Elizabeth Cook: A Review Of Her Fifth CD, “Welder”
The first song on the disc is “All The Time”. It reminds me of Dolly Parton’s version of “Mule Skinner Blues” (originally written and recorded by Jimmie Rodgers). This one has no musical intro and Cook’s powerful vocals immediately grab your attention and stay intensely focused throughout the song. “El Camino” is probably my favorite song on the CD. The lyrics are both clever and descriptive with references to the seventies including drug use, pina coladas, (John) Travolta, and Farrah (Fawcett). My favorite line in the song is, “If I wake up married, I’ll have to annul it. Right now, my hands are in his mullet!” Yeah, I would have to nominate “El Camino” as my ‘song of the year’, so far.
The third song on the CD is “Not California”. This one has more of an Americana feel. “Heroin Addict Sister” is perhaps the most poignantly beautiful song on the disc. It accurately depicts both the horrors and spontaneous uncertainties of drug addiction. While it is somber, it tells a story most songwriters would prefer not to write about. Certainly, mainstream Country music stations would not want to play such a ‘controversial’ song. The fifth track on the CD (“Yes To Booty”) reminds me of “Don’t Come Home A Drinkin” by Loretta Lynn. Track eleven, “Snake In The Bed” has a similar feel.
“Rock n Roll Man” has a rebellious, rockabilly influence that shows Elizabeth’s versatility as a songwriter. Then, “Mama’s Funeral”, brings the tone of the disc back to Cook’s musical roots. This song appears to be the focal point of the record. It vaguely reminds me of Patty Griffin’s “Long Ride Home”. Track twelve, “Follow You Like Smoke” has an Americana musical style much like “Not California”. Still, this one is unique in its instrumentation. It almost reminds me “Witchy Woman” by the Eagles. Track thirteen, “I’ll Never Know” is similar to “All The Time” in my opinion. The closing song on the CD is “Til Then”. The guitar almost drifts into a classic rock motif. Yeah, brilliant stuff!!! Until I hear something better, this disc gets my vote as CD of the year.
 |
For the past month, I have been listening to Elizabeth Cook’s latest CD, “Welder”. There is absolutely no doubt that her music is distinctively traditional Country. However, she is anything but a typical Country music artist. What was once Country & Western music has gone through many changes over the past fifty years. Traditional Country was overtaken by the Urban Cowboy sound of the early eighties. Then, it became almost mainstream Pop in the nineties with artists such as Garth Brooks. Now, what is still called Country music seems to be more like an American Idol industry which holds its music awards in Vegas instead of Nashville. Anyway, only a small group of singer/songwriters have continued what many may perceive as “Outlaw Country” similar to what Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings did in the seventies. Listening to this CD is as refreshing as the first time I heard “Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way”.