Search - Gail Davies :: Gail Davies

Debut album from late-70s country-rocker

hyperbolium | Earth, USA | 06/24/2002

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Davies' landed several singles on the chart, including a string of four top-10s in 1980 and 1981. Her seamless mix of country, rock and folk bridged musical worlds at a time before Mary Chapin Carpenter and others had done so, and her evolution into a producer, including taking the chair for several of her own albums, was a first for women in country music.This 1978 debut stirred some immediate chart interest, including Davies' own "Someone is Looking For Someone Like You" and covers of Mel Tillis' "No Love Have I" and Elmer Liard's "Poison Love" (the latter resurrected recently as the title track of a 1997 album from Buddy Miller).Producer (and label head) Tommy West found both energetic abandon and tender vocal purity in Davies' delivery. The upbeat tunes, like "No Love Have I," resound with the crossover success of Linda Ronstadt, while emotional family portraits, such as "Grandma's Song," bring to mind the warmth of Karen Carpenter. More traditional mountain songs, including the Louvin Brothers' "Are You Teasing Me?" (an earlier hit for Carl Smith) and Davies' own "Bucket to the South" (a later hit for The Whites) are mindful of Crystal Gayle, and the pre-crossover solo work of Dolly Parton.Davies' songwriting is touching and memorable, creating an album-autobiography through stories of family and relationships. Her grandmother, ("Grandma's Song") step-father ("Soft Spoken Man") and musician father ("Bucket to the South") all figure prominently, as does her then-boyfriend ("Need Your Lovin'") and the memory of past relationships ("What Can I Say?").In addition to those who remember her original chart run, rock fans drawn to country through the work of Linda Ronstadt and The Eagles would certainly enjoy this debut album. Varese's reissue includes the original ten tracks (clocking in at just over 32-minutes), along with new liner notes that provide an overview of Davies' career.3-3/4 stars, if Amazon allowed fractional ratings."

A SUPERB OFFERING!

a viewer | antioch, tn United States | 02/28/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a superb offering from one of country music's 80's ladies. I'll never forget the first time I heard "Someone is Looking for Someone Like You" and "Grandma's Song". Absolutely haunting! Gail Davies never got the acclaim she should have because talent is nothing in the music industry. I'd rather have talent than looks anytime. Sorry, Reba, Faith, Shania, and Martina. Your work can't hold a candle to Gail Davies debut album. I'm so glad this is on CD!"