Patty Loveless breaks the Nash Vegas mold. She's living proof that talent -- God-given and well-tended -- is enough to keep listeners' attention over the years.
Loveless worked hard to get where she is by consistently offering solid records, full of fine material and passionate, true performances. Dreamin' My Dreams is no exception, in fact;, it may be a crowning achievement in a career full of them. Produced by husband
Emory Gordy and
Justin Niebank, the set features 12 tracks by writers as diverse as
Richard Thompson (the stunning, rocking opener "Keep Your Distance"),
Steve Earle (a fine reading of "My Old Friend the Blues"),
Allen Reynolds (the wonderful title track),
Delaney Bramlett ("Never Ending Song of Love" with
Dwight Yoakam as a duet partner), and
Gordy (who wrote "Big Chance" with
Loveless and "When I Reach the Place I'm Going" with
Joe Henry), just to mention a few. Players include guitar slinger
Albert Lee and fiddle ace
Stuart Duncan. This is an adventurous outing for the likes of Music City. But
Loveless has a track record that demands she get to take chances. Her voice (which gets better with age) never strays from the heart and soul of
country music's grand tradition. The ballads here (such as "Nobody Here by That Name" or "When Being Who You Are Is Not Enough," by
Jim Lauderdale and
Leslie Satcher) are otherworldly; the rockers, such as
Delbert McClinton's "Same Kind of Crazy" and
Thompson's tune, strut, swagger, and dig deep into the basics of love and loss. Ultimately, the sheer range of sounds, emotions, and the integrity of
Loveless' voice make Dreamin' My Dreams a candidate for
country album of the year. ~ Thom Jurek, All Music Guide
