Album Reviews

After releasing two perfectly conceived and executed if somewhat campy albums of “country and eastern,” Gray DeLisle is back with an off kilter but no less enticing and superb sounding third effort.

It begins with an autoharp-tinged version of “Bohemian Rhapsody” (DeLisle plays autoharp and sings live throughout the album) that’s more audacious than satisfying, but the effort is entertaining nonetheless. Given the tragic plot, it’s an appropriate tune for DeLisle, who’s drawn to downcast Appalachian balladry. DeLisle’s got a big voice of ice and fire that can soar high, rumble low and extract maximum emotional content from the simplest lyrics. Whatever “it” is, she’s got it.

Two originals follow: “Joanna” and “Right Now.” The former a tune about a country girl gone wrong has a “Spanish Harlem” castenet-accented syncopated rhythm and a fully engulfed folk-rocking electric guitar bed, while the latter, driven by a familiar chord progression and a straight ahead mid-temp rhythm bed straight out of early 1980’s pop. It’s charged with juicy Brian May-esque guitar stings contributed by producer Etzioni.

The side is clearly an attempt to move DeLisle’s sound forward to a more contemporary plateau and it works once you adjust your expectations. “Who Made You King” is a slinky song of seduction that DeLisle nails, while “God’s Got It” is a raw evangelical excitation by The Reverend Charlie Jackson that whipsaws the proceedings and closes out the side on a high.

By the way: if you want to hear the original of "God's Got It" along with 12 other Jackson sides, transferred from original (and extremely rare) Booker 45s, they are available on a limited edition 180g LP on Crypt Records (Crypt LP-094). These were transferred by the late Rick Rosen (former Stereophile writer) using a VPI Scoutmaster and an SME 30 and while the recording isn't audiophile quality, the sound is immediate and real and the music is absolutely raw and riveting. When these were issued on CD by CaseQuarter back in 2003 the worldwide reviews were ecstatic. Do a websearch and you'll see. Rather than master the LP from the CD master offered by CaseQuarter, Rosen rounded up the rare singles by traveling all over the midwest to get them, and transferred them again.

Side two is the DeLisle fans were expecting when they dropped the stylus down on side one. It’s a side of heart-aching originals that won’t let you down. DeLisle sobs, confesses and rocks out, covering a wide swath of musical and emotional territory. On the straightforward country tune “Iron Flower” she sings of “AM white noise” so don’t let the sound effect make you think you’ve got a bad pressing (only 1000 LPs have been pressed).

“Blueheart” is a jagged, fuzztoned rocker backed by “The Amazements,” that sounds like something from an early Jefferson Airplane album and DeLisle shows she can hold a candle to Grace Slick.

The backing band assembled producer Etzioni has assembled is stellar, including drummer Dave Mattacks (Richard Thompson, Fairport, etc.), pedal wiz Greg Leisz, bassists Sheldon Gomberg (who’s played with everyone from Beck to Warren Zevon to Rickie Lee and Chris Spedding, and Old 97’s Murry Hammond, plus Etzioni’s bandmate in Lone Justice, Don Heffington, also on drums.

If you’re familiar with previous Grey DeLisle albums you know how simply, analog-y and well recorded she’s been. This album is no exception. It’s strictly “old school” the way we like it: moody, spacey, and pure, yet with plenty of studio atmospherics to give it sonic interest.

Not a lengthy album, but a sweet one that will take you places if you turn out the lights and let it do its magic. At least one Grey DeLisle album belongs in your collection. If you start here, you’ll no doubt want to go back and enjoy the others.