Amy Dalley - Coming Out Of The Pain

Amy Dalley – Coming Out Of The Pain
2012, Rock Ridge Music

Country/rock singer-songwriter Amy Dalley has taken a long and winding road to become the artist she is today.  Growing up in Kingsport, Tennessee, Dalley was performing from a very young age.  Her first professional gig was at Dollywood.  Moving to Nashville in 1994, Dalley formed the Hillbilly Gypsies and scored a publishing deal.  This led to one of her songs, “Dream To Small being featured on the taste-making teen drama Dawson’s Creek.  Dalley was then picked up by Curb Records, releasing seven successful singles between 2003 and 2007.  During that time she co-wrote a successful single for Reba McEntire (“My Sister”) and recorded her debut album.  For one reason or another, Curb never released Dalley’s album.  Dalley struck out on her own, releasing It’s Time on her own Madjack Records in 2009.  This album became quite popular through grassroots efforts and word of mouth.

Back in the studio in 2011, Dalley teamed up with husband and writing partner Jack Sizemore (Jason Aldean) to track her newest album, Coming Out Of The Pain.  Coming Out Of The Pain hits tangible and virtual shelves this week.

Kicking things off with the gritty country/pop of “Peace Sign”,  Dalley delivers a brilliant and funny kiss odd song.  This is a sure-fire hit, as they say.  The song is catchy, well-written and seriously entertaining.  Dalley’s iron & wine voice is the main attraction however.  “Breakin ‘ It Down” is more of a classic rock number, think Heart with a country vocalist and you’ll have the right idea.  “Somebody Said It Rained” is a generic country ballad that’s made much more interesting by Dalley’s voice.  Dalley slips a bit into cliché on “Saturday Night Situation”, but that’s sort of the point.  This raucous country rocker is catchy as anything you’ll hear on commercial country radio, and will make programmers drool at the number of spins it might garner.

“Damage Done” is one of the more finely written songs on the album.  The melody could stand alone if it needed to, but Dalley wraps it in complementary instrumentation and delivers it with a warm, tough tone that gets the job done.  The album slips into generic sentimentality on “I May Love You Now”, a regretful ballad without much energy.  Dalley picks up the pieces for “Civil War”, an exploration of how a relationship fell apart.  The full arrangement seems to reflect the complication emotions and full on rush of finding the source of a problem in the middle of a storm.  The song is artfully written and brought to life by Dalley and her band.

“Round And Round” allows a listener a moments respite before Dalley launches into the upbeat pop of “Bottle It Up”.  Try to get this tune out of your head.  Just try it.  Don’t be surprised if you hear “Bottle It Up” once an hour an hour on commercial country radio this summer.  The song has an infectious feel to it that will wrap you up.  Dalley closes out with the title track.  “Coming Out Of The Pain” is solid radio fare, lending itself more to rock n roll than to country.  The song is well written and ready for the mass market, but may have a hard time slotting neatly into one niche.

Amy Dalley shows that she can deliver the hits on Coming Out Of The Pain, but occasionally she also reaches into the well and writes something deeper and more musically profound.  Coming Out Of The Pain is a classic case of an artist trying to balance commercial success with continued growth as an artist.  So far, Dalley is handling the balancing act very well.

Rating:  3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Amy Dalley at www.amydalley.com.  Coming Out Of The Pain drops this week.  You can order it any of the e-tailers below, or through the Wildy’s World Amazon store.

             CD                    MP3                    iTunes.   


Please note that the Amazon.com prices listed above are as of the posting date, and may have changed. Wildy's World is not responsible for price changes instituted by Amazon.com.

Renée Wahl - Cumberland Moonshine

Renée Wahl - Cumberland Moonshine
2011, Renée Wahl Records

Physicist, educator, U.S. Air Force veteran and singer/songwriter Renée Wahl has packed a lot of living and learning into her life thus far.  An educated drifter and an organized dreamer, Wahl found her way to Nashville a few years back to make another dream come true.  Earlier this spring part of that dream came to fruition, with the release of Wahl's debut album, Cumberland Moonshine.  With an alternative edge but deep respect for country music's roots, Renée Wahl writes about life, love and the spaces in between that make all the difference. 

Cumberland Moonshine opens with "On Something New", an energetic, mid-tempo country number capturing the high of new love.  Wahl's voice is sultry and just a bit gritty, with a gorgeous velvet tone.  The folks behind her aren't too shabby either, matching Wahl note for note.  "Keeping You For Mine" takes love and obsession to dark places.  Etched against a classic melody is tale of obsession so complete that only death can ensure they never part.  "One More To Go" is a catchy country number that's commercial without commercial aspirations.  Wahl could be mistaken for a cross between Reba and Bonnie Raitt here, and the song borders on instant classic status. 

Wahl delves into blues-based rock n roll for "Under My Skin", showing off a bit of her upper range in the process.  "Roses Are Blue" is a kiss-off number born of infidelity, but laced with a good-natured humor that's refreshing.  Wahl manages to sound classic country even while placing her firmly original stamp on the song.  Renée Wahl has a likely hit on her hands in "Heartbreak Thing".  Blues, rock and country mix in a tune about trying to get over a lost love but not quite letting go.  Drinking her troubles away turns into a cycle that keeps her locked in place, with the story told against a catchy honky-tonk arrangement you won't be able to get out of your noggin.  Wahl is thoroughly in her element here, in perfect voice with all cylinders firing.

"Love Won't Be Denied" is a solid, radio-friendly country number; the sort likely to pop on a soundtrack somewhere over the next year or two.  "Come On Baby" is the ultimate invitation in song.  Wahl drops this one like a bomb; listeners of all persuasions will find themselves wishing she was singing to them, in what might be one of the catchiest and danceable country songs of 2011.  "Got A Feeling" finds Wahl turning sultry and in a slow blues number carved from the harsh realities of life.  Cumberland Moonshine closes with "I'm A Wave", perhaps the only song on the album that seems out of place.  It's a somewhat disappointing end to what is otherwise a stellar effort.

Renée Wahl might just set Nashville on fire with her voice.  Wahl gives her all on Cumberland Moonshine, one of the most exciting country debuts in the past five years or so.  Wahl's just getting started, but has already shown herself to be better-than-average songwriter.  With a voice you could listen to all day long, and a backing band that's among the best in Nashville, expect big things from Renée Wahl in the future.  Cumberland Moonshine is a thrilling introduction.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Renée Wahl at www.reneewahl.com or www.myspace.com/reneewahlmusic.  Cumberland Moonshine is available from Amazon.com as a CD or Download.  The album is also available via iTunes.

Andy Budd – Ragtop Monterey

Andy Budd – Ragtop Monterey
2011, Red Bush Records

Folk/Americana singer/songwriter Andy Budd is relatively known, but perhaps not for long.  Budd’s third album, Ragtop Monterey, finds Budd blending a delicate songwriting touch and great musicianship, while raising the bar with his impressive previous work.  There are no prolonged solos or flashy sounds, just good old fashioned songwriting with a Nashville sound that hasn’t been heard on commercial radio in decades.

Ragtop Monterey opens with the old school train song "Old Freight", an escapist fantasy in traditional country fashion with bluegrass accents in the arrangement.  Budd has a workingman's voice; not pretty, per se, but with a comfortably gruff sound that lends authenticity to the performance.  "If You Did That Today" is a catchy tune highlighting the differences between the child rearing philosophies of today compared to those of a generation or two ago.  Many of today's taboos were thought perfectly normal thirty or forty years ago, like smoking during pregnancy to riding in the back of a car without a seatbelt; things that would result in a CPS referral nowadays.  Budd's song is tongue-in-cheek, but may also leave you wondering about the sanity of such bureaucratic efforts.

"Don't Bother Calling" is a humble kiss off from a jilted lover.  She cheated on him, and he's telling her to get lost in heartfelt, articulate terms.  The arrangement is solid, but it's Budd's lyrics that really grab your attention here, "With a bullet in every chamber you played lover's roulette.  It's hard to forgive and even harder to forget."  "Ragtop Monterey" is a love song to a car his grandmother once owned, captured in a catchy, country arrangement.  This is a fun one that will appeal to the car buffs out there.  "Time Won't Do It" is a woeful heartbreaker skeptical of healing powers of time, particularly when it comes to heartbreak.  The classic country arrangement is a treat, and the chorus is inescapable.  "Bread Upon The Waters" is a catchy number exhorting listeners to live the good life but not take more than their fare share.  It's a great tune with a powerful-yet-simple message that's worth being reminded of. 

"He's Still Missing Her" is a tongue-in-cheek tune about one man's dogged determination to get rid of his sweetheart, "He's still missing her but his aim is getting better..."  Budd throws these comical curveballs once in a while just to make sure you're awake, but even if the lyrics are occasionally full of whimsy the music is deadly serious and well constructed.  "Ol' Work Truck" is full of reminiscence over a friend who has seen him through thick and thin.  The truck in question becomes a symbol of American Pride and the connection between generations of working class men; a love song and a memory of what America once was.  Budd heads back to the honky-tonk for "Baa Baa Black Sheep", a catchy number about himself and his sister and their roles as the family black sheep.  Budd once again shows a gift for turns of phrase with lines like "The two of us lived up to daddy's fears and mama's tears."  Budd closes with "Godspeed", a sweet memorial to a friend who has finally given up the fight but who fought like few others.  If you've lost someone you love dearly recently, or if the loss is still fresh in your heart, this song will be a tear-jerker.  It's an honest and heartfelt piece of songwriting that leaves pieces of itself embedded in your psyche.

Andy Budd is a great story-teller with a healthy dose of wit thrown in.  Ragtop Monterey is the sort of album you'll find yourself hitting repeat on again and again.  Budd blossoms under the steady hand of producer Chip Hardy (Waylon Jennings, Reba McEntyre, George Strait), and delivers ten songs that will get stuck in your brain and stay around long enough to petition for rights.  You'll find yourself more and more engrossed with Ragtop Monterey, and Andy Budd, with each listen.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Andy Budd at www.andybudd-usa.com.  Ragtop Monterey is available from Amazon.com as a CD or Download.  The album is also available digitally via iTunes.

Review: The Echelons - Don't Kiss Her Face

The Echelons - Don't Kiss Her Face
2008, Da Kline Music

The family band is something that died out with the sunset of the 1970's. Bands like The Osmonds, The Jacksons/Jackson 5 and the Cowsills dominated the pop charts in the early 1970's with gooey pop confections. More recent family acts such as Hanson have had some success, but not to the level of the 1970's trio above. The Echelons look to bring the family band back in a big way. Guitarist Ben Petrella (known as Dad to the rest of the group) played guitar for The Drive-Ins and bass for King Neptune & Wally World previously. Jessica Petrella (keys, vox) is all of 19 years old, while guitarist Louis Petrella clocks in at 12 years and growing. The band is rounded out by neighbors Brian "Binger" Santo (bass) and Brandon Grande (drums). Songwriting duties are shared, with 21-year old Sarah Petrella, who's not in the band, contributing material she wrote with Don Goodman (Alabama, Reba McEntire, Blake Shelton). The Echelons' debut album, Don't Kiss Her Face, has the pop sensibility of earlier family bands, but adds a modern edge that is a mark of their youthful exuberance.

Don't Kiss Her Face is what it is. Some of the songs sound a bit young, which is befitting the respective ages of The Echelons. That means there will be some moments along the way where the lyrics are a bit awkward, but musically The Echelons put on a top-notch performance on Don't Kiss Her Face. The entire band has occasional disagreements on key in the vocal line, but the deviations aren't horrible and serve to foster a Lo-Fi feel to the album that the production values also support. Don't Kiss Her Face opens with Remember Me, a sophomoric yet touching song of love, desire and loss. I'll Have To Go looks at relationships from another side; realizing that things aren't working and having to cut your losses. Don't Kiss Her Face is the star of the album, a funny diatribe about women who wear too much makeup. This has seriously licensing potential and even breakout Pop radio potential.

World Of Her Own is a bit on the average side, but the guitar work is splendid. Another favorite track is Dressed In White, which might be tagged with a "Geek Punktronica" label. The song is very entertaining, both lyrically and sonically. Ben Petrella takes lead vocals on Life Ain't No Day On The Beach, sounding a bit like David Byrne singing a Reggae/Rock tune. This is probably a killer tune when done live. The Echelons close out with My Best Friend, a broken heart song that's young but poignant.

The Echelons might be young but I suggest you take them seriously. There are a few songs here that just don't work, but when everything clicks, The Echelons are highly entertaining. Don't Kiss Her Face is the sort of album you'll be trying to hunt down five years from now when they hit the big time, and probably paying big money for on eBay. The mix of humor and intelligence bodes well for the growth of the band as songwriters, and musically they are already all they need to be. Make time, and room for The Echelons. They're not going away.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about The Echelons at http://www.theechelons.net/. You can purchase Don’t Kiss Her Face as either a CD or download through CDBaby.com.

Review: Jefferson Ross - Azalea

Jefferson Ross - Azalea
2008, Deep Fried Discs

Jefferson Ross has traveled the world extensively playing his music, but his heart has always been in the south. With family connections in the music business, Ross used to sit in with The Allman Brothers’ warm-up band at the tender age of 13, when he’d play the Les Paul owned by Dwayne Allman that now resides in the Rock N Roll Hall Of Fame. Ross later toured and recorded with Jimmy Swaggart, and spent ten years on the road with Grand Ol’ Opry member Terri Clark. Over time, Jefferson Ross has shared the stage with stars like Reba McEntire, George Strait, Brooks and Dunn and Toby Keith, to name a few. In 2005, Jefferson Ross dedicated himself to songwriting; the fruition of which is his first solo album, Azalea.

Azalea opens with Hornet Hawkins, a musical tale about a bootlegger who got his start to keep the bank from foreclosing on his home. Hawkins becomes something of a local hero as he dodges the Feds while spreading good spirits all around. The country arrangement here is a classic. Change is a decent tune that talks about the human need for change, and uses it to justify all sorts of life decisions, both good and bad. The Prophet Elijah is a powerful story song about the wisdom of our elders, as seen through the eyes and ears of someone who befriends an elderly neighbor with something important to say. This is an amazing tune and is worth picking up the disc on its own. Azalea is a decent if somewhat typical country love song.

Flippin' That Hog is an epicurean adventure set a fantastic honky-tonk style arrangement. The song might be a bit blunt for some, and certainly won't be dinner music at any PETA functions in the near future, but is a great tune nonetheless. Hard To Be So Easy is an outstanding duet with Lisa McCallum about taking the easy way out in relationships (which generally isn't out at all). Reality tackles the Grand Illusion of life, reminding listeners that they control their own destinies ("If I believe in being free, then that's reality"). Lucky Now & Then is the best song on the disc. A man whose life has been full of hard luck finally gets a good break with the right woman. This song is a wow moment. Ross closes out with The Last Song, a decent tune but the subject matter has been covered so many times its hard to not hear it as cliché.

Jefferson Ross has a distinctive voice that is radio-friendly and likely to gain him some attention in the commercial realm. Azalea is a strong offering in the Country Singer/Songwriter tradition. Ross has an ability to tell stories in vibrant terms in song, and wraps them up in melodies and arrangements that stick with the listener well after the CD has stopped spinning. I highly recommend Azalea to our readers. It's not perfect, but it's a fine album.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Jefferson Ross at http://www.jeffersonross.com/ or www.myspace.com/jeffrossmusic. You can purchase a copy of Azalea at CDBaby.com.