Customer Reviews

Lying to the Moon [Audio Cassette]

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This CD hasn't been available in a long time, but find it used and add it to your collection. It's one of my all-time favorites in any genre, and I've never been able to understand why it wasn't a big hit. Matraca's songs in this collection reflect a woman's heart better than anything I'd heard since Carole King's Tapestry. I know the album was re-released several years back as "Lying to the Moon and Other Stories" with some additions and deletions, but in my opinion, it's perfect as it stands.

I don't recall how I stumbled upon this musical work, but it is among my very favorites in any genre. Though her voice is less gruff than Lucinda William' and writing more polished than Kathleen Edwards', I find this CD by Berg more satisfying than anything by these other fine artists. If you had to categorize the CD, "Country" is probably the closest you could come; but know that it is far more interesting than that. Lying to the Moon is at turns primitive-cowgirl and achingly introspective, and while at times familiar, it is not your standard "Country." This work lassos you in emotionally and holds you tight. I can never hear the CD too much. Matraca is a powerful talent, whose authenticity is nearly poignant. Her physical person is beautiful but unaffected, like her writing and voice. Perhaps that is why she has not captured the wider audience that she deserves.If you respect true talent, whatever the musical nitch,
you must own this CD.

Matraca has emerged as one of the most important songwriters in country music history, yet her attempts to establish herself as a singer failed utterly for reasons that remain a mystery to me.

Matraca's debut album, Lying to the moon, was released in 1990 and every song on it was co-written by Matraca. The album yielded four hits on the country charts (Baby walk on, The things you left undone, I got it bad, I must have been crazy) which sounds like a terrific start to her career until you realize that none of them got very high in the charts. Even if you haven't heard Matraca's versions of these songs, you may have heard Baby walk on (covered - as Walk on - by Linda Ronstadt on her album Feels like home), Lying to the moon (covered by Trisha Yearwood on her album Song remembers when) or Calico plains (covered by Pam Tillis on her album Sweethearts dance).

This collection provides ample proof of Matraca's ability as both singer and songwriter. So the contrast between her success as a songwriter and her failure as a singer remains a mystery.

All the tracks from this album and its follow-up were released on the British compilation The masters. As I write this, that compilation is still available in the UK.

Matraca Berg is yet another in a long list of relatively undiscovered artists. This album showcases her wonderful voice and songwriting talents. Lying to the Moon is one of my favorite songs ever, and Calico Plains is a close second.

This album has it all, from some fun upbeat tunes (I Got it Bad, Baby Walk On) to heartwringing beauty (Lying to the Moon, Alice in the Looking Glass) and in general is a great all-around CD. Matraca has so much talent I can't believe she's so unknown. Definitely check it out - a lot better than most mainstream "country".

I didn't like country music. This cd changed me; now most of the music I buy is alt-country. And it's all because of this wonderful, simple, heartfelt disk, where every single song would be the best song on any other album. It really opened my mind to a whole new range of music.