Thursday, October 13, 2005
Since I'm musing on music: I really don't understand the current mania for Sara Evans among certain poets and music critics. I tried out a few songs; the vocals are cloying, the production overslick, the melodies unsurprising. I'm not against packaging per se, many bands or singers do well by presenting a calculated image to the public; I just don't see anything that differentiates her from other successful country music stars like Faith Hill or Shania Twain. Can a fan fill me in?
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2 comments:
Hm, I've been wondering about it too overhere in the epicenter. Nearest I can figure, she's picking up about where Michael Stipe left off (circa Everybody Hurts).
The song that reeled me in was Suds in the Bucket -- perfect pop country, could almost be a Beatles cover. For country, Bible Song is practically My Bloody Valentine. Backseat of a Greyhound Bus, Rocking Horse, I Give In, Four-Thirty, No Place That Far - I'd think any George Jones/Tammy Wynnette fan would understand these, but anyone without a taste for country would not.
Look, I know her favorite movie is Mel Gibson's Passion of the Christ. You could say there's a little red-state tourism going on here - I only know I respond to certain of her songs much more than most other country, indie, and even hip hop I've heard in the last few years. She's no John Darnielle, no Craig Finn, no Daniel Dumile, no Leslie Feist, but does everybody have to be?
I find her voice rich and strong -- and what I get from her persona is a woman who breaks down the good girl/bad girl dichotomy (a country music staple) as much as she can.
I don't like that much country. But when I do, it's always a female vocalist portraying some aspect of what it's like to be a woman, or a mom, right now -- and where else is that happening in music?
All this is extramusical, isn't it. I'm not really prepared to defend slick melodies & production values. Sometimes it's just what you listen to doing dishes.
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