Electric Guitar
Sweet Soul Music
Product DescriptionBiography by Ron Wynn & Stephen Thomas Erlewine
A very versatile and talented vocalist, Tracy Nelson is better known for her role as lead singer of Mother Earth. The Nashville sextet had three albums in a country-rock vein make the charts in the late ’60s and early ’70s. But Nelson is just as capable in soul, R&B, and blues, though she hasn’t released many records in that style. Her albums for Flying Fish were more indicative of her eclecticism, but her R&B and blu. . . More >>
Sweet Soul Music
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This record may still be available. . . if you’re lucky. I wouldn’t delay ordering it if you’re any kind of Tracy Nelson fan at all. But even the CD is officially out of print, so time’s a-wastin’.
Having said that, I should add that this may be Tracy’s most flawed recording in her 30-some year recording history. It’s not bad, by any stretch of the imagination, but production-wise, it is far from perfect. On some tracks, her powerful voice seems muted, almost buried under the instrumentation (if that’s possible!). The arrangements are actually a little too busy on some tracks, and it almost seems as though singer and band are in different rooms.
However, there’s scarcely such a thing as a bad Tracy Nelson album. She is one of the great singers of her generation, and it’s shameful that her work isn’t better known. Still, while I do recommend this release, I would recommend that anyone who is not already familiar with this wonderous singer’s work also order some of her other available product as well. For starters, try “The Best of Tracy Nelson/Mother Earth,” “Tracy Nelson Country,” any of the Rounder Records releases or her most recent, post-Millennium indie work (EBONY AND IRONY; LIVE FROM CELL BLOCK D; and YOU’LL NEVER BE A STRANGER AT MY DOOR).