Debra Griner – A Place To Start
This rather brief 7 song set starts surprisingly beautifully with orchestration that leads into an upbeat country melody. Then, Debra Griner’s lilting vocal dazzles musical watercolors in “What I Wouldn’t Do,” & exemplifies how a good judicious tune can be jubilant.
Ms. Griner (lead vocals/bgv) draws on older traditions & adds modern mainstream properties to inaugurate a wholesome set of no-frills performances that is, indeed, what country folk should be. Splashes of fiddle, finger-picking mandolin & banjo decorate tunes like “Beautiful Music,” which harkens back to the commercial country-pop of the 60s where Diane Renay sang the infectious “Navy Blue” & “Jackie De Shannon ran in “Splendor In the Grass.”
Debra has some poignant well-played melodies on the Denny Martin-produced A Place To Start (Drops Feb. 23/Independent/21:00) recorded in Nashville, TN & co-produced by Debra with Steve Leslie.
The only critique is not with her material or performance but with the production. Debra’s voice could use more brightness & presence in the vocalization. Her voice projects wonderfully but it’s how she’s sometimes captured that needs a little more sugar in the recording process. Maybe she needs a different microphone. It seems the instrumentation is captured crispier. Debra sings fine on “My Childhood Friend,” yet, the necessary warmth, while evidently in her voice, could have more presence.
“Plastic Bag,” followed by the novelty tune “Washin’ Dishes” (produced by Bob Harris in NJ) is fine in a Tom Paxton folky tradition but save this for the conclusion if it must be on an LP. It doesn’t add to the flow or ambiance of the more serious songs. It slows the pacing.
Dipped liberally in a humorous but clever country beat is the energetic “Ruby and Mack’s”— loaded with the lyrical fun quality of the late Roger Miller & Jeannie C. Riley. Ms. Griner has a delightful romp on this tune & it brings her back in focus. This song has a better sound. A good dance tune that could be a great sing-along too. Debra has the country-inflected voice of a calico angel. She digs into the past for her influences yet comes up musically fresh each time.
You can’t miss with a girl who grew up in Bergen County, NJ & had family in Louisiana – I know, I had a Fort Lee, NJ aunt who was also from Louisiana. A Southern belle who my Italian father said made the best lasagna north of New Orleans.
Highlights – “What I Wouldn’t Do,” “Beautiful Music,” “Laughter, Weed & Wine,” “My Childhood Friend” & “Ruby and Mack’s.”
Musicians – Adam Armstrong & Matt McGee (bass guitars), Tim Galloway (electric guitar), Andy Leftwich & Eamon McLoughlin (fiddles), Wes Little (drums), Scott Neubert (acoustic guitar/banjo/mandolin), Steve Peffer (piano), Jeff Taylor (accordion), Scott Vestal (banjo), Melissa Duvall, Don Henry, Mike Lusk & Jon Vezner (bgv).
The CD includes a 4pp lyric insert. CD photos by Sally Wright. CD @ Amazon & https://www.debragriner.com/