By Any Other Name

Mary Mcbride | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 20, 2004)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Reality Ent.
• ASIN: B0001Z4OYC
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #433,161 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars McBride is a Keeper, September 8, 2004

By 

John Carroll (Alpharetta, GA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: By Any Other Name (Audio CD)

Mary McBride picks up right where she left off on her last album-the excellent Everything Seemed Alright. She's gotta crack band and production that basically stays out of the way and lets this expressive woman sing. The voice is very good, but not great. However, she's got something rare which is awesome phrasing. Kinda like Sinatra had in the late 50's and Ronnie Van Zandt had in the 70's. It isn't so much the tone as it the way she says what she says. It's done with conviction and it really draws you in. Listen to One-Eyed dog and you are in that crappy bar. Stop Don't Stop resonates with a nervous energy that only comes from the insecurity of love. The real masterpiece on this record is her reading of the Terry Anderson/Dan Baird song Bottle & a Bible. She turns a swaggering honky tonk rock song into a gospel like confessional. Sorry guys, you just lost your song. Ms. McBride owns this song now. Only reason I didn't give it five stars is because she included That was Then again. Great song, but don't need a song from the first album on this one. Mary McBride is somebody to keep an eye on. She's awesome!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wow!!!, April 28, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: By Any Other Name (Audio CD)

I first saw Mary McBride at the Rodeo Bar in New York and was completely blown away. Her energy, powerful voice (wow!) and her incredible band got the entire place up and dancing but everyone¡¯s attention was still completely focused on Mary whose stage presence is amazing. I didn¡¯t think all of those qualities could translate to a CD but ¡°By Any Other Name¡± captures it all. The pulsing rock beat with a country tinge and her awesome original lyrics make Mary McBride one of the best musicians on the scene these days. My favorite (even though it¡¯s hard to choose) is the hard blasting ¡°Falling¡± ¨C a gritty story about the subways of New York ¨C that simply takes your breath away. And although I am not usually fan of ballads, the final cut¡°Simi-Star¡± is so beautiful and emotional it makes me think of old loves and lonely bus stations (and almost makes me cry). p.s. My friend who saw Mary McBride at Jazzfest in New Orleans told me Mary was a total star and that whenever she played she drew crowds away from all of the other the bands in the area. P.S. II ¨C I have never written a review on Amazon before!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great new voice, April 26, 2004

By 

CGC (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: By Any Other Name (Audio CD)

When people think of the biggest women in country, they might think of Faith Hill and Shania Twain, whose insipid music has as much to do with roots and folk as Justin Timberlake does with soul. That is why such a thing as "alt-country" music has become necessary. It seems silly, however, to call Mary McBride an "alternative country" artist when she embodies what country should be all about--or any music, for that matter.

McBride has been compared with Lucinda Williams, Bonnie Raitt, and Janis Joplin, and listening to her new album, it's easy to see why. From powerful, rootsy numbers like "One-Eyed Dog" and "Bottle & a Bible" to the acoustic intimacy of "Semi-Star," McBride's voice has immense range and expressiveness, well-suited to her potent mix of blues, country, roots, folk, and rock. Particularly impressive are "Black-Eyed Strays," with its Cowboy Junkies-meets-the Wallflowers feel, and the melancholy majesty of "Falling," but there's not a bad track on here, and the catchy "That Was Then" might even turn into a hit.

The biggest testament of McBride's talent, however, lies in the esteem of her fellow artists. Dan Baird, Fred Eaglesmith, Mojo Nixon, and others have all chosen to work with McBride dating back to before she was even signed, appearing on her records and co-writing some of the songs. McBride's music and voice, however, remain distinctly her own.