Customer Reviews

By Any Other Name

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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!

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!

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.

Mary McBride's second album is a wonderful follow-up to 2002's "Everything Seemed Alright." McBride's voice communicates the image-laden blues behind her lyrics perfectly, and her band's sound just crackles behind her. If you like alt-country or good bluesy rock and roll, this album is a must-buy!

Mary McBride's sophomore disc rocks with a vengeance. This is a high voltage package with a country rock feel. Her band is crisp and they burn with some tasty chops. My favorite track is "Stop Don't Stop" with its girl backup chorus, "If I was a fortune teller, I wouldn't have to wonder when; if I was a dancing mystic, my every move would draw you in." In "Toll Girl" she sings "Delbert's on the radio." Her music aims for that niche of hard rockin' country music like Delbert McClinton or Lou Ann Barton. Unfortunately for me, I don't find that she is that imaginative of a songwriter. Many of the tunes lack individuality, sounding like songs we've heard a hundred times. I know she's very hot as a live act. Perhaps she'll find the right collaborator and turn out a great disc down the line with better material. This one is rock & raw. What she does, she does well. Enjoy!

I was lucky enough to see Mary McBride perform at the Iota, VA this week, and was blown away. Not surprisingly, I read that The Washington Post agrees with me. Read on..if this doesn't make you buy the CD, then nothing will:

The Washington Post
May 1, 2004
Mary McBride at Iota

In some sort of magical kingdom, every dive bar, roadhouse or juke joint you walked into would have free peanuts, dollar drafts and Mary McBride performing with her band onstage. At Iota on Thursday, there were no peanuts and the beers weren't a buck, but McBride, a knockdown barroom belter, was singing her heart out. It turns out that one out of three is magic kingdom enough.

For a full 90 minutes, the singer led her four-piece band through a rough-and-ready set of blues, rock, country and old-fashioned American roots music. Diving into material from her just released album, "By Any Other Name," and her 2002 debut, "Everything Seemed Alright," she was comfortable unleashing Janis Joplinesque wails or bringing it down easy like Allison Moorer.

A 32-year-old Louisiana native, McBride grew up around Washington, D.C., and now lives in Brooklyn. She writes her own songs, and they have a gritty feel that sounds right at home amid the occasional clink of glasses and the hoots and hollers of a friendly crowd. She made a wonderful racket on songs such as "Rev It Up" and "Bottle & a Bible," while a new, world-weary tune was a real weeper: "Can someone shut my brain off for just one hour / I'm standing on the edge of a 50-story tower." When the sad song was over, even she had to laugh. "Let's pick it up, shall we?" she suggested before playing "Everything Seemed Alright."

Later she admitted to being an "American Idol" addict and said that as a performer she now worries about "everyone criticizing you." But it's likely that on this night even cranky old Simon Cowell would have had only good things to say about McBride and her band's performance. Her brilliant cover of "Amazing Grace," more Rolling Stones rocker than Sunday morning church hymn, would have sealed the deal.

-- Joe Heim