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From the Vault...
08/30/1998
#592 |
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info
Rodney Crowell
"Super Hits"
© Columbia Records
Year of Release: 1995
Rating:
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track listing
Lovin' All Night
It's Such A Small World
Life Is Messy
I Couldn't Leave You If I Tried
After All This Time
She's Crazy For Leaving
Above And Beyond
(The Call Of Love)
The Last Waltz
Alone But Not Alone
Thing I Wish I'd Said
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Rodney Crowell related sites:
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Rodney Crowell
"Super Hits"
A few years ago, I was rediscovering Country music by reading the book
The Billboard Book of Number One Country Hits by Tom Roland. I decided
to pick up some CDs by country artists that I wasn't familiar with. In looking,
I spotted some Greatest Hits compilations that contained ALL of the songs that
reached #1, according to Mr. Roland's book. Two particular individual artists
I discovered were T. Graham Brown, and Rodney Crowell.
Both of their Super Hits compilations are very impressive. I may
not remember any of the songs that Rodney Crowell had recorded, but listening
to this album, it definitely has that late 1980s country sound, and for the
average-to-die-hard country fan, this album is not a disappointment.
I have to confess: I don't remember hearing these songs by Crowell.
He is more famous for writing songs for other country artists. He was also
popular in producing other country artists' albums, such as Johnny Cash,
Roseanne Cash (Crowell's ex-wife), Willie Nelson, to name a few...
Towards the end of the 1980s, Crowell accomplished five #1 country songs,
and they are all here in Super Hits:
It's Such A Small World -- a duet with his then-wife at the
time, Roseanne Cash.
I Couldn't Leave You If I Tried
She's Crazy For Leaving
After All This Time
Above And Beyond
Rodney Crowell's music mixes both country and rock, in more of a pop fashion.
Above And Beyond has both a country and rock touch, and it also reminds
me of the style of Nick Lowe & His Cowboy Outfit. Other comparisons in musical
and vocal styles are such artists as
Dave Mason -- After All This Time,
Don Johnson -- Life Is Messy, and
Chris Isaak -- Alone But Not Alone.
Crowell does get a bit personal with Life Is Messy, where he sings
about his failed marriage to Roseanne Cash.
There's boogie country tunes here:
Lovin' All Night
I Couldn't Leave You If I Tried
She's Crazy For Leaving
The Pop & Country sounds of the Crowell/Cash duet It's Such A Small
World is similar to songs sung by T. Graham Brown.
The ballads featured on Super Hits are very very good compositions,
as I feel that they are the best songs on this album:
After All This Time
The Last Waltz
Alone But Not Alone
Things I Wish I'd Said
These ballads can set the atmosphere at a bar where people can hang out and
enjoy the music in the background, especially those who enjoy country music
(despite how good or sad the lyrics are).
Rodney Crowell may not have a recognizable voice as Willie Nelson,
Randy Travis, or Johnny Cash, but Crowell's songwriting abilities are recognized
most. Whether it be a song written for someone else, or sung by
himself, Rodney Crowell's music is enjoyable for anyone who appreciates county
music. Super Hits captures the biggest hits in a ten-song compilation.
(Trying to narrow down only ten best songs is hard enough for any popular artist.)
What to look for first are the songs that reached the #1 position. (His five
#1's are all here...) And then there are five songs left to include that were
as popular as the first five's chart-toppers. No matter how you look
at it (well, hearing it is more like it), Super Hits is a good album,
and a good start in discovering Rodney Crowell.
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