of the songs. I count 2 great tunes among the 1st 3 - the vivid, indirect imagery of a house fire in "Pink Emerson Radio" and the brutal "In State", where she wishes her man off to the pen. I can't find a clunker on the disc.
However, as I listened, I did find myself thinking "I'll bet some people really don't like this record's production". For my part, I love squashed roots stuff. Transcendental Blues all the way.
Posted by: borrowed tunes at March 11, 2005 06:02 PM
Upon further listens Kathleen's lyrics are really great on this, that hasn't changed. 1 really good reason to buy this. "In State" being a fine example. I still hold my ground that the hooks are mediocre for the most part and this disc is just too safe sounding. It's like she didn't want offend the Roots-Rock camp by straying from those sounds at all. 1 or 2 surprises would have been great... But hey, she's like 26 and has already written more/better songs than most of us so you can't write her off yet.
Posted by: TO at March 16, 2005 01:00 PM
I think yesterday's PopMatters review (http://popmatters.com/music/reviews/e/edwardskathleen-backtome.shtml) argues both sides of the "playing it safe" vs. "remarkably consistent" argument pretty well, though they do come down on the positive side. I guess it all comes down to how much the hooks grab you, and she isn't necessarily helping herself by having the guitarist use the same kind of descending-sixths pattern for "In State" as marked "Six O'Clock News".
I cautioned myself against overrating this record due to expecting a major sophmore slump, but I'm still flipping through almost all of the tracks and happy to hear them.
Posted by: borrowed tunes at March 16, 2005 01:38 PM
All things considered, I think it falls on the positive side. It beats the sophomore slump, but I got my hopes up for something really outstanding after her debut.
Posted by: TO at March 16, 2005 04:53 PM
All things considered, I think it falls on the positive side. It beats the sophomore slump, but I got my hopes up for something really outstanding after her debut.
Posted by: TO at March 16, 2005 04:54 PM
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