Customer Reviews

Bramble Rose

5 star:		(39)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

There are so many young singer-songwriters out there these days working the alt.-country circuit that its easy for them to get overlooked. Unless they have talent that shines as brightly as Tift Merritt. "Bramble Rose" is not only one of the best country rock albums released in the past couple of years, but it places Merritt in such heady company as Stevie Nicks (in her prime) as a rock and roll woman to be reckoned with.

The first thing you notice is the outstanding sound of the album, courtesy of producer and guitar player Ethan Johns (who did such a fabulous job with the similar-sounding Linda Ronstadt-Emmylou Harris collaboration from a few years ago). The next thing that strikes you is what an amazingly beautiful but husky voice Merritt possesses. Combine that with the fact that she wrote all of these songs herself and you have a MAJOR emerging talent on your hands. The highlights here include "Trouble Over Me," "Virginia..." and the lengthy "I Cross Over" that closes things, but there is nary a bad track in the mix.

Overall, an outstanding debut album from an artist that we'll be hearing about for a long time to come.

Tift Merritt's "Bramble Rose" is an excellent CD. I had read the hype and grabbed a copy from the cart before the store had even gotten it shelved. To be honest, this CD didn't grab me the way Bonnie Raitt, Lucinda Williams and Iris DeMent did when I first heard their work. The hype made me expect that. Throw out the expectations and give the music a chance to work on you. It gets sweeter and sweeter.

Merritt's pretty voice is expressive on what I feel is the strongest track, the opener. "Trouble Over Me" starts slow and breaks out on the chorus, "Don't treat me bad," Tift wails and then gets soft, "Paper truth in strings, hearts and broken things, love goes for quite a price." The midtempo "Virginia, No One Can Warn You" has a pretty melody, "With your heart so big, it don't know what to do." "Neighborhood" is another great midtempo track, a playful tune. With her voice reminding me of Louise Goffin, Tift sings, "Baby, you can't run round; Honey, it don't look good." "Bird of Freedom" is a slow stately tune that you can picture Emmylou Harris covering. The music builds on the chorus and the lyrical images are intriguing like "shadowboxing a thunderstorm." Pedal steel wails and one feels a heart in conflict with a sense of longing on the title track, "The rain's got me thirsty, falling wasteful & slow; I'm restless enough; I'm so scared to go." "I Know Him Too" is a song of rapture & infatuation, "Tonight, no one can tell you." "Sunday" is a track I love & hate. Tift's most passionate singing is here with great resonance in her voice; the little tremble on the notes she holds onto is brilliant. At the same time the performance is stellar, the melody hasn't particularly grabbed me. "Supposed to Make You Happy" is a sweet tune with a simple chorus and acoustic guitar. Greg Reading's nice harmony vocals make you feel like you're sittin' on a porch in the country listening to the girl & her guitar. "No one can win a heart like yours, but damned if he ain't trying," is a peppy toe tapper called "Diamond Shoes." Zeke Hutchins adds a great deal on drums. "Are You Still In Love With Me" is a country weeper that will bring Patsy Cline comparisons. The CD concludes with the hymn-like dirge "When I Cross Over." Merritt's CD is excellent, one you need to let unfold. Her songwriting is lyrically excellent. Come & see!

Imagine that Emmylou Harris, Gillian Welch, and Lucinda Williams get together to jam. About halfway through the session, Caitlin Cary and Sheryl Crow arrive and join in. They are later joined by two visitors from rock and roll heaven, Patsy Cline and Dusty Springfield. The result? Tift Merritt's astonishing debut album, BRAMBLE ROSE.

If you are a fan of any of the above artists, you are absolutely required to click the BUY NOW icon on this page. While a good many excellent albums have been released thus far in 2002, this may be the best debut the music world has had the pleasure of hearing. The album contains a delightful combination of folk, rock, and traditional country influences that any music fan will find pleasing, and eleven gorgeous songs enhanced by Tift's lilting and gorgeously airy voice. The range of her extraordinary talent is heard in the opening cut, "Trouble Over Me," the influences of Emmylou and Caitlin can be heard in the hauntingly lovely "Virginia, No One Can Warn You," and the bluesy ballad "Bird of Freedom" gives this amazing artist a chance to showcase her amazing voice. On the heavily country influenced "Are You Still in Love With Me" and "Diamond Shoes," you can almost hear the voice of Patsy Cline, while the uptempo number "Neighborhood" shows a more rockin' side of Tift's music. The true standout of the album, though, is the final track "When I Cross Over," a beautiful song full of sheer emotion and talent.

Tift Merritt's BRAMBLE ROSE is an amazing debut album showcasing the phenomenal talent of one of music's finest rising stars. In this day and age when traditional country and folk music seems to be receiving a surge in popularity, I am hopeful that this tremendous talent will receive the attention she so well deserves. Buy this CD and prepare to be moved.

Tift Merritt's Bramble Rose is the most complex female country music album since Trish Yearwood's Real Live Woman. This is not a teenaged girl falling in and out of crushes like so many so-called strong women of the day. This is a woman who happens across men, considers the possibility of a relationship with them, then feels her way through the rest of life. "You're not my boyfriend/I don't want a boyfriend" she asserts in the first line of "Trouble Over Me," "I don't want you for life/but don't we get along fine." The rest of her album explores life and love in much this same way.

This is a real woman, a complex woman, one with a life and friends as well as a man. She lays it out to a male friend/possible love interest in "Neighborhood," "Honey you don't look good/baby you can run 'round with just anybody in the neighborhood." However, she advises her friend to go after love in Diamond shoes "No one can win a heart like yours/but damned if he ain't tryin'." Perhaps the strongest cut on the album is "Sunday" a tribute to the day of lounging in bed and visiting your mother. "Supposed to Make You Happy" is a heart wrenching look at relationship failure. In the middle of songs like "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue" Merritt offers "Bird of Freedom," which explores rather than asserts patriotism. However, it is perhaps in the title track when she gives all of us, to borrow a Susan Werner phrase, last of the good straight girls, a new song about, "a real good woman, nobody knows."

Tift Merritt has earned a number of comparisons to Emmilou Harris. Part of it is she has a similar whispy, etheral country/folk voice. Another part of it is her ability to mix genres and still come out sounding distinctly country. However, comparing her to Emmilou Harris is like comparing Allison Moorer to Tammy Wynette. Both may bring to mind their heriones of old, but each has a sound that will always be their own.

As an avid music fan of all types, I can write without reservation that this is the BEST cd of 2002 hands down....and the year isn't even over yet. Tift Merritt shows you everything she's got on the first track "Trouble Over Me" sounding like Linda Ronstadt in her prime in the 70's. From there it just never stops -- great writting, musical arrangements and production. Of course this cd is too mature and intelligent to find it's way to the masses and a talent like Miss Merritt will only slow build over time with critical praise and word of mouth. GET THIS CD!

Like Allison Moorer, Tift Merrit is a great throwback to traditional country music without crossing into parody or homage. Her songs have a contemporary point of view nestled in old fashioned arrangments. This is a great album for a rainy Sunday afternoon or a cross-country drive. Put it in the CD changer with Allison Moorer, Kathleen Edwards and Kasey Chambers. Let's hope she doesn't go the way of other country chanteuses who start out in roots and end up in pop.

I discovered this CD back in 2002 and I haven't stopped listening to it. I feel sorry for her in a way, this is such a benchmark debut album, that it will be hard to follow up. I'm certain she can make another great album like this one though! Tift Merritt's sound is a cross between Emmylou Harris, Lucinda Williams and Dusty Springfield, as another viewer pointed out, and the songs here really work. It's an enjoyable listen start to finish, and I find myself loving more with each listen. Merritt's lyrical perspective speaks of the often-unfortunate twists and turns of fate, but without bitterness or spite, and she can jump from the wistful sway of "Virginia, No One Can Warn You" to the R&B-influenced bite of "Neighborhood" and back to the classic weeper style of the title cut without missing a step or ever sounding less than committed or convincing. Highlights include "I Know Him Too", "Diamond Shoes", "When I Cross Over", "Sunday" and "Trouble Over Me", though there is not one weak track on this fine album.

Tift Merritt is new to the scene, and her style could be described as a cross between Emmylou Harris and Dusty Springfield. Her debut album BRAMBLE ROSE is good listening, and well worth checking out. I discovered her while listening to her CD on the listening booth at a local CD store, and I was impressed. I bought it immediately. It hasn't left my CD player much since I bought it. My favorite track hands down is "Sunday", really beautiful song. There's quite a few beautiful songs here, she does them well. "Diamond Shoes" is a good car driving song, the instrumentation of the track is beautiful. The opening "Trouble Over Me" is probably the strongest track on the album, its strong lyrically and packs a punch. "When I Cross Over" closes the album, a slow building song, but so beautiful and rich. "I Know Him Well" is probably one of the more country sounding tracks on here, it has a nice feel to it. The instruments are excellent on this album, and her voice breaths life into each song. "Bird of Freedom" sounds like a song Emmylou would sing. Overall BRAMBLE ROSE is a nice debut album, a fresh sound for sure. Definately check this one out.

I discovered Tift Merritt when I bought the "Lost and Found" compilation CD put out by Lost Highway Records. After hearing the cut "Trouble Over Me," I bought this CD immediately. Merritt's voice is expressive and sweet, with a touch of soulfullness. Her musical style is akin to early '70s Eagles music; it traipses along the edge between what we consider country and rock. While the songs are solid, the recordings appear a little too slickly produced and, for the most part, lacking a strong edge.

Most of the songs here are good (especially "Trouble Over Me" and "Sunday"), but frankly, while Merritt is an above-average songwriter, her gorgeous vocals are what make her truly notable. Several reviewers have compared Merritt to luminary Lucinda Williams, but I believe that is a pretty ambitious and misleading assertion: Williams is, hands down, the superior songwriter...and her vocal approach is much grittier and angrier than Merritt's silver-throated soarings. If a comparison must be made, I'd place Tift Merritt alongside Matraca Berg and Norah Jones. All three artists share a sweet twang, flawless singing, and undeniable soul.

But I will say if you enjoy Lucinda William's earlier CDs (like her self-titled CD or "Sweet Old World"), this CD is right up your alley. I would also recommend it to fans of Emmylou Harris, Rosanne Cash, Matraca Berg, and/or Shawn Colvin.

I didn't realize that so much of the music that I have grown to love is actually considered ALT-COUNTRY. Well, whatever it is called- it surpasses most of the other stuff that is out there. Take this album. Actually heard it at a listening station at Border's- and had to get it. To be honest, it did have to grow on me, but once I crossed that line, there was no going back. She has a BEAUTIFUL voice- which can't be said of all female singers in this genre. I must admit my own bias, though- I prefer the clearness and clarity in a voice like this over the gravel one hears coming from Lucinda Williams- not that she isn't good- she is. But if you too are drawn to a voice that is pure, yet powerful and full of emotion- BUY THIS CD! The songs are lovely, and you will hear a variety as well- from songs that rock to songs that are soft lilting ballads. Well worth the money if alt. country is your thing.