Customer Reviews

In the Cool

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

 

 

Pieta Brown
In the Cool
Valley Entertainment
http://www.pietabrown.com/

Singer-songwriter Pieta Brown's In the Cool is a blues-, old school country-, and folk-drenched musical journey into the Mississippi delta, an album born in the juke joints, smokey barrooms, and cotton fields of the south. A vocal and lyrical hybrid of Canadian chanteuse Leslie Feist and Arkansas-born country-rock goddess Lucinda Williams, Brown weaves her dreamy southern musical landscape with the help of producer and guitarist Bo Ramsey (best known for his work with Brown's father, Greg and the aformentioned Ms. Williams). The songs on In the Cool range from the sultry barroom opener, "#807," to the rollicking, "feel good" blues of the title track to the Carter Family-meets-Patsy Cline country of "This Old Dress." Other highlights include the shuffling country-rock lost love ballad "Ring of Gold," the ominous, swaggering blues-rock anthem "Tears Won't Do Any Good," and the twangy blues-country mosey "Lonesome Songs" (which features backing vocals by Ramsey, Greg Brown, and the incomparable Iris Dement). Throughout Brown proves herself a songwriter worthy of comparisons to both Williams and Feist, spinning tales of loves lost and wisdom gained.

- Tracy M. Rogers

There isn't a song on here that I don't like. Pieta reminds me of Norah Jones in the fact that she has this amazing voice that captures the listener - smooth and silky. An amazing mix of sounds - from rock, blues and just boardering on country. Love it!

I was interested to hear what Greg Brown's daughter sounds like. This disc sat near my computer for six months as I tried to figure out what to say about the music. Despite other glowing reviews, I didn't warm to this disc. The songs don't strike me as distinctive; it's as if there's not a unique voice writing. While the musicianship is excellent, Pieta's vocals on "4th of July" sound like she's imitating Bob Dylan's talk-sing era. It's not effective. I like the groove of "In the Cool," but the sigh-sing delivery of Brown is repetitive. It might have been better as an instrumental. Iris DeMent, who is one of my favorite singers, does backing on "This Old Dress." Unfortunately, the melody is the same old da-dat-da-DA, DA-DAT-DA-da. It also sounds like Brown is not quite hitting the notes as a vocalist. Pieta's vocals on "How Many Times" are particularly thin and unmusical. While the band and genre greatly appeal to me, the songwriting is bland and the vocals have the charm of a cat scratch. Taxi!