This is a long awaited album from Gretta. Gone are EEPs and EPs. This is an album. Produced by Paul Ruske. I think that I can hear one of my faves singing some back up vocals in there, Jen Mize? This is a polished album. It is probably not what a lot of fans were expecting. Goodness, if Gretta had finally given us an album and it was of her doing Kookaburra impersonations, I would have gladly bought it.
I Don't Ever Want To Say Goodbye Jude Round And Round Let It Go Alright With Me This Is Gonna Hurt Whiskey Shivers Queen Of Boomtown Go On Slaughterhouse Blues
It is so sweet and sad and gentle in parts and in others, the Boom in Boomtown is definitely felt. Gretta has such a mixed musical background that every release was always going to be different from the last one.
There are toe tappers, ones that will have you crying in your merlot and others that will have you joining in on either the protest or just because it is a damn catchy tune.
This album is very Forrest Gumpish. It’s like a box of chocolates, you don’t know what you’re gonna get.
I am so glad to finally hear the finished product. It was well worth the wait. Just don’t take so long with the next one, GZ, I only have a few years left in me.
Tracks:
Slaughterhouse Blues: The first single off the album. A very catchy, hum along, tap along, sing along song with a deeper layer or two.
Go On: A nice, easy beat to this one. Bluesy, down home number. Reminds me of a song from Jennifer Warnes off her Famous Blue Raincoat album (A Leonard Cohen tribute).
Queen of Boomtown: One of the finest songs of the year. I love how Gretta can flex her voice in a million different ways. Just an awesome, powerful song.
Whiskey Shivers: Not a pretty song in subject matter, though sung beautifully. It feels familiar.
This Is Gonna Hurt – One of my favourites off the album. Gretta’s voice reaches down into the soul and back up into the sky. Beautiful haunting musicianship too. I’d actually like to hear it with a full on orchestra. It would take it to another level.
Alright With Me – This has that steady riding across the plains Western feel to it in instrumentation but the words are that of a modern day heartache.
Let it Go: This is a big change-up from Gretta’s usual music. It is almost head banging stuff at one point, at other times there are Monkees-like riffs. I really like it but it is different.
Round and Round (With Henry Wagons) – I love Henry and that adds to this song first up. He is one of the great characters of alt. Country music. He’s just so different to the norm with his entertainment style and his music in general. It does have that feel of what Nick Cave and Kylie Minogue did a few years ago – that is not a put down, that’s a compliment.
Jude: A bluesy, soulful song with attitude. Love it. A midnight hour listening to song.
I Don’t Ever Want to Say Goodbye: This is more of a folk tune, more like the Gretta we would expect to hear, not that the surprises weren’t welcome ones, this one just feels like a favourite pair of slippers, A sad song that is a fitting finale to the album.
I have known Gretta for a while now, she is one of the finest singer/songwriters around and her versatility shines on this album.
Gretta The Great is here to stay.
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