Loretta Lynn - "Van Lear Rose" (Interscope Records)
Extraordinary songwriting, brilliant production, remarkable performances and
a voice that sounds as confident as it did when she debuted 40 years ago in Nashville
mark one of the years best albums from a country legend pushing 70 and produced
by one of rock’s alternative hot shots. Loretta Lynn’s collaboration
with Jack White of the White Stripes, Van Lear Rose, is a collaboration that
far exceeds any expectations about the album when it was being produced and recorded
and word started circulating in the music world about the project.
There is no denying Lynn’s incredible career – she racked up 13
top ten hits between 1966 and 1970. Her musical partnership with Conway Twitty
resulted in five number one songs between 1970-75 followed by another 7 top
charting records with Twitty between 1976-81. She has continued recording and
touring since 1960 when she released her debut single, “I’m A Honky
Tonk Girl,” and her last studio album was released in 2000 and was produced
by Randy Scruggs.
In 1980 Lynn reached a broader mainstream audience through Sissy Spacek’s
Academy Award winning portrayal of Lynn in the movie based on her autobiography
Coal Miner’s Daughter. Lynn, notable not only for her voice, wrote many
of her own songs. Some of the most important songs like “The Pill,” “You
Ain’t Woman Enough,” and “Don’t Come Home-A Drinkin’” were
written with a uniquely feminist perspective – unheard of coming from
the male dominated country music scene of Nashville during the late 60’s
and 70’s when Lynn wrote them.
Ten years ago another country legend Johnny Cash turned to rap-rock producer
Rick Rubin for a move that completely revitalized Cash’s career. Daniel
Lanois helped reconceive Emmylou Harris’s career. Johnny Winter helped
Muddy Waters create Waters’ startling comeback in 1977 with Hard Again.
That the Jack Black of the White Stripes wound up working on this incredible
record is no surprise – The White Stripes are fans of Lynn’s and
have covered her songs. Van Lear Rose may win some fans due to White’s
popularity, however, this isn’t a Jack White album – this is clearly
a Loretta Lynn record. He stays in the background although you can feel his
influence on the record in subtle ways.
Van Lear Rose is one of the most distinctive sounding, unique pop records
of the last decade. Rose is unparalled - much like Bob Dylan’s Time Out
of Mind, The Grateful Dead’s Workingman’s Dead, Emmylou Harris’s
Wrecking Ball, Radiohead’s OK Computer; The Joshua Tree by U2. Lynn’s
songs combined with Jack White’s creative arrangements and humble contributions
are honest, bold and compelling. Songs like “Women’s Prison,” “This
Old House,” “Trouble On The Line,” “Miss Being Mrs.” and
the absolutely incredible “Portland, Oregon” take the listener
to a enduring place that pop records these days rarely take listeners.
Written by Bruce Warren
Release Date: 4/27/2004
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