Not the Tremblin' Kind

by

Laura Cantrell

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I discovered Laura Cantrell in a cab of all places - the local progressive station the driver had on played 'Churches on the Interstate' and I could not get the song out of my head. Unfortunately, I hadn't quite caught her name, but some creative searching on Amazon led me right to her. It has been a long time since I've found a singer or CD as engrossing and exciting as Laura Cantrell, and I certainly hope she finds the wide audience she deserves.

On my first listen to Not the Tremblin' Kind I loved Laura's voice and enjoyed the songs, but I didn't fully appreciate the strengths of the CD until I'd listened to it several times over. Songs that at first sounded similar actually differ significantly in their tone, melody, lyrics and style. From the opening cover of Not the Tremblin' Kind - which she makes totally her own - through a variety of covers and originals, with highlights such as Do You Ever Think of Me and my favorite, Churches on the Interstate, Laura exhibits a wide range of style in a relatively narrow niche. Part country, part folk, part 'singer-songwriter' this is a terrific album and Laura a unique talent.

It's easy to compare her to a lot of different singers - Lucinda Williams, Nanci Griffith, a pinch of Emmylou and so on - but what I like about Laura - and all these women - is that despite whatever characteristics they share, they each have a unique style. For anyone interested in quality music in which lyrics, melody, 'background' music and instruments, presentation and tone are all equally important, this is the CD for you. It's been a long time since I've found a new 'discovery' as exciting and worthwhile as Laura Cantrell - she's not to be missed.

The speakers on my pc don't work, so I sometimes buy a CD 'blind', based purely on amazon reader reviews. This method has uncovered several beauties for me - Nickel Creek being top of the list - but this one turned out to be a disappointment.

It's a pleasant enough album to be sure, but the praise it has received completely baffles me - why buy moderate talent when you can listen to genius? (e.g. Nancy Griffiths, Alison Krauss...) There are two or three enjoyable tracks and her backing band is top-flight, but overall I have to say I found her voice unremarkable, the songwriting average, and the melodies predictable. I suppose it must have more going for it than I can hear, but I do suggest you listen before you buy.