Customer Reviews

Whine De Lune

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I will not bore you with a lot of details, rather let me simply say this:

I own over 10,000 cd's and 1,500 vinyl records. Whine De Lune was my favorite release of 1999 (yes, I think it was the best record released that year).

Trailer Bride's sound is truly unique. I don't think it could be duplicated, but if you wanted to try, do this. In a blender add one scoop Southern Culture on the Skids, one scoop Velvet Underground, one scoop trailer trash and one scoop woman scorned. Blend well, pour and enjoy.

I have seen Trailer Bride and they are awesome.

Rock on Trailer Bride.

Trailer Bride's sound is described (on their record company website) as spooky, stompy, swampy country of the kind of sound that could only come out of North Carolina. I'm not going to argue with that.

Lead singer Melissa Swingle (who also wrote all the songs) has a very distinctive warbling style. She sings love songs, but there are also songs about snakes and strippers, not exactly your everyday subjects for songs. There have been songs about such matters before - Charley Pride began his career with a song called The snakes crawl at night, while Kenny Rogers did a great song about a stripper (Scarlet fever) on his We've got tonight album, and there are probably others - so there are precedents.

Although this band comes in the category of alt-country, it isn't even like (say) Neko Case or Kelly Hogan's Pine Valley Cosmonauts. Their music, while different from the mainstream, can at least be compared to it, as there are some similarities. This band is not like anything I've ever heard before. Reading the other reviews, it seems to be a universal opinion.

So, you either buy blind as I did (something I usually get away with, because of my eclectic tastes), or you hear enough of their music to be sure this is what you want.

My husband says TB sounds like the house band for some country graveyard, and he's got a point. These songs are haunting combos of country, bluegrass and something not altogether defineable. Reminds me a bit of the Mekons, a little of early rootsy bands like the Tarbox Ramblers and a little of nothing else I've ever heard. Definitely worth a listen.

Melissa Swingle writes in a style unlike anyone else I can think of and her voice and the music compliment the lyrics perfectly. This is one of my all time favorite albums, the standout songs being, "Work on the railroad"; "Too many snakes"; "Crazy Love"; "Left Hand cigarette blues" and "Pasture"--although none of the songs are bad. Some of the songs take a while to grow on you-but then they become infectious-I can listen to this album everyday--in fact I do--when I take breaks at work and relax in my car! (ok-I'm exaggerating but only slightly--sometimes I listen to Trailer Brides other albums--and I don't work everyday)

i found this band via the bloodshot records website and have been an addict ever since. and that was over two months ago... think of whine de lune as a soundtrack to jayne anne phillips' shelter (an amazing book for those who haven't gone there yet...), which leans sweetly toward darkness.

that's not to say whine de lune doesn't have knee slapping moments - take dirt nap, for example, the tempo is wicked upbeat - but wicked nonetheless. "i've been a good girl been taking my pills, they make me act real sweet...i'll take a dirt nap, a dirt nap, that's how much you meant to me..."

swingle's southern gothic lyrics, intoxicating voice, and wild instrumentation are exactly what i've been looking for in alt.country but haven't found - hell among the yearlings came closest - but this hit the mark, bit in deep and won't let go.

I've never been a country fan, and little alt-country appeals to me. But this band does. In fact, this is one of my favorite CD's from last year. "Work on the Railroad" is an excellent intro song. Melissa Swingle has this rich, dark, sexy voice w/ a sweet southern drawl, singing "wanna on the railroad, wanna drive some steel" making you wanna join her. Throughout, the CD there's a nice blend of sorrowful, moody, and catchy sounds ; variety of instruments (banjo, mandolin, saw, etc.); and smart sassy lyrics to keep it all interesting. Very nice. They also put on an impressive live show. Watching Melissa play the saw is mesmerizing.

This Cd is littered with well written "sapphire gems." Music Neko Case wishes she could write. Honest songs without pretense and genuinely Southern. Live, the band is engaging and Melissa Swingle is like an apparition/ghostly captivating spirit. The bassist has personality and plays standup with soul. Glad I discovered these guys at Sleazefest 2000! This beats Gillian Welch and the rest with a Louisville Slugger. Enjoy.

Whine De Lune, Is the comback to Trailor Bride's Three album serenade. The songs are fun to listen to and easy to sing along with. I recommend this cd to anyone who likes Pavement, built to spill or modest mouse. trailor bride follows in their footsteps and makes her own tracks in the sand.

Swingle's a mix of gillian welsh and mazzy star. I listened to the album 3 times before I bought it. Now it's one of my favorites.

This Cd is littered with well written "sapphire gems." Music Neko Case wishes she could write. Honest songs without pretense and genuinely Southern. Live, the band is engaging and Melissa Swingle is like an apparition/ghostly captivating spirit. The bassist has personality and plays standup with soul. Glad I discovered these guys at Sleazefest 2000! This beats Gillian Welch and the rest with a Louisville Slugger. Enjoy.