Your Country
Your Country
Customer Review: GP Goes Country
Graham Parker has been one of rock’s great secrets and has produced avolume of work with his band the Rumour and as a solo artist that equalsmany a household rock legend. Graham sings from the heart and this is notexcept with a melting pot of Country with London Pub Rock and Dylansequegrowl. His advert in the Melody Maker, an English music newspaper askedfor a band to sound like The Rolling Stones backing Bob Dylan and he foundthe Rumour - here he seems to get more of his original wish. He opens with’Anything for a Laugh’ - a strong strum along song that is one of thestrongest of the CD and produces Van the Man type imagiry with ‘Greyhoundsacross the State’ - an Britsh facination with American songs and folklore.The next ‘The Rest is History’ is a great love song without every becomingtoo sweet.
‘Cruel Lips’ Is a Country ballard as bitter as any brokenheart and another highlight of the CD. ‘Almost Thanksgiving Day’reminds meof Van the Man when he embraced the USA and sung of Tupelo Honey and thisis GP’s America trip with embracing a holiday feast that could’nt befurther from his Deepcut, Surrey where he came from - but an excellentsong none the less. The steel guitars are ever present and thankfully arenot over powering into C & W zone. ‘Nation of Shopkeepers’ Is GP lookingback to Napoelon’s quote that that English were a nation of Shopkeepersand comes up with other things the English are noted for - perhaps he ishomesick for beekeepers, Innkeepers, lockkeepers - you get the idea! stilla good song with song backing. ‘Queen of Compromise’ Is a echoy Rock aBilly stomper, ‘Things I never said’ will touch any of us that regret allthe things we should have said after an affair and never said. TorandoAlley is followed by Fairground another rocker to do more with Americanvision of carnies and blue jeans - has GP left the UK for ever behind? Toprove he has not forgotten us - he ends with ‘Crawling from the Wreckage’a Dave Edmunds Pub Rocker - with a rockin’ back beat — The overall soundis of Country and hints of Dylan at his best. Well Dylan and ElvisCostello did Country albums Why not GP. IF you have any doubts aboutbuying this CD - don’t hesitate is probably his best!
Customer Review: GP comes out as a winner again
It is quite interesting that people who are not into Graham Parker tend to think that he always sounds the same. On the contrary we who are into GP knows that he is very diverse, he can deliver a slow and touching ballad with the same grace as he can deliver a hard rocking R’n’B number. Through all his music you still can find some trademark criterias. Well-crafted and melodic melodies - very often with a memorable hook, sharp and clever lyrics and that rich and emotional rasp vocal (which the fans adore and many others really dislike).
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 word 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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