Backwoods Barbie
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Free Music Notes for Backwoods Barbie
Free Music Review: Dolly Goes "Back" to her Roots
Hit: 5 Stars
"Backwoods Barbie" does something remarkable; it takes you as a listener back to the Dolly of years past. What I enjoyed most about this album is how polished it sounds and how it doesn't sound like any 'popular' country albums out today. The songs sound like something from her older catalog, the instruments used echo true country music that's been replaced by the modern computerized voices and instruments and she sounds like she's having fun doing her first real country album in years. "Backwoods Barbie" is polished and consistent, each track pulling you through this unique album.
The cover songs, "Drives me Crazy" and "The Tracks of My Tears" are great. She doesn't completely revamp them but she definitely puts her stamp on them. There's a great feet-thumping, Southern metaphor slinging, hand clapping breakdown at the end of "Drives Me Crazy" that will have you surprised at how well this song works as a country anthem. "Tracks of My Tears" doesn't sound too different from the original but her voice and vocals truly evoke a sadness and delicate demeanor that would create a few tear tracks of your own. "Better Get To Livin'" is an upbeat song with Dolly dishing out advice on those who have a hard time looking at the brighter side to our usual depressing, drab lives. "Backwoods Barbie" is classic Dolly in my opinion, taking a great title and idea and weaving together this song about how you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, with her commenting on how we may perceive her and misjudge her based on her own looks. "Jesus & Gravity" is a moving song with a moving message where Dolly takes on this feeling of being down but not being out and by the end it sounds like a gospel or church anthem.
The stand-out track for me was the final one, "Somebody's Everything" where Dolly seems to have held the best for last. She shows off her vocals and ability to truly put emotion and feeling into a song by singing about what she wants out of a relationship and it leaves you wanting more from this album by the time the song is over. The other songs aren't bad at all, the tracks mentioned simply stood out for me and are the ones I'd make someone listen to in order to get a good taste of what Dolly has made for us.
This is one of my favorite albums to come out in a few months now. I hate that it hasn't gotten more attention or publicity because this is what country music, real country music, is all about. Dolly Parton stands out from all the other artist who have jumped on the trend of the computerized almost pop-sounding songs and sounds to do the brave thing of putting out an album that sounds like it was made back in the 70s or 80s. Definitely buy this album, you will not be let down.
Free Music Review: "Dolly Parton Back On Top!"
Hit: 5 Stars
Dolly Parton's new CD "Backwoods Barbie" has brought the 7 time Grammy winner back to the top where she belongs. Released on February 26, 2008 the album is one of the top 5 best Dolly Parton albums after "Jolene", "Coat of Many Colors", "Here You Come Again", "Halos and Horns", and "New Harvest-First Gathering". Fans will relish in hearing the Dolly they have come to love. The album has something for everyone; great country tunes, wonderful remakes, and perfect music. Ask any female in country music who their idol is and Dolly Parton is their answer.
"Backwoods Barbie" is Dolly's first album for her very own record label named appropriately "Dolly Records". Debuting at number 2 on the country Billboard Charts on March 6th,2008 the CD is Dolly's highest debut for any album she has ever put out. Selling 27,000 copies in its first week alone the CD also debut at #17 pop. These numbers are amazing as country radio has foolishly ignored the divas' music, thus not promoting the album and due to some minor back problems Dolly won't be publicizing the album until April. Fans have shown they love their Dolly and Dolly has proven she is the best singer and entertainer to ever come out of Nashville.
Dolly wrote 9 songs on the album including the first single "Better Get To Livin" with the albums co-producer Kent Wells. The follow up single will be "Jesus and Gravity" written by Craig Wiseman and Betsy Ulmer, and it will become a classic Dolly song. Simply amazing. Other top songs are the haunting "Cologne", "Made of Stone" and the title track which Dolly wrote about herself and will be in the 9 to 5 Broadway musical. "Only Dreamin'" sounds very much like Dolly's 2001 classsic "Little Sparrow". Wonderful! The most country song on the CD is the beautiful "I Will Forever Hate Roses".
The packaging of the CD, which is Dolly's 77th album, is the best ever with beautiful artwork featuring gorgeous Dolly pics surounded by Dolly's favorite color pink. The old Ed Careff Dolly logo is also brought back on this album as it was always a favorite of Dolly fans on her RCA LP's in the '70's and '80's. There's also a great booklet found hidden on the inside of the CD cover featuring song lyrics to every song. The pictures of Dolly were taken last fall in Tennessee. The pickup truck Dolly sits on is owned by one of Dolly's employees at Dollywood who wouldn't sell the vehicle to Dolly. Dolly can always offer him more money down the road!
A perfect album from a perfect entertainer. Dolly Parton thanks for the wonderful music and it's great to have you back where you belong! You are my idol and I Will Always Love You!
Free Music Review: Dolly doesn't dissapoint!
Hit: 5 Stars
Dolly is truely an amazing artist. Dolly returns to the country genre on this album, which is exciting for this listener. She seems to offer a little bit for everyone. The stories told by Dolly in the album will relate to anyone listening.
With "Better Get to Livin'", she starts with a bang. It's a song that could easily be incorporated into today's country airplay (which I'm shocked that it hasn't been a huge hit for her). The humorous video is worth watching several times (it features Amy Sedaris). "Made of Stone" reminds me off her pre-pop success. It's full of emotion and just an awesome track. "Drives Me Crazy" is a remake of the huge '80's hit. It's an interesting twist on a classic. "Backwoods Barbie" reminds me again of her traditional past. In typical Dolly fashion, she sings about the influences of Barbie and Fredericks catalogs. It's fun! The next song, "Jesus & Gravity" seems to be awkward to me for some reason (it was my least favorite track). "Only Dreamin'" really shows the versatility in Dolly's voice. It's a slower track that feels spiritual in nature. "The Tracks of My Tears" is a medium paced song that is full of delight. "The Lonesomes" is another traditional country song that uses a piano for the main instrument. It's really "Patsy Cline" like. At first, I didn't really care for it, but the more I heard it, the more I appreciated it. One of the best tracks on the album is "Cologne". It's about being the "other" woman (Jolene). It's a serious track that builds momemtum. "Shinola" is another great track on the album. She sings, "I don't need this crap, I'm getting out of Dodge!" as a part of her anthem to leave a man. It's full of steel guitar has a great rhythm. "I Will Forever Hate Roses" is another great track. It's a traditional country song that flows like her earlier work in the '70's. "You sent me roses, I thought it was nice, opened the card, and it read goodbye. You're moving on as this chapter closes...and I will forever hate roses," she sings. "Somebody's Everything" is another good traditional track.
Once again, Dolly's superior story-telling style is very evident in this album. On a whole, the album flows very well and there isn't whole sections you will skip like most albums you buy today. "Backwoods Barbie" is truly a treat for traditional and modern country fans. Welcome back Dolly! I can't wait to see her in Minneapolis in May!
Free Music Review: What is Wrong With Radio?
Hit: 5 Stars
Dolly Parton has been making solid to brilliant albums for decades and we don't have to go into her crossover appeal that paved the way for Shania or how the Dixie Chicks have ridden her bubbly sheen of country to their own genre bending career, but we need to talk about how Country Radio has smacked this woman in the face and ignored her for helping to sustain it and bring in new listeners.
Dolly's new disc is great with some truly outstanding cuts. She didn't pen every song on the disc and there are covers. "Tracks of my Tears" sticks close to the Smokey Robinson original but I love it. Dolly's almost innocent vocal and the opening lines of that song fit her personality perfectly, giving a hidden wink and nod to the lyrics.
"Drives Me Crazy" gets a bit of a rework, more of a barn burner; it's cute and you won't skip it when you hear it. But the true foot stomper is "Shinola" Dolly's kiss off number with grit and wit -- showing Gretchen Wilson and Miranda Lambert how to kick a man out like a mule, but with class.
Then there are the outstanding songs. "Cologne" is worth the price of the disc alone, building from a sweet opening sigh then straight into a relationship where what most likely attracted the lover must be repressed to conceal their relationship. Then there is "Made of Stone," a 180 to the previous number, scorned love and with desperation in her voice with swelling back up singers pushing her along -- PERFECTION!
"The Lonesomes" and "I Will Forever Hate Roses" are the rest of the best. Dolly doesn't seem to be updating her sound, begging for radio acceptance. But it sounds like a great Dolly Parton album that somehow went unreleased when she was at her mainstream peak.
So many great country artists are just being ignored on the radio. She gets the ovations, she puts the butts in the seats, but when will radio give what listeners want? We want Dolly dang it!
Free Music Review: Wigs and makeup can't hide her true talent!
Hit: 5 Stars
When you look at the cover of Dolly Parton's new cd "Backwoods Barbie" bathed in pink and Dolly sitting on bales of hay in a butter colored pick up truck, you might be swayed to believe that this is a set of songs best left on the shelf. However, as her lyrics state in the title track, "I might look artificial but where it counts I'm real" pretty much sums up Dolly and her talent for songwriting.
Dolly has consistently released good cds for the last decade and yet radio seems unwilling to give the country queen a chance. Amid the Faith Hills and Taylor Swifts of todays country music scene, Dolly is left out when she is far better than many of those being played on country radio. Now given, I'm not a big country fan but when someone like Dolly can get me to listen to a genre I'm are not always open to, that says a lot.
The first track (and lead single off the cd) is "Better Get to Livin'", an anthem to enjoying life to the fullest. Its a great song and pure Dolly. Other treats on the cd are "The Tracks of My Tears", which Dolly does a nice cover of and "I Will Forever Hate Roses", a song about how the romantic flower is the harbinger of loss in a previous relationship. The title track is a good song that describes Dolly to a tee and "Somebody's Everything" is another pleasant track on a consistently good cd. My favorite, however, has to be Dolly's fun take on the 90's hit by the Fine Young Cannibal's "She Drives Me Crazy" (Drives Me Crazy, on this cd). It is the song that made me want to buy the cd and I was very pleased with the results.
Overall this is an amazing country cd and I hope it sells well for Dolly. It would nice if radio wised up and gave this great set of songs a chance to be heard. If you are a fan of Dolly, country music or good music in general, you will enjoy this cd. Highly recommended!