ARTIST: Laura Cantrell
TITLE: Not the Tremblin’ Kind
YEAR RELEASED: 2000
CHART ACTION: None
SINGLES: None
OTHER SONGS YOU MAY KNOW: Fans do, no one else really. Maintream country radio stays away from her for some reason.
LINEUP: Laura Cantrell, Will Rigby, Jeremy Chatzky, Jon Graboff, Jay Sherman-Gofdrey, Robin Goldwasser, Mary Lee Kortes
WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT: Full-length debut from country-esque singer-songwriter shows her talent and potential.
SOME WORDS, PHRASES AND CLAUSES ABOUT THIS RECORD: Cantrell is a fan of old-time country music, and her debut full-length album harkens back to older country music traditions while maintaining a contemporary sound in production and engineering.
Cantrell’s soprano is reminiscent of Lucinda Williams, and her backing band makes great use of traditional old-time instruments such as the mandolin and melodica. Harmonies by Goldwasser and Kortes blend perfectly with Cantrell, making a pleasant sound.
There are originals, and covers of other contemporary country songwriters. This is a fine debut for what then was a new voice in traditionalist country.
NOTES & MINUTIAE: She recorded an EP with the help of John Flansburgh of They Might Be Giants.
IS THERE A DELUXE VERSION: No
GRADE: A-: A great debut in a neo-traditionalist idiom, with strong songs and arrangements.