Rita Bliss – One More Winter
This music has an enthusiastic current that runs through the entire album. That along with the expressive Austin-based Rita Bliss performance brings clarity to her bluegrass showcase with sunflower brightness & lavender tonality. The upstate NY raised Ms. Bliss delivers a pound of happiness with an ounce of effort.
Rita’s voice is natural in range & precision. Children would gravitate to such a voice because it’s sincere & believable. The folksiness, country driven & bluegrass songs are polished & never compromise the genre with glitz & commercialism. Rita does leave in the attractive flavors of her efforts. She doesn’t sing like Dolly Parton, but she has Dolly Parton joy in her voice.
Recorded at Signal Hill in Austin, TX & produced by Dom Fisher (guitar/bass) & Rita (banjo/vocals/harmonica) the10 songs on her 2nd album One More Winter (Dropped October 2/ Independent/30:17) kick-start with the joyous banjo picking & delicious melody of “Come Along.” Ms. Bliss displays a friendly, warm voice in what is essentially a great morning tune.
“All My Days” is a little more homegrown country rooted in the old traditions but still a fun tune sung with vigor. The songs are well crafted, diversified, & collectively demonstrate the artist’s style. Rita is an enthusiastic vocalist, an upbeat performer who can’t help but bring a splash of optimism to a listener’s ear.
With “Aimlessly,” she brings to light the beauty of her tone through this slow country ballad that is far more poignant & serious than the opening songs. It has potency; it’s a story song that’s narrated with the voice of someone daydreaming & sharing it. Rita has the themes & timbre of New Zealand’s great country singer Donna Dean (“What Am I Gonna Do?” – Donna also wrote Grammy-nominee & bluegrass singer Rhonda Vincent’s “Destination Life”).
Another ballad (“Honey”) with spare banjo & harmonica spins but what’s peculiar is that during this song, played loud, with my window open, a passing doe (that never came up to the window before) came up nose to the screen & stood listening. The doe didn’t see me. Hard to believe. The song ended, the doe went off. That’s about the most honest critic you can get.
A jauntier upbeat country tune is “Some Say,” & though it’s nothing earth shattering, you’d want to dance. Good enthusiastic song. Then real excellence begins. “Empty Houses.” Another Donna Dean-type story song with Rita’s beautiful words & music. Her vocals seem to come close to one’s heart if listening on headphones. Private, sincere, & intimate. “Silver City” is apropos – a wonderful piece. Willie Nelson should cover it. Everything is played with skill & a love for the music. But then, that’s what Rita Bliss does…every time, blissfully.
Highlights – “Come Along,” “All My Days,” “Aimlessly,” “Honey,” “Some Say,” “Empty Houses” & “Silver City.”
Musicians – Noah Jeffries (fiddle), Billy Bright (mandolin), Jimmie Scott Calhoun (harmonies) & Patric Herzfeld (drums/engineer).
CD @ https://ritabliss.com/home
Enjoy our previous coverage here: Song Premiere: Rita Bliss “All My Days”