Customer Reviews

Out of the Ashes

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Jessi Colter had a couple of big hits about 30 years ago and then married Waylon Jennings and dropped out of sight. (For the truly trivial, before Waylon she was married to Duane Eddy, a very early Rock guitarist.)

Colter has a distinctive, strained whine of a voice that I think I would have recognized even after all these years. She plays the piano just like they did in the Baptist Church in Oklahoma 50 years ago: loud and with every note strongly emphasized. No delicate tinkle, tinkle here. The songs on this song are more gospel and blues than country and Colter wrote most of them.

The masterpiece cut is "Out of the Rain" which through the wonders of technology has Colter singing with the late Mr. Jennings and Tony Joe White. The bass line is mesmerizing; White's guitar is tremendous; and Waylon never sounded better. Another good one is "His Eye is on the Sparrow" a gospel tune. Son Shooter Jennings joins her on the elegaic "Please Carry Me Home." I especially like her piano playing on "The Canyon." Hell, all these songs are good and a first rate bunch of musicians back up Colter. Don Was of Rock fame is the producer and plays bass.

The CD features several good photographs of Colter and the Arizona desert. She must be about 60 and she's still a looker.

Smallchief

I agree with the first review in all. This new Jessi Colter album is a great piece of work. She hasn't lost a step and a hard to believe she only sounds better. This is much better than Loretta Lynn's Van Lear Rose in my opinion and that was a great album. All of the songs by this outlaw lady are as good as outlaw music has ever seen, with some great production and musicians thrown in. Choice cuts are Phoenix Rises, Out of the Rain, and Velvet and Steel. But they are all special, in to its own. Jessi sounds like she's having the time of her life on this new one, and that means you will, too. Some rockin songs, some sad songs, some honkin songs, some tonkin songs. This is definitely a top notch album whether for fans of country or country rock or especially roots music. Jessi's been around long enough to know how to deliver. She really does. Five stars, and I give an extra one for Ray Herndon, Tony Joe, and Shooter Jennings, if I could. This will be in my CD player for a long time.

First off, I have to confess that even though I knew several of Jessi Colter's hits from the '70s, I was never really a fan until I bought one of her "best of" CDs a few years back. Now, I am addicted. Her voice is supremely expressive, with splashes reminiscent of Carole King and Dolly Parton (which is kind of funny, because Jessi Colter is known for having the second most spectacular chest in country music, after Ms. Parton). Her songwriting is skillful, laid back, and potent. And she has presence and substance, and so does her piano playing. But not in a showy way, in a solid, earthy, real way. She is the truth. She is what music strives to be.

With that said, you know that this review is completely biased. But read on, please.

Colter's music on this new CD sasses a little, provokes a lot, and is so firmly crafted that it creates its own base without relying on gimmicks and overproduction. "Velvet and Steel" is a bluesy country rocker with so much sex going on in it that it makes Madonna sound like The Flying Nun. Truly enjoyable! Especially because the CD starts off with a song about Jesus. Here is a woman who embraces spirituality AND sexuality -- my kinda gal! (By the way, if "Jesus" isn't your thing, the song probably won't bug you ... I am not a Christian and find the song to be enjoyable, artistic and worthwhile. It's a quiet celebration, not a tune to convert anyone.)

Colter's late husband Waylon Jennings' voice is featured on a few tracks, which is a real treat. The two of them were PERFECT musical foils for one another. When they sang together, they danced, they made love, they lived many lives. Their joint ventures have invariably been experiments in passion and musical skill. Find their older albums if you need proof.

Now, about Don Was. He's an awesome producer. Remember Bonnie Raitt's "Nick of Time" CD? That was his work, and it made Raitt a superstar. Well, here he is, working his magic on Jessi Colter. What's remarkable about his work here is that he gives Colter so much ROOM. A lot of producers feel the need to squash as much supportive sound behind the singer as will fit. Was does not do that. He allows Colter's voice and piano to shine, all the while texturing the songs with licks and vocals that complement, not distract from, the leading lady. Simply put: This CD is deftly produced. Bravo, Don Was!

Okay, I have rambled enough! Bottom line here is if you enjoy good, solid country music, this CD is for you. It's bluesy. With lots of roots rock going on. But the basis is country. And it's real country, not like the inferior new music played on the radio these days. This is a lovely, lovely CD that is destined to become a classic. Buy it, listen, and love it; it'll love you back.

Welcome back, Jessi Colter! MUSIC HAS NEVER NEEDED YOU MORE. Oh, and you are still breathtakingly gorgeous!

Hey, there's music goin' on here. Jessi shows what a musician can do with a unique instrument. You keep waiting for her collapse into a missed, flat note or a maudlin sentiment, but save your breath - it ain't gonna happen, friend. Time has been very kind to Colter - and to her listeners - in the way it was kind to smokey blues artists that only got better with the creeks that add a delectable edge. Talent under the watchful eye of a producer that has what it takes to spotlight his charge is rare and wonderful. Thank you Mr. Was and Ms. Colter, and a special thanks to whomever the dickens put that cello in all those songs. Genius.

Jessi.... where have you been? What a great renaissance. This CD is fantastic... every track. Keep singing and playing that wonderful, soulful piano. Thanks so much!

I read a review of this CD before it came out and I couldn't wait to get it. As soon as it became available, I bought it. It was the best purchase I have made all year. I fell in love with this CD. It has become one of my favorites. I love the richness of the music and lyrics. It touches you somewhere where you don't want to acknowledge but when you're there, it's magic. You smile, cry and enjoy Jessi's voice. I too, rushed out and bought her other CD and enjoy that as well. I never tire of listening to this beautiful music. I love all the songs including the duets with Ray Herndon. He has a beautiful voice that compliments Ms. Colter's to a "T." What amazes me is that she has not had a CD in such a long time! I hope this is just the beginning. If you love music, period, you will love this CD. Bravo to everyone who took part in this CD, the writing, singing, arrangements, etc., etc., etc.! The cello in several of the songs was just masterful. The only question I have, is why don't they play any of these songs on the radio? Well, that's their loss not mine. Again, this was an awsome surprise.

Colter was always an alternative country singer-songwriter, which is precisely why she was such a fitting participant on the legendary "Wanted: The Outlaws" album back in 1976. Her brand of country msuic was infused with rock, blues, Gospel, and honky-tonk brush-strokes, and her lyrical style was always confessional and earthy. This originality was what made her one of the biggest-selling artists in the stretch from 1975-1981: She scored three country-pop/crossover hits during that time (including her million-selling, elegiac "I'm Not Lisa" in 1975) and a string of heavy-hitting Top 5 country albums that also crossed over to the Big List.

Though her finest artistic work was arguably her second Capitol album, 1976's classic "Jessi," she has, amazingly, outdone even her best work thirty years later with this stunning new set, produced by fellow-legend Don Was (Bonnie Raitt, Rolling Stones, etc.). "Out of the Ashes" marks nothing less than the return of a legend in full command of her powers. Colter always managed to write honest, truly American "rebel" music while remaining unquestionably feminine, and this album continues that legacy with an extra tank of gas in the Cadillac.

Though career-wise she eventually faded, to a certain extent, into the "shadow" of her longtime husband Waylon Jennings and the desire to raise her children, Colter erases any doubts of her own viability with this red-hot recording. The product of a certain level of recovery after Jennings' death in 2003, the tone of this record is truly one of redemption, breaking-free from the past without denying heartache, and moving forward with all cylinders firing.

Colter opens the record with a haunting, almost lonely version of "His Eye is On the Sparrow," -- a nod to her Gospel roots influences. Her voice has retained all of its former warmth and power, but with the new character and wisdom that comes with the fine wine of age. The song is at once defiant, devotional, and vulnerable. It sets the stage for an album that communicates the astonishing sense of emerging from the firestorm of life, only to stand tall after the healing rain has washed the landscape clean. Yeah, it's THAT fresh. You can SMELL the greatness on this record.

From the emotional opener, Colter launches into "You Can Pick 'Em," a romping, snarly, kick-the-walls down blues-rocker. The force of the song is driving as Colter sings about a man who picked some questionable ladies in his time, but finally met his match in the "one from Arizona" (Colter was born, raised, and now lives in Arizona). The song is an instant reminder of past Colter classics like "Is There Any Way?" or "The Hand that Rocks the Cradle." This time, she brings the same churning energy with a wink-in-her eye charm and the outstanding production of Don Was. "Starman" is another thrill -- here Colter seems to be channelling all that was so unique about her writing/singing in the 70s but again allows the Was production and knockout band wrap itself perfectly around the "summer-y" feel of the lyric and vocal delivery. "The Phoenix Rises" is the centerpiece of this record, and here Colter's brilliant piano underscores the message: she has survived a tough business, a tough but rewarding marriage, and the test of time to stand tall. Yet, the song is distinctly feminine and poignant.

"Out of the rain," written by Tony Joe White, is a personal testament to the late Jennings, and another surefire winner-of-a-track. Colter is joined on the song by the swelling chorus of her local church choir, the smoky sounds of White's vocals and, best of all, by the truly spectral voice of Jennings (who had once laid down vocals for this unreleased track in the eighties). Again, Don Was helps the amazing Colter turn this song into an instant classic of the genre. Buyoant, powerful, and charged with emotion, it is one highlight in an album full of them.

Next, Colter swings back into a good & greasy barroom blues-fest on "Velvet and Steel." On this song, one gets to appreciate the extremely gifted phrasing of Jessi Colter's voice as she urges the groove along, churning it, speaking of her "slow-movin' daddy...Come on. Come on!" Her cover of Bob Dylan's "Rainy Day Women # 12 & 35" is a real coup. Colter has enormous fun with the lyric and tears it up while Was keeps the production loose and expansive.

"So Many Things" is the goose-bumper on this great record. Colter seems to be channeling her halcyon days with this piano ballad, yet her melodic sense of style and arpeggios have never been more fresh. The song is an almost jolting reminder, after all the fun, that this album really emerged from a terrible loss and the need to rediscover and move onward. Truly haunting, truly artful.

Country fans of all sorts will love "You Took me By Surprise," and "Never Got Over You," the latter being a winsome duet with Ray Herndon (of Lyle Lovett's band), who co-wrote a few tracks on this disc with Colter. The album's closer, "Please Carry Me Home," co-wrote and performed with Colter's son Shooter Jennings, is a gut-wrenching and moving ballad, almost hymn-like in its impact. A fitting bookend to an album that seems to take such a complete and rewarding sonic journey over the course of ten songs. The musicians and arrangements are exquisite on all tracks, with some of Nashville's finest at work alongside Colter. Kennedy's engineering deserves its own award come Grammy time, as will Don Was, who has done for Jessi Colter even more than he did for Bonnie Raitt in the late 80s--not only illuminated her great talent, but brought it to a new level of brilliance.

Of course, this disc belongs to Jessi Colter, front and center. Better than ever, bolder than ever, wiser than ever, and back from the ashes, indeed. This atmospheric and evocative record needs to be in any and every country, roots, rock, pop, or alt-country collection. A classic--TRULY classic--effort from the original Lady Outlaw.

There has already been enough superlative reviews of this album, so this review isn't necessarily intended to be "useful". I passed the album by a coule of months ago but when I couldn't get to sleep at midnight last week I dialed up Rhapsady and listend to it. I was flat out blown away. My God!!! Though my dogs were alseep, I was still up at 4:00 a.m. -- and still listening. These songs, with her haunting, wonderful voice and beautiful arrangements, come from deep within and they tear your spirit. This is no revival; it's an awakening. The simplicity, directness, power, and passion of album, and even its humor, make it a signature work. I've alread bought two other copies for my friends. More importantly, my 5 time resuce Thoroughbred Lead Mare, who sometimes can only be settled by old Black spirtuals, has added several of these songs to her playlist. We each have our part to sing from "Out of the Rain". "The Phoenix Rises" is another her favorites. What's the meaning of this "crap"? Do you like great art? Do you have a spiritual connection and an appreciation for the critical tests and and essential joys of life? If so,this is an album for you. (Buyer beware: it ain't for dogs)

Listen to the first song on this CD--the venerable hymn "His Eye Is on the Sparrow"--and you'll understand that Jessi Colter is not trying in this CD to revisit the country hits of her early days or cruise to new fame on radio-ready mainstream country singles. She deserves a wide audience, though. She brings to each song on this memorable CD evidence of her dedication to her craft and, more importantly, an ability to convey in song very deep feelings--of loss, doubt, pain, and love. This CD has what great music always has--an authentic voice and a connection to the human heart.

"Come on, girl, come over here and sit by me on this piano bench and listen to what I have to tell you." And tell she does. She's mourning, she's playing tough, she's still in church. That clear and sultry voice wafts over whatever she sings about. I love hearing Shooter and Waylon and Tony Joe White and Herndon and Was and...

Welcome back, Jessi. Don't go away again. Sing more!