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Old 09-26-2014, 03:13 PM   #22 (permalink)
Trollheart
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This time out I’ve chosen a Country album under probably the mistaken impression that Country will be easier to predict, as it’s usually so, well, predictable. Probably make an even bigger mess of this than I usually do, but sure it’s all in fun, y’know?

I actually have an album from this band but have not yet listened to it, so I still will have no forewarning as to how they sound. I’ll obviously be throwing in some standard Country sterotypes (gotta be a steel guitar in there somewhere, surely?) which may make the end result even more hilarious, and as Arnold Rimmer once said, brimming over with wrongability!


Love and other tragedies --- Red Molly --- 2008

And now I find they’re not a Country outfit but a folk one. Oh well. Probably gonna make a mess of it either way. So what have we got? It’s their debut album, of which they now have five. Red Molly are Laurie McAllister, Abbie Gardner and Molly Venter. Surprisingly, the band name is NOT based on hers, but on a character in a song by Richard Thompson.

But you don’t care about all this! You want to see me make a fool of myself, and who am I not to oblige? So let’s see how (in)accurate my predictions will be this time around.

Wichita: I feel this may be an acapella song, as all three appear to take vocal duties. If it is, then I have nothing more to say other than it should be a slow song. As soon as I hear any instrument I’ll know how wrong I am. Lyric? Oh, I don’t know, let’s see, wild guess --- about Wichita Kansas? I’m not even going to accept a score if that turns out to be correct as it’s so blindingly obvious, but it would be funny if I’m wrong even about that.

Beaumont rest stop: A slowish to mid-paced (stop cheating, TH!) acoustic number with fiddle and maybe flute. I don’t know if they play fiddle or flute, as I have only glanced very basically at their quite scanty Wiki page, but that’s what I hear. Also a piano, a slow one. Acoustic of course. Lyric: about a little truck stop or cafe in the middle of nowhere: “Take your ease at the Beaumont rest stop”, style of thing...

The mind of a soldier: Given that this is recorded in 2008 I wonder if it has to do with the Iraq War? Well it could go either way musically but I feel another slow acoustic on guitar, pedal steel and piano, with maybe violin and/or harmonica. Lyrically it could be praising the troops or decrying the need for war a la Dixie Chicks. I'm gonna go for the former, given the reception the three Texan ladies got after making their views plain in 2003.

Summertime: I know Red Molly do some covers, and I can’t really see anyone writing a new song with that title so I’m going to go for a cover of the classic, my all-time favourite song ever. Musically? Piano and violin, cello and double bass. Sure why not? Slow, obviously.

Is the blue moon still shining? I hear again an acapella trio opening but then it hits into an uptempo bluegrass number, with fiddle and electric guitar, accordion and it’s about, um, a place that was important in the singer’s past. Sort of like how are things at home?

Honey on my grave: Sheesh! Could be anything. Given the grave motif I’ll say a slow bluesy number, smoking with revenge and recrimination --- “When I’m dead will you come to pour honey on my grave? --- Hey, gimme a break! It could be! Performed on violin and dobro. And piano. Maybe.

Old dancin’ fool: Squaredance jamboree style, fast and uptempo with steel guitar and fiddle. Lyric concerns some old guy who still thinks he’s a young man and won’t accept old age. Or maybe it’s a husband-and-wife thing: “Dance with me, you old dancin’ fool.” Meh, I don’t know.

Sentimental gentleman from Georgia: Hmm. This is getting harder. A mid-paced acoustic with guitar and piano, about, oh I don’t know --- a sentimental gentleman from Georgia?

Wayfaring stranger: Probably way off here (why break a perfect losing run?) but I’m gonna say this is a cover of Strawfoot’s song, with a triple chorus and fiddles and banjos.

This farm needs a man: Uptempo bluegrass tune on fiddle and pedal steel, guitar and pianner with a lyric concerning a lonely widow who needs a new husband.

Make me lonely again: Ballad on pedal steel, acoustic and piano. Simple love song. I have no idea what the title might mean.

Keep your lamp trimmed and burning: An uptempo “I’ve been away/have to go away but I’ll be back” song. Hearty fiddle and guitar, jew’s harp and organ.

May I suggest: Closer, so slow pedal-steel-led ballad, with accordion and harmonica. And piano. The title may refer to a candlelit dinner, but probably not. Or some romantic activity?

So there we have it. Tomorrow I’ll listen to the album and report back on how wrong I got this, what the tracks really are like and how very little I know about folk, bluegrass and Country music.
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