Search - Rodney Crowell :: Rodney Crowell (Reis)

What Great Album!!!!

Socrates Stewart | Owings Mills, MD | 01/18/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Rodney Crowell did not meet widespread recognition as a performer until his breakthrough album, DIAMONDS AND DIRT in 1988. Regardless, Crowell was active as a solo performer, distinguished songwriter, and session man for some of the more progressive country performers of the 1980's like Emmylou Harris, Vince Gill, and his wife, Rosanne Cash, whom he also produced.



Rodney Crowell's best albums feature a fine blend of his own composition and carefully picked songs by distinguished songwriters like Guy Clark.



His namesake album, Rodney Crowell, employs that formula as well as a lineup of excellent session performers most notably Albert Lee who shows his considerable guitar talent through out this album.



The best song on the album is Guy Clark's ballad, "She Ain't Goin' Nowhere." Crowells emotive singing coupled with Albert Lee's knockout guitar solo make this a song to remember. "Shame on the Moon" is a fine song made a hit by Bob Seger. All present is "Til I Gain Control Again" which has been covered by some of the finest in country music including Willie Nelson, Crystal Gayle, Emmylou Harris, Leeann Womack, and others. The album finishes with a superb rocker, "Old Pipeliner," where Albert Lee's lead guitar is setup perfectly by Crowell on rhythm guitar and the rest of the instrumental ensemble.



It's terrible this album has not been available on CD for so long. For fans of country music such as that which Emmylou Harris, Vince Gill, and Rosanne Cash perform, those who like great Texas songwriters like Townes Van Zandt, Jerry Jeff Walker, and Guy Clark, or fans of music like the Eagles, Jackson Browne, J.D. Souther, and Neil Young, there's plenty to like about this album."