Buddy & Julie Miller - Written In Chalk
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CD Details
Artist: Buddy & Julie MillerEdition: Music CD
Audio: English (Unknown)
CD Release Date: 2009-03-03
Music Label: New West Records
Soundtracks:
- Ellis County
- Gasoline and Matches
- Don't Say Goodbye (with Patty Griffin)
- What You Gonna Do Leroy (with Robert Plant)
- Long Time
- One Part, Two Part (with Regina McCrary)
- Chalk (with Patty Griffin)
- Everytime We Say Goodbye
- Hush, Sorrow (with Regina McCrary)
- Memphis Jane
- June
- The Selfishness In Man (with Emmylou Harris)
Music reviews of Written In Chalk
Music Review: THE MASTERS PAINT ANOTHER MASTERPIECE
Rating: 5 Stars
I have listened to this album repeatedly over the last three weeks. It was the only thing I played in my car for about two weeks, then for the last week it has been in rotation with other Buddy and Julie albums to give it some context. I have given it six (6) serious listens on the headphones, and had it playing around the house for the last three weeks. I'd say that, all-in-all, I have listened to the entire album at least 30 times to form the basis of this review.
Written In Chalk is a Buddy and Julie Miller album and, as such, is a mixed bag. You got your Buddy songs, you got your Julie songs and then you got your Buddy and Julie songs. The net result is a lot more variety in music, arrangements and lyrics than their solo projects. This has been true of their two previous duo albums and remains true here. And, as always, they usually have a trick up their sleeves - this time it's in A Long, Long Time.
Ellis County
Julie penned this gem, one of my favorite songs on the album. It is a paean to simpler times, a song that speaks directly to the things that are really important in life - friends, family and faith. And done with the eloquence that Julie has, and most other songwriters wish they had. A simple, almost sparse arrangement; the power comes from Buddy and Julie's duet vocals.
Gasoline And Matches
Jointly authored, this song will probably be the hit song of the album, by which I mean getting the most radio airplay. It has a driving, chooglin' beat, and the lyrics are riddled with sexual tension. If you don't end up tapping your feet to this, you need your hearing checked, and probably your hormone levels, too.
Don't Say Goodbye
Julie has the ability to write songs that positively rip your heart out, yet at the same time contain not a gram of self-pity. That's a very rare gift amongst songwriters, one that she shares with the late Townes Van Zandt. This is, as far as I'm concerned, a classic "Julie" song. Patty Griffin adds some lovely harmony vocals but otherwise stays out of Julie's way. This song grew on me to the point where it is now one of my favorites on the album.
What You Gonna Do Leroy
This is an old Mel Tillis chestnut, and as I've come to expect of Buddy with covers, he totally makes it his own song. The amazing thing about this song is the duet with Robert Plant. If you didn't know it was him, I swear you would never be able to tell it was Plant. A fun, light-hearted song that will bring a smile to any man who has had a woman do him wrong (real or imagined). The ladies will simply laugh.
Long Time (labeled A Long, Long Time on the advance CD)
A real departure for Julie. This is a quasi-jazz song, with very much of a film noir feel to it. A fairly sparse arrangement - brushes on drums, piano, some light guitar touches, and a muted trumpet (with a feel like Miles of the late 1950s) that enters on the bridge and continues to the end. Lyrically, this song is a gem; musically, it works reasonably well but is probably the weakest song on the album. I'd love to hear it in a more conventional arrangement.
One Part, Two Part
A cover of a Dee Ervin song with Buddy dueting with the combined Regina and Ann McCrary. I love Buddy singing with the McCrarys, and this song works as well as any they've done together.
Chalk
Another knockout Julie-penned song. This one has had me marveling since the first time I heard it. Buddy and Patty Griffin share lead vocals and provide a lovely counterpoint for each other. A sparse arrangement really lets the vocals develop and blossom, and Julie's lyrics are simply awe-inspiring. One of my favorite songs of the album, and one of my favorite songs of Julie's of all time.
Everytime We Say Goodbye
Julie solo, providing her own harmony vocals, with a pretty simple arrangement and some piano in the background. A lovely sad song, beautifully rendered.
Hush, Sorrow
Buddy and another lovely Julie song. Regina McCrary provides some lovely call-and-response with and harmonies behind Buddy's lead vocals. Larry Campbell's mandolin is exquisite and provides a lovely counterpoint to Buddy's vocals, as well as adding some tension to the song.
Memphis Jane (labeled Smooth on the advance CD)
Just when you're almost ready to categorize Julie as a songwriter, she whacks you upside the head with a song like this one. Powerful lyrics about a hitchhiker of dubious character, and a slow driving beat behind Buddy and Julie's shared lead vocals make for a kickin' good song. Buddy's solo guitar from the bridge on is a delight.
June
Julie's farewell to the late June Carter Cash. As sparse a song as there is on the album. Buddy on acoustic guitar, and Julie and Buddy on vocals. Songs like this showcase Julie's songwriting and her singing. The beauty is in the simplicity for me.
The Selfishness In Man
Buddy and Emmylou Harris cover a Leon Payne plea for people to remember what is truly important to close out the album.
Buddy Miller is one of the finest guitarists at work in any genre, has a marvelous voice that continues to develop and reveal more nuances with time, and is a masterful arranger and producer, not to mention a darn good songwriter.
Julie is a lovely singer whose voice can positively make you ache at times, but I continue to be totally overwhelmed by her songwriting, which is simply off the charts. To call her one of the finest singer-songwriters in America is understatement, to which this album stands as more testimony.
This is a wonderful album, easily one of the very best to be released this year (even though it's just the beginning of March) in the country/alt country/Americana category. My bottom line on Buddy and Julie has for a long time been that this is what country music is supposed to be. It still is.
Description of Written In Chalk
Buddy and Julie Miller have been writing and making music together since they first met and married over 20 years ago. Whether the end result was a Buddy rocord or a Julie record, they couldn't help but collaborate and influence each other's work. New West is excited to release their latest, WRITTEN IN CHALK, a true collaboration. The musical synergy this couple has with each other is clear on the record and is rounded out with a thoughtful country-soul vibe, emotional lyrics, outstanding musicianship and of course, Buddy's extraordinary guitar playing. Guests on the record include Robert Plant, Emmylou Harris, Patty Griffin, Regina and Ann McCrary and Larry Campbell. The record was recorded at the couple's home studio in Nashville, TN.Country CDs
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