Karen Dalton - In My Own Time
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Free Music Notes for In My Own Time
Free Music Review: In Her Own Time
Hit: 5 Stars
Karen Dalton is one of the very best singers in our country's brief history. I was fortunate enought to discover this record on the shelf of the local record store when it was released. Later I found out that she only ever made two recordings. She is such a brilliant talent. She made emotional, raw, heart rendering music. I have been anxiously awaiting the release of this cd for years.Free Music Review: Classic
Hit: 5 Stars
If you know about music and you have heard it all before,
You need this cd .You will see why on the third time you play it.
Free Music Review: Slow Magic
Hit: 4 Stars
Whenever I put on Karen Dalton for friends, reactions are always strong. I've had people say, "Wow! Sounds like a Folksy, Billie Holliday!". Or: " Turn that crap off, sounds like a drunken cat in heat!"
Love or hate it, Karen Dalton's cracked, nasal voice never fails to make an impression. But I've always appreciated idiosyncratic voices. Bob Dylan, Tom Waits, Neil Young & Nina Simone--- to name a few. Yet, like Elvis, Johnny Cash or Lady Day, one listen to Dalton & you know immediately who it is. No mistaking. To me that is a mark of a fine singer.
I think a strong case can made for singers these days favoring style over actually trying to communicate something to the listener. Which is something Dalton never fails to acheive. True, she's no Joni Mitchell in the songwriting department. Dalton was exclusively an interpreter of other people's songs, but bet she would've done a killer version of, "Case Of You".
Alot of Dalton fans seem to prefer her 1st album. Fact is, many find this to be a misstep in an all-too-brief career. Mixed bag that the album is, I genuinely prefer In My Own Time to Love You The Best. One reason is the fact that she's playing with a full band that keeps her from getting too languid or self indulgent.
For me the only missteps are 2 tracks: "When A Man Loves A Woman" & "How Sweet It Is". Both have been covered to death & smack of record company commercial pandering.
Without a doubt my very favorite Karen Dalton song is "Katie Cruel". Harrowing and desolate. Much of the same can be said for the haunting, "Same Old Man". As for the songs featuring more studio backing, "Something On Your Mind" is just pure sugar to these ears. "Take Me" never fails to stop me in my tracks. "Are You Ready For The Country" ends the album on a yearning note.
Ultimately, its up to your personal taste whether you like Dalton or not. To me her voice is as earthy as its ethereal. Despite her documented substance abuse problems, her obscurity cannot wholly be attributed to that. According to popular report, she was a notoriously reluctant performer. Furthermore, as evidenced by "Sweet It Is" & "Man Loves A Woman", her voice was never one that could be easily molded into the popular market. She was first & foremost a Folk singer.
My advice? Start with her 1st album & then let this one work its slow magic on you and see if you don't come to appreciate it more.
Free Music Review: Good Record - Historically Significant
Hit: 4 Stars
First off, ignore the two, one star reviews below. Considering the reference to American Idol on the one, clearly these folks never bothered to listen to the samples to get any kind of sense of what this artist was about or what they were in for. No doubt Billie Holiday, of whom Karen Dalton is reminiscent, wouldn't make it on AI either and these two reviewers would find no value in her as well. No knock to them or AI, to each their own, it's just a different world and mindset. AI is looking for pop superstars within the context of what that means today. It has no bearing on the larger world of highly talented artists who are working other avenues with other aspirations. It's like saying foreign or independent films are bad when you were expecting a Hollywood formulaic blockbuster.
Listen to the samples - that's what they are there for. My review assumes you have at least done that and you are attracted to what you heard. From that perspective, what we have here is the second of her two albums and the only one with a full band. Although the band is quite appropriate for her and producer Harvey Brooks' intentions were honorable, it doesn't work nearly as well as her first album, "It's So Hard To Tell Who Is Going To Love You The Best." That first album is pretty much all Karen accompanying herself on acoustic without a band. The album lacks the arguably misguided attempts at contemporary (at that time) songs like How Sweet It Is and When A Man Loves A Woman, both of which are on this album, In My Own Time. It's not that she does a bad job with them, indeed, it is an admirable accomplishment to deliver contemporary, highly familiar pop songs in her own unique style and have it come across as a believable interpretation, which is what she does here. But it is simply that the setting and the song choices on her previous album are so much more natural to her. The band and arrangements aren't there to threaten the power of her vocalization - her delivery and phrasing, which show so such conviction and understanding of the material.
If you listen to her and you like her style, you will like them both. Perhaps it's simply a matter of personal preference, but for the reasons stated, the first album is more intimate and satisfying, which isn't to say that this one isn't, just a little less so.
Free Music Review: Definitely Worth a Look...
Hit: 3 Stars
I took a gamble and got this album on the strengh of the rave reviews and favourable comparisons to other acts I like. The artist is also recommended by one B.Dylan, a certain N.Cave and others. I have to say I am always wary of artist endorsements since I feel they will often be looking at some quality in the music as it relates to their own or may be just know the person.
My initial reaction as the first track hit me was WOW the gamble paid off, very different voice and a wonderul delivery, almost cracking with emotion on each note, one of the most amazing performances I've heard in quite some time.Unfortunately I would have to say only a few other tracks match it.
It perhaps isn't made clear elsewhere that there is no self-penned material on the album so track selection is crucial.Her voice doesn't suit all the songs chosen and the comparisons to Billy Holiday, whilst I can see certain similarities, are a little over-done.
This is NOT a slating;I do not regret buying the album as the best songs are well worth the purchase price, just don't expect "a great lost album" or you may be disappointed.
A final word on the packaging, while the music is paramount and such matters count for little if it is lacking, it must be said the CD is beautifully presented, the chunky cardboard sleeve comes with a substantial booklet featuring informative notes and some nice photos.