Okay, I really want to avoid reviewing major label releases like this one because lets face it, A&M and their gilded cohorts get enough ponying from vacuous album reviewers as it is. But I am making an exception here because 1) this album and artist touch on several musical and theoretical issues that have been plaguing me lately and 2) I've been on the Patty Griffin bandwagon for a while now and feel duely entitled to express my relevant opinions.
It is impossible, or at least improper to say anything about ‘Flaming Red' without comparing it to PG's previous A&M release ‘Living With Ghosts'. LWG is a brief and barren album featuring PG and her guitar and infrequently an extra guitar or vocal. Like all naked albums, it allows the singing and song writing to glow. And PG is a good song writer. She also has a uniquely strong and, more critically, clear voice in the upper alto regions which distinguishes her from your garden variety nickel and dime former soap-opera crooners. The singing and song writing get top billing on LWG.
For the past year I had been under the impression that LWG was a high concept stripped-down album intended to distinguish PG from all the other over-produced female chanteurs who have populated our music scene in the past 5 years. I found out recently that this was not necessarily the case. LWG was a collection of PG's demo tapes. Which, while not entirely high-concept, is still pretty balls out. And it explains the amateur mixing job on some of the tunes, as well as the siren in the background of ‘You Are Not Alone' (she lived next to a hospital).
Either way, the previous album in many ways justifies this one, which occasionally begs for justification. The contrast between the two albums is fascinating to me because it highlights what an record label can do to an artist.
The package is standard. The Jayhawks-esque cover is no more interesting or novel than the tired and overplayed Scotch-tape effect of the LWG's album jacket. Blame that on A&M. And I have to deride the multiple shots from the same photo shoot thing. Patty, these photos are not so good that you needed all of them. And you MUST have more interesting ones lying around the house somewhere. (Note to readers: get used to this criticism, it's a pet peeve of mine.) I will give credit for the conceptual continuity (however brief) between the album title, the title track, the package, and the visual emphasis on PG's hair color (kiddy photo thrown into establish credentials as a true red head - sadly requisite these days.)
Slip the headphones on and things change though. "Flaming Red", while not a banner song, is a well-conceived opener this album. Performed and mixed with practiced abandon, it gives up something like "Oh you like that quiet, acoustic schtick, huh? Well get a load of this!" A good contrast to all of LWG.
Balls. Respect. Instant convert here. She's smart in keeping it down to 2:13 so her softer listeners don't get too turned off. After a breather with ‘One Big Love', ‘Tony' pulls out ALL the stops. Save the first 12 seconds of shameless John Leventhal rip-off, it's the best song on the album. An early climax but well supported by the rest of the front seven songs. The whole first half of the album keeps up good clip and variety. Ain't no folk singer here no more. PG has some well-deserved fun playing against the image she created with the last release.
Unfortunately, about 2/3 the way through the album, it loses steam. The songs are still good but they don't fit anymore. They exist only unto themselves and the album flow is gone. I would cut three of the last six songs and release them as B-sides.
All other criticism about this album is directed at the record company and PG's willingness to go along with them or her inability to prevent them from destroying her work. The major failing of this album is that too many of the songs are produced to sound alternately like Shawn Colvin or Sarah MacLachlin. Even some of the very good songs on this album are hindered by the fact that they could be sung by any one of a dozen major label artists and sound EXACTLY the same. There has been some sterilization of the artist for the sake of album sales and pandering to the masses. I won't forgive that.
Like she owes me something. |