a r t i s t : Kimmie Rhodes
t i t l e : Walls Fall Down
d a t e : 2008
l a b e l : Sunbird
g e n r e : Folk
r l s. d a t e : Mar/2008
t r a c k s : 12
b i t r a t e : VBRkbps
s i z e : 51,10 MB
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Kimmie Rhodes delivers a superb set of all new recordings,
with nine self-penned songs never before heard, a Townes Van
Zandt classic and a new tune written by Rodney Crowell.
Recorded in her Austin studio with a stellar cast of friends
including Irish pals Keiran Goss and Ann Kinsella,
multi-instrumentalist and co-producer Gabriel Rhodes,
rock-solid rhythm section stars John Gardner and Glen Fukunaga
(Dixie Chicks, Joe Ely, Don Williams), and cello master Brian
Standefer (Alejandro Escovedo, Patty Griffin), the music
ranges from Americana country to contemporary folk to Texas
rock. Once again we are treated to the brilliant lyrics,
fantastical imagination, positive inspiration, and pointed
irony of KimmieÆs writing, which has earned her many
platinum-selling songs and famous admirers over the years.
ôAs carefree as her artistic front, thatÆs how wonderful
Kimmie Rhodes is. It sounds as though itÆs so incredibly easy
to be an artist when listening to her stories. As if the songs
were born out of her exhailing, sort of, with her slightly
laid-back and even more slightly raspy voice. Can you talk of
soft, mild country here? If so, the new songs are
representative of such a sound. And when she includes a Townes
Van Zandt tune as well as one by Rodney Crowell, itÆs not only
for the sake of variation, the unjustly unknown Kimmie Rhodes
take them over too, in that same super carefree way. First and
foremost, itÆs Texas country, sounding a lot more like here
and now, than once upon a time.ö
ôKimmie Rhodes recorded output is uneven. Her masterpiece is
still æWest Texas HeavenÆ from 1994, on which she, among other
things, successfully brought Willie Nelson back from his
desert walk. That particular album even included fine duets
with Townes Van Zandt and Waylon Jennings. The collaboration
with Willie Nelson continued the following year on æJust One
LoveÆ, one of Nelsons greatest records ever. Even their duo
album æPictures In A FrameÆ from 2003 belongs to the ones you
canÆt miss.
Apart from this, I think Kimmie RhodesÆ records so far this
millennium, have appeared quite anonymous. But her comes
æWalls Fall DownÆ, her best album since æWest Texas HeavenÆ.
The approach is just as gentle as on the previous albums, but
the material is stronger and the contributions from the
musicians more distinct.
On a song like æMake The Morning ShineÆ Kimmie shows herself
from her most tender side. She sings soft and yearning, with
strong dedication and a totally irresistable pleading in her
voice, to the sparse acompaniment of strings and Annie
KinsellaÆs slightly old time harsh second harmony.
æThereÆs A Storm ComingÆ is more dramatic, a populisticly
shine-through contemplation over economical depression and the
most recent times natural disasters. The nearly rolling
country guitar and precisely inserted slide notes of Gabriel
Rhodes underscore the fateful (both existentially and
meteorologically) atmosphere.
Even the title track is a small masterpiece. Kimmie Rhodes
sings, in a harshly focused tone, her lyrics, critical of the
civilisation, and the harmony vocals and the lap steel guitar
of Gabriel Rhodes deepens the musical expression even more.
But itÆs not only the self-written songs that keep the highest
class. Kimmie Rhodes also does entirely convincing
interpretations of Townes Van ZandtÆs æIf I Needed YouÆ (oh
yes indeed, you can tweak a new meaning out of it!),
Lennon/McCartneyÆs æThe Fool On The HillÆ and Rodney CrowellÆs
playfully critical song of the human culture, æSex and
GasolineÆ.ö
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01-Walls Fall Down [04:20]
02-If I Needed You [04:21]
03-Sex & Gasoline [04:22]
04-Beautiful [04:25]
05-I've Been Loved by You [03:27]
06-All in All [03:31]
07-Make The Morning Shine [03:27]
08-The Fool on The Hill [03:22]
09-Your Majesty [04:12]
10-Shining Like A Sun [02:25]
11-There's A Storm Coming [03:08]
12-Last Seven Second [04:29]
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45:29 min