All Things Patty: Part Three

The four years between Patty Griffin's balls-to-the-wall "Flaming Red" and 2002's breakthrough "1000 Kisses" was rife with fuel for songwriting. A tour with the Dixie Chicks propelled her from playing modest gigs to arenas. She appeared on television shows to promote her album. She'd garnered a glimpse of notoriety only to have it swept out from under her during a label merge. When her third album (fourth, if you count the produced version of "Living With Ghosts" that was scrapped in favor of the demo) was shelved she negotiated her way out of a record deal. Determined to not let label politics get the best of her, Patty was at guitarist Doug Lancio's doorstep in Austin to record the songs that would eventually make up "1000 Kisses."

Recorded in five days, the 10-song collection is a reintroduction of sorts. Up until then, Patty had shown she could craft songs that were brilliantly crafted to fit her voice and also push her vocals to their limits amidst a wall of sound. She exerts far more restraint here and it benefits the album substantially. Starting with the tranquil, sonically wet lullaby "Rain"--arguably her most popular single to date. Patty uses her voice to convey strength in the most fragile way.



"Kisses" is actually the only Patty album to receive multiple video treatments, and "Chief" was the second--it even earned airtime on CMT. But while the song reached substantial popularity, it was never a favorite when I first played the album. The pitter-pattering verses seemed like a rushed attempt to get to the bridge and then it was over. It took me several listens to wrap my mind around this tune, an when I finally did it revealed itself as the poignant, maddening, heart-swelling poem it is.

"Well I wish that you could see me when I'm flying in my dreams
The way I laugh there way up high, the way I look when I fly
The way I laugh, the way I fly..."

The funny thing about these songs is how they quietly creep into your subconscious. They can leave you completely flattened--like the desolate beauty of Springsteen's "Stolen Car"-- and they can also bring an odd cheerfulness to something as hard as losing a loved one ("Long Ride Home"--it's more hootenanny than hymnal.) But that's the beauty of Patty Griffin--she finds the lightness in even the darkest of places.

And then there is a different breed altogether with "Nobody's Crying." The minute that chord rings out the tone is dramatically set for a vocal tour-de-force. It is, I think, one of the finest examples of Patty's songwriting. There's a sense of loss conveyed that is also underlined with the hope for reconciliation. Maybe not today, but soon.

Patty Griffin "Nobody's Crying"
[Recorded on March 8, 1998 at the Cactus Cafe in Austin, Texas.]

Hallelujah!

Today marks the release of Patty Griffin's Downtown Church, a warm collection of tracks with surprising range for a gosepl album. Yes, gosepl. Bite your tongue- this isn't a very special evening with Michael W. Smith. This record has spunk. There's the secular band jam "Move Up," the Patty-originals "Little Fire" and "Coming Home to Me" in which she applies her finely tuned gift for heart-wrenching melodies. The former receives gorgeous harmony from Emmylou Harris; the latter from Julie Miller.

Downtown Church is in no way a "Patty Griffin" record. It's a team effort--and what a team it is. Buddy Miller-- who is quite possibly the luckiest man alive-- produced the record in addition to mixing, playing and lending his instantly recognizable chords to a handful of tracks. Rounding out the guest vocalists are Ann and Regina McCrary, Shawn Colvin, Jim Lauderdale, Mike Farris and Raul Malo.

But while Patty shares the spotlight with an impeccable team of musicians and vocalists, the album works on so many levels because of the strength of the material itself. With the exception of the two original Patty tunes, the most recently written song on the album was penned in 1967--and nearly half of the album belongs in the Public Domain.

One of those traditional songs--"Death's Go A Warrant"-- and the Leiber & Stoller track "I Smell A Rat" are two prime examples of the sweet soul pipes Mama Griffin posesses. To put it simply, Patty makes these melodies her bitch.



Never has a record in her discography so perfectly captured the many flavors of her voice. Children Running Through came incredibly close, but here it's evident within the first three tracks that this production quality puts her catalog to shame. I'm on my fourth listen of the night and all I can say is thank you, Buddy Miller. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

1. House of Gold [Hank Williams]
2. Move Up [Traditional]
3. Little Fire [Patty Griffin]
4. Death's Got A Warrant [Traditional]
5. If I Had My Way [Traditional]
6. Coming Home To Me [Patty Griffin]
7. Wade In The Water [Traditional]
8. Never Grow Old [Traditional]
9. Virgen de Guadalupe [Traditional]
10. I Smell A Rat [Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller]
11. Waiting For My Child [Sullivan Pugh]
12. The Strange Man [Dorothy Love Coates]
13. We Shall All Be Reunited [A. Karnes and B.Bateman]
14. All Creatures of Our God And King [Traditional]

A (belated) tribute to MLK

It's been well over a month since I sat down to squeeze some thoughts out of my finger tips, but what can I say--life. It struck me that yesterday was a perfect way to get back into the blogging regimen, but then I found myself standing under the largest tree I've ever seen and sorting through piles of vegetables and loaves of chocolate chip banana bread at a market. Like I said, life.

Living aside, there is no better way to get back into this than with a combination of my favorite singers and perhaps one of my favorite messages conveyed through song. By now many people are familiar with the song "Up to the Mountain" by Americana songbird and personal hero Patty Griffin, but not because they've heard her sing it.

First there was Solomon Burke, who covered it on "Nashville" in 2006 (Patty lent her mellifluous vocals to the track) and then the song appeared on Patty's 2007 release "Children Running Through."

The song reached its peak popularity thanks to Kelly Clarkson after an appearance on the 2007 charity show "Idol Gives Back." Bolstered with Jeff Beck on guitar, Kelly really brought the melody to a completely different level and being the obsessed Patty fan that I am, that's a big compliment.

The song took on a life of its own on YouTube after that--it was even covered by Bushwalla, and if you're familiar with his catalog that's pretty amusing.

Recently, Susan Boyle covered it on her monster debut album. I can't even wrap my head around the number of copies this has sold in three months, but I'm thrilled more people than ever are being introduced to this gloriously written song (the liner notes credit 'Patricia J. Griffin').

Now, clearly Patty is emotionally invested in this subject enough to write about it, but there's something about Kelly's delivery that pulls at my heart. People can rag on pop music all they want, and they're often justified, but you can't discredit the power of this woman's voice merely because she was discovered on a talent show. If anything, it only increased my faith in her abilities.

But that's all besides the point really. The point of this is to celebrate a day that should put a little extra spring in everyone's step. Civil rights should never be bargained, and I'm thankful Dr. King was here long enough to make an impact on the world.

All Things Patty: Part Two

Not many artists can survive a fall out with a disagreeing label—whether because of exhaustion, depression or debt. Even fewer manage to emerge from two dysfunctional label relationships and garner the adoration of critics and fans like Patty Griffin has.

Her career began in the late 1980s with gigs in Boston bars and pubs booked by a guitar teacher from the Cambridge Music Center, John Curtis. It was a slow start for Patty- at one point she held jobs as a telephone operator and waitress at Pizza Uno to support herself. The dissolution of a marriage and the collapse of an artist development deal on "Like A Virgin" producer Nile Rodgers’ label sent Patty into a deep depression. Out of this tumultuous period sprang the songs that would eventually comprise her phenomenal 1996 A & M Records debut, Living With Ghosts.

Patty’s 1998 follow up, the Jay Joyce-produced Flaming Red, was a pulsating rock ‘n’ roller with loud guitars, biting lyrics and soaring vocals. Two weeks into its release, Universal Music took control of A & M and Patty was displaced to Interscope Records. Misfortune would yet again plague her young career when Universal Music was acquired by Vivendi in the spring of 2000. After recording her third album, Silver Bell, in New Orleans with producers Joyce, Craig Ross and Malcolm Burn, Patty’s new label sat on the finished product for a year.

They wanted singles, and Patty was told exactly that—record 10 radio friendly songs, and her work would see the light of day. The label handed her a copy of U2's All That You Can't Leave Behind for inspiration. She went back into the studio, but soon found the "hit" songs weren’t there. Patty asked her manager to cut her a deal out of the contract. The label conceded on the condition that she was only entitled to re-record five of the album’s tracks for future releases. Any more than that and Patty would have to pay for each additional song. Eager to get the nearly two-year ordeal behind her, she agreed.




Ironically, it was her performance of selected songs from Silver Bell on the television program Austin City Limits that caught Dave Matthews’ attention. Shortly thereafter, Patty was signed to his label and made her ATO Records debut in 2002 with 1000 Kisses.

Silver Bell is one of many albums to never see a commercial release. It did, however, find its way to the Internet to the delight of Patty fans around the world. The 14-track collection is a testament to her range and talent—emotive, well-crafted and achingly beautiful songs.

Little God
Boston
Perfect White Girls
Truth #2
What You Are
Silver Bell
Driving
Sooner Or Later
Top Of the World [alternate version featured on Impossible Dream [2004]
Sorry And Sad
Making Pies [alternate version featured on 1000 Kisses[2002]
Mother Of God [alternate version featured on Impossible Dream [2004]
One More Girl
Standing [original recording used on Impossible Dream [2004]

For the entire album, including a bonus cover of "Kiss Them For Me" by Siouxsie & The Banshees, head over to Omnipop.

Jamie Lidell moves my feet

For me, there is nothing better than driving with the windows rolled down, and blaring the blue-eyed soul of Berlin-by-way-of-England musician Jamie Lidell. You've heard his songs--even if you don't know it yet.

Jamie attracted the ear of Grey's Anatomy music supervisor Alexandra Patsavas in 2006. His song "Multiply" was not only featured on the show, but earned a coveted spot on the show's official soundtrack for season two.

What I love about Jamie is his willingness to try new things. He started as a producer of electronic music. His 2005 Warp Records debut was a truly sublime marriage of soul tracks and the music he made his name with. But 2008's "Jim" stripped away much of the electronic and got right down to Prince and Stevie Wonder-esque soul. It's a completely joyous listen from start to finish that's carried by Jamie's velvety chords and spot-on songwriting. The melodies this man comes up with are inescapable. I think I've sang this song to myself a hundred times this year.

I had the chance to see Jamie at the Austin City Limits festival last year...but I missed him. I don't want to talk about it. But I will say that while standing on a line to meet my musical hero, Patty Griffin, after her stellar performance my friend decided to catch Jamie as he was leaving the signing tent. An acquaintance of his played in Jamie's band and he wanted to see him. So, Jamie told him to hop on his golf cart. In a move that will plague me for the rest of my life, my friend comes running back, urging me to come with him. Jamie was waiting on the cart. I decided to stay in the line. How often do you get to meet Patty Griffin? Off he went, sitting on the back of Jamie Lidell's golf cart kicking up dirt into the air and zipping through the crowds of sweaty people.

Jamie's saying "Goodbye" to Jim, and that means new music is on the horizon. Fingers crossed he'll grace the Sunshine State with a show. But in the meantime, I think I'll drown my sorrows in this delightful tune. See you next time, Jamie.