Customer Reviews

Love's Been Rough on Me

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4 star:		(1)
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Ms. James's acknowledgements in the booklet of this 1997 release are gracious in standard liner-note fashion; she thanks her collaborators and significant others and concludes, "You can call it country, you can call it country blues, you can call it country soul -- call it whatever you like. It is just me. Another one of my dreams fulfilled. I've always wanted to do a country record and here it is." Perhaps she was diplomatically holding back, or perhaps she truly felt this way but soured on the record within the next year, but in a 1998 ROLLING STONE interview, she bitterly disowned this recording. She criticized everything from the production to the photo on the cover (to my nearly ten-years-past recollection, her descriptive phrase was something like "a picture of me with a shawl around my neck, looking like some sad old woman who's about to go make spaghetti"). She seemed disappointed and resentful that the label initially had supported her in her desire to make a country record, but then backed away from that concept in the event (more below on the specifics of this).

So, be aware that by recommending this so strongly, I am putting myself in opposition to the artist herself. But artists are not always the best judge of their own work; sometimes one can get a clearer view from not standing so close. I wonder if Ms. James's opinion of LOVE'S BEEN ROUGH ON ME would be more generous today, if she were able to hear it as the record it is, rather than the one that fell short of what she had in mind. I have a feeling that what she envisioned (or whatever the aural equivalent of "envisioned" would be) was more along the lines of what Solomon Burke was allowed to do on his 2006 masterpiece NASHVILLE -- an aged but still potent R&B voice that exudes hard-won wisdom, confronting music of an unabashedly rustic character in both composition and execution. It is true that the country influence on Ms. James's album, when not absent entirely (vigorous rock-and-soul jams like "Love It Or Leave It Alone" and "I Can Give You Everything"; a heartfelt cover of Otis Redding's "I've Been Lovin' You Too Long"), is subtle at best. There are a few song structures so purely Nashville as to be identifiable as such no matter how they're decked out ("Done In The Dark," which she and one of her sons cowrote; "If I Had Any Pride Left At All"), and a fleeting guitar twang or underpinning of steel ("The Rock"; the title song), but the greater portion of the album is a slick and soulful affair. The inclusion of a horn section, over the singer's objection, seems to have been a particularly sore spot. If it's "Etta goes country," it's decidedly heavier on the "Etta" than the "country."

And yet, ten years on, this sounds not only better than ever, but (to me) like the jewel of what could be called the third phase of Ms. James's recording career, the one that began in 1994 with her first release on Private Music, and continues in her present association with RCA. In this period she has benefited from a kind of support that is no doubt the envy of many less fortunate contemporaries. She has been staggeringly prolific, recording Tin Pan Alley standards (four discs!), rock, blues, the inevitable holiday album, even easy-listening pop. But for all the first-class production values and the admirably broad artistic palette of her many releases, few of them have really "scored." There is no doubting Ms. James's sincere affection for the music of Gershwin, Berlin, Porter, and their like, but three albums of standards with pianist Cedar Walton's jazz combo ('94's MYSTERY LADY, '95's TIME AFTER TIME, and '01's BLUE GARDENIA) demonstrate conclusively that such music does not play to her strengths as an improviser or interpreter (she has more in common as a song stylist with Aretha Franklin and Dinah Washington, both of whom could also sound out of place on Tin Pan Alley, than with Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday, who thrived there). An attempt at still more of the same, this time in heavily synthesized, "modern" clothing, '99's HEART OF A WOMAN, is not only the worst of her Private albums but one of the worst things I have ever heard from any major artist: unlistenable. LIFE, LOVE AND THE BLUES ('98) and MATRIARCH OF THE BLUES ('00) are more pertinent, but still leave an aftertaste of the generic. They're agreeable yet stubbornly unmemorable attempts at recapturing a classic Etta James formula.

Not so with LOVE'S BEEN ROUGH ON ME. For once, whatever her misgivings about what was done with her original concept, she seems to this listener to have everything going for her: songwriting that is consistently strong; a unified theme and atmosphere that pervades the entire set (I can only describe this as a sort of "nocturnal" quality -- everything here, whether a ballad or an uptempo number, has the feel of a late-night rumination from someone who has accepted her insomnia); a style of music that is right in her comfort zone as an interpreter; and instrumental support that's not only alert and responsive but assertive enough to challenge her, to good effect. She gets into a hell-for-leather duel with whichever of her electric guitarists features on "Love It Or Leave It Alone"; and the way the ensemble coalesces and swells behind her whenever the "b" section of "Cry Like A Rainy Day" comes around ("I've made some wrong moves..." "Remember these arms..." et cetera) is genuinely thrilling. Finally, do not be surprised if, like me, you come to consider her performance of the standout track, "If I Had Any Pride Left At All," as affecting a ballad performance as she has ever given on record. No small compliment when one's discography includes "At Last" (well, yes, but try to remember how you felt about it before it was flogged to death in every TV show or movie that has a slow dance) and "Lovin' Arms." For all that the voice has darkened and wizened (which she uses to exquisite effect in the rueful I'm-leaving-you opener, "The Rock"), her singing here is far more remarkable for the power it retains than for anything it's given up.

Etta James takes on a country feel on this release but being that it IS Etta James one would think that there were no other country singers ever. From the opening tract "The Rock" you feel the pain in this womans soul. when she sings " Now you say I`m only holding you down like some ole rock you been draggin around " You know that she has felt it and she makes you feel it too.The following song " Cry like A Rainy Day " Has Etta`s voice soaring to its highest high and down to its lowest lows never clearer, stronger, and just as powerful as ever this lady can SANG. The Title Track will bring you to tears she sings " Have Mercy Baby Loves Been Rough On Me " her voice and style take you down a path of broken dreams and hearts as only Etta can do.Her rendition of "If I Had Any Pride At all" and I`ve Been Lovin You" Will have you running for a tissue. And then as if to rescue your broken heart Etta sings " I Can Give You Everything " to bring you back from that edge. To round the offering out the closing tract was written by Etta herself with her son Donto and Josh Sklair." Done In The Dark" is catchy, sassy,in your face, I know your doing me wrong kinda song,a fitting end to these sessions.
As with all of her recordings the backing musicians are a tight and well oiled unit one wonders if playing with the best brings out the best I`m not sure but it sure sounds that way. This CD belongs in everyone ones collection
I was lucky enough to of seen this Lady twice this summer she can still belt em out and stir your soul, she is after all THE ONE AND ONLY ETTA JAMES

I purchased this CD 5 years ago, in a tiny shop on Baltimore's Inner Harbor. Her music was playing throughout the store---the lyrics are bittersweet,sentimental and mature. ( She has BEEN THERE, and you get the feeling that she knows that you have too---) I had never experienced Etta James music beforehand---and believe me it is an EXPERIENCE! Eventually I left the man, but I took my Etta James CD with me. ( There are many men, but only one EJ.)

I own almost every album she made, this one was my first and I still feel its the best. Every song on this album you can here Etta sing as she lived it. Its the BEST

This is a TREASURE that might be missed by solid R&B fans or staunch Country audiences - called Ms James' "Country Album", it's truly hard to classify. Etta is beautifully laid back on the selections, not resorting to vocal pyrotechnics but rather lets the simple truth of her voice tell the tale. Brilliant. The cuts are top notch, the production is perfect, and the musicians are wonderfully matched, with inspired guitar work and a seamless horn section. Who would have ever thought Etta James would line up with Windham Hill?! It's that kind of CD. Like the Fleetwood Mac song said, "... If I could sing like Etta James, I'd never change, I'd never change..."

I have tried to see this woman for years and always seem to miss the few live concerts she puts on. The next time I'm close, I'll hitchike, beg, borrow and steal just to see the #1 "have-to-see"Queen of the blues.

I was in a little music shop in Memphis and this CD was playing. I found myself moving in time to the music and singing along, although I had never heard any of the songs before. One of the clerks came up to me and told me the name of the CD. I bought it that day and when I want to sing and pretend I CAN sing, I put this one in the stereo. Everyone wants to borrow it, so I know what people will be getting for Christmas!

This cd is one of Etta's BEST!!!... "Love's been rough on me" showcases Etta's strong voice! I love this one!

It has rich deep vocals sung with the emotion Etta is so well know for. Every song is as clear as a bell. Old classics updated with todays accoustics and technology. It is wonderfully sad yet hopeful and just an absolutely wonderful recording.

This is my first CD by the wonderful Etta James. A special friend shared another one of this smooth singing lady's cd with me and I was immediately hooked. With each song, Ms. James tells a story that can relate to almost anybody. My two favorite tracks are "If I Had Any Pride Left At All" and "Done In The Dark". If you are looking for a GREAT blues CD get this one, a good bottle of wine and get ready to experience 10 smooth songs. Definitely will buy more of this fantastic sounding lady's music.