The Americana and roots music authority
CD review: Eilen Jewell Presents Butcher Holler
EILEN JEWELL PRESENTS BUTCHER HOLLER
A Tribute to Loretta Lynn
Out July 27
One day last summer, instead of coming straight home from work, I decided to head to the Lizard Lounge in Cambridge for a show by a group called Butcher Holler. Full disclosure: I knew what I was in for. Eilen Jewell and her band performing the songs of one of her idols, Loretta Lynn. (Butcher Holler or, more accurately, Hollow in Kentucky, is in fact the birthplace of Lynn.) I also knew Lynn’s songs were not foreign to Jewell, who has covered of few on her albums and played even a few more live in concert.
But what was a surprise that night and on her new album called Butcher Holler, which comes out officially July 27, was how incredibly natural Jewell is to carry the torch of Lynn’s amazing, heartfelt tunes.
The album opens appropriately on one of my favorite Lynn-penned, Jewell-covered tunes, “Fist City.” It’s hard to believe a country gal living below the Mason-Dixon line in the ‘60s could get away with singing lyrics like this: “I'm not a sayin' my baby's a saint 'cause he ain't/N' that he won't cat around with a kitty/I'm here to tell ya gal to lay offa my man/If ya don't wanna go to fist city.”
Lynn broke some serious barriers for female singers of her time with her tough-as-nails, not-taking-any-guff tunes, and Jewell delivers them with a similar musical sneer. Both Lynn and Jewell are at their best on these tougher tunes - “Ain’t Woman Enough (to Take My Man),” “Don’t Come Home A’Drinkin’ (With Lovin’ on Your Mind.” “Wanna Give Me a Lift” is a sassy reminder of Lynn’s toughness, as Jewell sings “You wanna give me a lift but this gal ain’t goin’ that far.”
There are so many fun songs on this album, its tough to pick out favorites. Jewell is once again backed by her superb band - Jason Beek on drums, Jerry Miller on guitars and Johnny Sciascia on bass - though they tend to stay more in the background on this album than on Eilen’s stellar “Sea of Tears,” released last year.
“Who Says God Is Dead” bounces along on Miller’s stellar guitar playing. And we don’t want to leave out how Jewell also capably handles Lynn’s gentler side: songs such as “A Man I Hardly Know,” fronting Miller’s gorgeous steel guitar-playing, “Whispering Sea” and “This Haunted House.”
The album finale is Lynn’s swinging hit “You’re Looking at Country,” a fitting way to close out a sentimental tribute from a modern country girl to her music legend idol.
The album can be purchased now on the Signature Sounds website, click HERE
Read more from the Modern Acoustic blog HERE
Download the latest issue of Modern Acoustic magazine HERE. It's free!
A Tribute to Loretta Lynn
Out July 27
One day last summer, instead of coming straight home from work, I decided to head to the Lizard Lounge in Cambridge for a show by a group called Butcher Holler. Full disclosure: I knew what I was in for. Eilen Jewell and her band performing the songs of one of her idols, Loretta Lynn. (Butcher Holler or, more accurately, Hollow in Kentucky, is in fact the birthplace of Lynn.) I also knew Lynn’s songs were not foreign to Jewell, who has covered of few on her albums and played even a few more live in concert.
But what was a surprise that night and on her new album called Butcher Holler, which comes out officially July 27, was how incredibly natural Jewell is to carry the torch of Lynn’s amazing, heartfelt tunes.
The album opens appropriately on one of my favorite Lynn-penned, Jewell-covered tunes, “Fist City.” It’s hard to believe a country gal living below the Mason-Dixon line in the ‘60s could get away with singing lyrics like this: “I'm not a sayin' my baby's a saint 'cause he ain't/N' that he won't cat around with a kitty/I'm here to tell ya gal to lay offa my man/If ya don't wanna go to fist city.”
Lynn broke some serious barriers for female singers of her time with her tough-as-nails, not-taking-any-guff tunes, and Jewell delivers them with a similar musical sneer. Both Lynn and Jewell are at their best on these tougher tunes - “Ain’t Woman Enough (to Take My Man),” “Don’t Come Home A’Drinkin’ (With Lovin’ on Your Mind.” “Wanna Give Me a Lift” is a sassy reminder of Lynn’s toughness, as Jewell sings “You wanna give me a lift but this gal ain’t goin’ that far.”
There are so many fun songs on this album, its tough to pick out favorites. Jewell is once again backed by her superb band - Jason Beek on drums, Jerry Miller on guitars and Johnny Sciascia on bass - though they tend to stay more in the background on this album than on Eilen’s stellar “Sea of Tears,” released last year.
“Who Says God Is Dead” bounces along on Miller’s stellar guitar playing. And we don’t want to leave out how Jewell also capably handles Lynn’s gentler side: songs such as “A Man I Hardly Know,” fronting Miller’s gorgeous steel guitar-playing, “Whispering Sea” and “This Haunted House.”
The album finale is Lynn’s swinging hit “You’re Looking at Country,” a fitting way to close out a sentimental tribute from a modern country girl to her music legend idol.
The album can be purchased now on the Signature Sounds website, click HERE
Read more from the Modern Acoustic blog HERE
Download the latest issue of Modern Acoustic magazine HERE. It's free!
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Comment by denton fabrics on July 13, 2010 at 6:16am - Lynn & Jewell are two of my favorite female singers. The thing that stands out about this album is the difference in voices between the two. Lynn's voice was strong, poppy, and very emotive. Jewell's delivery, per her usual, is languid - much more laid-back than Lorettie, but the final product is as good as one could hope.
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Comment by Will James on July 13, 2010 at 7:43am - Agreed that their voices are vastly different. To me, a young and rising star (her skyscraper ads have been seen here) that sounds A LOT like Lynn (whom she admires greatly) is Lydia Loveless. And like Lynn, Loveless isn't afraid to tackle subject matter. I've booked her for Gram National 2010 in Jewell's home base of Boston, Precinct, Nov 5-6. http://www.myspace.com/lydialoveless
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Comment by Kim Ruehl on July 13, 2010 at 12:55pm - I'm loving this disc! Thanks for your review. Looking forward to hearing what the rest of the community thinks about this one.
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Comment by Dave D. on July 20, 2010 at 6:46am -
Good review and good comments. I was a little concerned that Eilen had included several songs that Amber Digby had already covered *so* well, but as denton fabrics mentioned Eilen puts her own stamp on the songs such that the redundant covers coexist nicely.
Will, you can include me on the Lydia Loveless bandwagon. I'm not sure the resemblance to Loretta is that strong, but do know that The Only Man has been far and away my most-played CD of the summer.
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Comment by Mott on July 20, 2010 at 7:41am - So far, you can't go wrong with anything Eilen has made. This is another good one. Super nice gal too.
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Comment by modernacoustic on July 20, 2010 at 10:31am -
I agree with all of you. Great comments. Also recently on Facebook, Eilen mentioned a woman named Zoe Muth and the Lost High Ramblers from the Northwest. I listened to a couple of cuts on Myspace and she sounds pretty great. Check her out and see what you think.
http://www.myspace.com/zoemuth
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Comment by Gilded Palace on July 20, 2010 at 3:18pm -
Second that: Zoe Muth's album is fantastic - and all original material too. Haven't hear the Eilen/Loretta album yet, but I know the band can nail those songs (live and on record)... just as they can anything they decide to turn their hand to. Incredible musicians: the idea of a covers album seems like treading water.
Audra Mae's album's pretty special too: www.myspace.com/audramae (Side One Dummy)
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Comment by Steve on July 28, 2010 at 5:53pm
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as Eilen did with the covers on "sea of tears", she has that rare quality of taking a song and making it her own.
I recently saw her and the band in Denver where she got me caught up with some earlier work, previewed songs from Butcher Holler, and songs from her side project, the Sacred Shakers.
She's a must-see when she comes to your town...
Steve, Denver
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Created by No Depression Feb 17, 2009 at 9:06pm. Last updated by No Depression Aug 25.
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