If It's Too Loud...

While stuck in quarantine like the rest of us, Nobody's Girl's BettySoo turned to music. She chose songs that reminded her of the before times, and one of those songs was Rodney Crowell's 1978 song "Ain't Living Long Like This." BettySoo's version of the song is very faithful to Crowell's original. The only real difference is a 2021 version is going to have slicker production than a song from 1978, and hers is just a little more pop than Crowell's. Covers of classic 70's country are always welcome here at If It's Too Loud..., particularly if they're as great as this one. In a press release, BettySoo talks about her connection to the original song from Rodney Crowell:  “I can't remember when I actually first heard Rodney Crowell's songs  as Rodney Crowell's songs , but I also can’t remember a time songs like ‘Ashes by Now’ and ‘Shame on the Moon’ didn’t exist.”   You can listen to BettySoo's version of "Ain't Liv...

I've wanted to do this for years, but I'm finally getting to it this year. There are new Christmas albums out, and of those of interest? Well... The Nice List Ingrid Michaelson's Songs for the Season is basically exactly what I look for in traditional holiday fare. Far too many singers, when going for the more typical songs, make it more about them than make it about the music. Michaelson wisely gives us a presentation of Christmas music that has her identity stamped on it without overpowering the whole production. There may not be a better pop singer to do this these days, so make sure this hits your rotation. JD McPherson's Socks is a great set of Christmas originals by someone who has kept his music in the retro side of things for years now. I've loved a lot of his music, and Socks just has that old time radio feel to it that feels appropriate for the season. The Old 97's Love The Holidays is an appropriately goofy and fun Christmas album...

An interesting week overall. Let the folktacular begin! Rhett Miller - The Traveler : Rhett Miller of The Old 97s teams up with Decemberists side project Black Prairie for what is a really fun, solid rootsy album. Collaborations can always be hit or miss when it comes to situations like this, and what I like most about this specific album is that you can absolutely hear Miller's influence and Black Prairie's influence meshing throughout. The instrumentation we'd expect remains the same, Rhett Miller's voice doesn't seem out of place, and it doesn't sound too much like either side. A really well-done album, and easily the best release of the week. Della Mae - Della Mae : Della Mae's third album is a continuation of their interesting take on Americana music. I'm not sure why I'm always surprised when I enjoy their music - it might be that I confuse them with similarly-named acts or that their sound doesn't stand out when you initially hear...

A slow week for us here, but some tax day goodies came out this week that you might like to hear. The Secret Sisters - Put Your Needle Down : I fell in love with The Secret Sisters with their first album, which had some nice traditional songs interspersed with some fun originals. Their second album is more of the same in many regards, but doesn't feel like an old retread like some other sophomore efforts do. If you enjoyed The Haden Triplets and their effort this year, you might end up liking this one more. Jessica Lea Mayfield - Make My Head Sing... : When I first dove into the roots/bluegrass genre a few years back, Jessica Lea Mayfield is a name that popped up semi-regularly. I loved her second album in particular and I've been rather impatient in waiting for a new one to come out. This album is certainly a far cry from the rootsy stuff she started out with, and even her previous album showed signs of trying to branch out and find her sound. That exploration continu...