Looking for a stocking stuffer for the Country Music fan in your life? Look no further than the remarkable new release from living legend,Charlie Louvin. With Charlie Louvin Sings Murder Ballads and Disaster Songs (Tompkins Square), Louvin has mixed his own classics with tales from other legendary names to createa document that will shine for decades to come.
The album opens with the folk classic, “Darling Corey”, a rompin’-stompin’ tale that features indie darling Andrew Bird on fiddle. This song was viewed by record execs back in the 20′s as too-hot-to-handle, thanks to the adulterous tale and theme of death. In this collection, however, the track serves as the table-setting for more…you guessed it, murder ballads and disaster songs. While the title of the album seems to give the lyrical content top billing, Louvin’s immaculately weathered vocal performance is nothing short of triumphant. Louvin’s vocal is so effective, it is impossible to imagine a younger, smoother crooner even attempting this batch of classics at even the most morose of karaoke parties.
“Wreck on the Highway” explores disastrous terrain in the form of a crash, yes, but the wreck only seems truly tragic when Louvin sings “but I didn’t hear nobody pray“, suggesting that the wreck is merely the beginning of a sad and frightening path into the after-life for the victim. Further expanding the spiritual aura of the album, “The Little Grave in Georgia” plays out as if it were specially arranged for an old-fashioned Baptist hymnal. The soft and almost lilting acoustic strums and fiddle blanket lyrics that are at once sad and hopeful as the subject knows that “loved ones are waiting for me“. As Louvin relays these tales of death and disaster, the looming presence of Charlie’s long lost and beloved brother, Ira Louvin, is impossible to ignore. In the Ken Nelson penned “My Brothers Will”, the softly told, sparsely produced gem leaves me feeling as if Louvin is using this fictional tale to convey a very real hope when he proclaims that “my dear brother went up to heaven“.
Compelling stories that involve hope, blood, prayer, pain and unanswered questions that will often invoke tears are as timeless as Louvin’s own voice. The old-time sounds and handed down stories in this collection should be distrubuted out to young, aspiring artists when they get off the plane in Nashville as examples of what they should wish to accomplish with their time in Music City.
Listen to selections from various Charlie Louvin releases on his Myspace.
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[...] The Gobblers Knob on Charlie Louvin’s new album, Sings Murder Ballads and Disaster Songs: As Louvin relays these tales of death and disaster, the looming presence of Charlie’s long lost and beloved brother, Ira Louvin, is impossible to ignore. In the Ken Nelson penned “My Brothers Will”, the softly told, sparsely produced gem leaves me feeling as if Louvin is using this fictional tale to convey a very real hope when he proclaims that “my dear brother went up to heaven“. [...]