Customer Reviews

Bed Of Roses

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

 

 

I knew nothing about Ms. McWilson other than the fact that producer Dave Alvin would be joining her onstage the night I went to see her play at a local club...and what a great show it was! I immediately went out and purchased Bed Of Roses and liked the CD even better. McWilson has a wonderful voice--she reminds me a bit of Marti Jones--and the album kicks off with several excellent tunes in a row, especially "Serpentine River" and "Lila Jean"...The title track is excellent as well, and "Can't Stop A Train" may be my favorite song on the disc. Most of the cuts were written or co-written by McWilson, though "Darkness Darkness" is a Jesse Colin Young composition (which is just a little TOO dark for my taste)...Overall, an excellent slice of modern roots rock/alt.country--the kind of stuff you simply can't find on commercial radio any more. Highly recommended.

I first heard Christy McWilson sing "The Serpentine River" while I was driving my truck around the Seattle area one morning. The song was so amazing that I had to write it down and check out this singer on the web. I promised myself that someday I would buy this CD. Once I picked it up, I couldn't believe just how amazing it was. If Christy McWilson were a painter, her canvas would stretch a city block! Her songs are so strong and powerful that they seem to make the stories contained within them seem enormous in depth and scale. They empower their characters and the themes centered around them. The only question I'm left with is why isn't this talented woman a major recording artist? I've heard so much music over the years, but rarely have I ever listened to anything as amazing as the songs on this CD.

McWilson has a strong, clear voice with a country tear (as in teardrop). Her band, headed by roots rocker Dave Alvin, has a driving, tight Bakersfield sound with fuzzed guitar rock edges instead of fiddle; it kicks butt. With the catchy tunes and generally melancholy lyrics, it's a powerful bittersweet mix that cuts right through me.

Most of the songs were written by McWilson, who's been writing, playing and singing since the early 80s, mostly around Seattle for much of her career. (I'm on my way to look up her 90s work with The Picketts.) She slowed down to raise her daughter after this CD was released, but she's got a new self-released album here at Amazon (Martini's Mansion), and she's back to touring and recording with Alvin, as one of The Guilty Women. On "8:05," originally a Moby Grape song, Alvin takes the lead vocal, a deep soulful one, and McWilson adds the sweet harmonies. They're well matched.

Some songs make people think of early Linda Ronstadt; "True Believer" in particular has some "When Will I Be Loved" vibe in it. But this album has less of a pop feel. On more relaxed numbers like "The Serpentine River" and "The Sheep Song" McWilson recalls Judy Collins. "Can't Stop a Train," among others, makes me think especially of Laura Cantrell.

Alvin produced the album and plays (mostly) electric guitar; Don Heffington is on drums (up front in the mix, in the old Bakersfield way); Rick Shea is on acoustic guitar; Scott McCaughey (McWilson's husband at the time and frequent sideman for R.E.M.) along with Tony Marsico and David Jackson trade off on bass; and Peter Buck (of R.E.M.) plays several exotic electric guitars and electric sitar(!). Greg Leisz (who by coincidence I just saw playing lap steel guitar on a more jazz-oriented Joni Mitchell DVD--he gets around), Eric Danheim and Brian Kenney add more guitar sounds. Chris Gaffney plays accordion on three cuts. Leroy "Blackie" Sleep, who was with McWilson in The Picketts, and Jennifer Potter chip in backing vocals on one song each.

This CD's a steal at the prices you can get it for used and even new from other sellers through Amazon (less than a couple bucks plus shipping as I write this). If you like rockin' alt-country women, you can hardly miss.

Yes, it's true that Christy McWillliams sounds like she would/should be the female lead singer for the Blasters. She fits in with traditional country, new cowpunk, rock and roll and all inbetween. Christy won't ever be played on Country radio, Americana passed her by, and her hope now is word of mouth and great reviews.

This would be a good review.

Christy sounds sometimes like the early Capitol recordings by Linda Ronstadt. She has that same lilt and ache that Linda Ronstadt had when wondering and hoping .. perhaps hoping for another record.

Christy made fine choices for cover songs, Youngbloods "Darkness Darkness" and Moby Grapes's "8:05". Those songs stand out, but her own "Bed of Roses" could be/ have been a hit for a country girl singer of note.

This CD should be so much more popular if only radio would pay attention.

Seattle singer Christy McWilson gives us a strong set for her second release. While I never knew her band the Picketts who released 3 recordings, Dave Alvin polishes the arrangements here to produce an excellent collection. Don Heffington's drums thunder on the opening track "Life's Little Enormities" as McWilson's strong voice comes across a bit like Linda Ronstadt. One of the best tracks is the midtempo "The Serpentine River" with Dave Alvin's solo electric guitar reverbing like classic Johnny Cash over McWilson's wistful melody. "805," a Moby Grape track, has Alvin's deep duet vocal blending with Christy, "I can't go on; it's useless to try." The other cover tune is Jesse Colin Young's "Darkness Darkness" where McWilson shows herself to be an excellent interpreter of this somber elegant melody. The title track is a toe tapper with McWilson's strong vocals floating airily over the musical commotion. Christy goes a bit retro on "Can't Stop A Train," sounding like a classic pop song. My favorite track comes at the end, "I'm going to spend my days staying up all night" she sings as the guitars crunch on "Tightrope." "Bed of Roses" is a strong set with Christy's voice and strong instrumental support. Her songwriting doesn't have great distinctiveness, leading to a somewhat faceless feel for the set. However, the strong performance points certainly make this a pleasant set, well worth the time. Enjoy!

The Seattle-based McWilson (formerly of the Dynette Set and the Picketts) re-teams with producer/guitarist Dave Alvin and several supporting musicians (including Rick Shea and Peter Buck on guitars, Don Heffington on drums, and Chris Gaffney on accordion) for her second solo release. Familiarity has deepened everyone's confidence, enhancing McWilson's comfort as the album's star, and expanding Alvin's ideas for framing her voice.

The album uses wah-wah, fuzz and baritone guitar, jaw harp, accordion and psychedelic production touches to create a punchier sound than McWilson's debut. But whatever the instrumentation, McWilson's voice is at each song's center. Though compared to Patsy Cline in her press (and she certainly evidences a good helping of twang), her intonation brings to mind Connie Francis, but drawn with the melancholy of Françoise Hardy's early-60s sides, and a vocal waveryness akin to Kelly Willis. There's a fragility and sadness in McWilson's voice that extends well beyond the written lyric.

The album opens with a superb quintet of songs, encompassing rock, folk, ballads and country two-steps, propelled by hook-filled melodies and clever instrumental touches. "Lila Jean," provides a chiming epiphany about stagefright, and "The Serpentine River" matches McWilson's aching vocal with an underline of baritone guitar and accordion. "True Believer" sheds a ray of hope and hammers home the melody with a double-tracked chorus vocal. Moby Grape's "8:05" is served up as a duet with Alvin, intertwining McWilson's delicate vocal with Alvin's bottomless bass voice.

The remaining seven tracks include a harrowing contemplation of depression ("The Sheep Song"), mid-life crisis ("Bed of Roses"), and a cover of Jesse Collin Young's "Darker, Darker" whose intro threatens "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald," before settling into a more Youngbloodsian groove.

While many of her contemporaries are settling into non-musical lives, McWilson is accelerating her juggle of family and career. Rather than pining for youth, McWilson draws upon the complexities of mid-life, marriage, motherhood and career to develop a lyrical perspective not often represented in pop music. She sings her mix of rock, folk, country and rockabilly with talent and conviction, backed by a superb group of players.