Graham Parker - Your Country

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Free Music Notes for Your Country

Free Music Review: GP comes out as a winner again
Hit: 5 Stars

This time it is time for GP to conquer the country genre. It is absolutely no new area for him, but never before has he done it so consequently in one and the same album. And once again he comes out as a winner. Your Country is a rootsy album filled with traditional American music with a GP twist to them. The band is very groovy and tight and there is a clear album feel to the record, not only a batch of songs put together. Add to this that the whole album overall is very good recorded HiFi-wise and you realize that you have to get this one.

Let's go through the album song by song:
1. Anything for a laugh (8/10) - The album starter sets the country mode right away. Stripped down arrangement and a good lyric. It first reminded me of "Christmas is for mugs" from GPs "Christmas Cracker" but this one is better. One of many songs on the album that need several listens to shine.
2. The rest is history(10/10) - A fantastic song which makes me think of Bob Dylan. It is country flavoured but more GP than country to my ears. I love the energy and melody in the latter part of the verses and I love the laidback chorus. Nice backing vocal too.
3. Cruel lips (8/10) - a genuine country ballad with Lucinda Williams on backing vocals. Nice and bittersweet.
4. Almost Thanksgiving Day (9/10) - The least country-flavoured song with typical "old" GP vocal. A suggestive song that grows on you. But the worst HiFi quality on the album
5. Nation of shopkeepers (10/10) - A future GP classic. Not much country in this one either, but a terrific vocal and the best HiFi on the record - deep base and airy but distinct treble
6. Queen of compromise (7/10) - A typical "Dave Edmunds"-number. Solid and good fun, both in music and lyric, but not any of my favourites on the album
7. Things I've never said (7/10) - A slow traditional country ballad. Nice melody but maybe a bit too slow...
8. Sugaree (10/10) - I'm not into the Greatful Dead so I have not heard the original, but GPs rendition is very good with a very catchy and swinging chorus. A killer vocal and good HiFi in addition makes this a favourite of mine.
9. Tornado Alley (10/10) - Also a typical "Dave Edmunds"-number, but with a better better driving force, melody and vocal. The way he sings the title words in the chorus is just gorgeous, not to mention the backing vocals.
10. Fairground (10/10) - Absolutely one of the best songs on the album. An atmospheric song that tells a long story in many words. It is the longest song on the album but do not let this frighten you. It is a really good story/lyric and the song has a very natural flow to it. Hard to describe, you have to hear it.
11. Crawling from the wreckage (revisited) (9/10) - Funny is how GP really tries to not sound like Dave Edmunds on this one. He succeeds though and the result is, once when you have gotten used to it, a nice kind of countrygroovy version of the song. The song in itself is a very strong one and I think if GP should go for a hard rocking "Dave Edmunds"-version, that would be the definitive 11/10 version of the song.

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