Grey DeLisle – Don’t Turn Around
This is another fine collection of traditional country music in the styles that shaped the careers of Tammy Wynette, Loretta Lynn, Jeannie C Riley & Patsy Cline. Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Grey DeLisle’s original songs find her in fine voice, wonderfully smooth tone & her accentuation has pure country colorings (“Every Day of the Week Ends In Why”). Even Grey’s brushes with a more Spanish flavored country embodiment with South of the Border horns, accordion & singer Dave Alvin on “You’re Driving Me Away” is irresistible.
The music is played with a tender touch. Grey enlists an early ‘60s pop-country styled ditty in the spirit of “Drive Around” that summons the ghosts of Jody Miller, Diane Renay, Sue Thompson & Sandy Posey. Quite a pleasant walk down a nostalgic route. But these are all new tunes…tunes injected with the vitamins of prolific histories & varied country genres. Ms. DeLisle has inherited quite an impressive workload all done with skill.
11 mature, entertaining songs produced by the late Andy Paley & Marvin Etzioni inhabit Don’t Turn Around (Dropped Oct 23/Hummingbird Records/36:02). A final effort by Mr. Paley who has done his career well here. Recorded in CA, it’s an impressive showcase with prominent sound & authority. The title track is sung with the same urgency, angst & spirit of a Lesley Gore mixed with Brenda Lee voice. Quite excellent.
More mainstream is “There’s The Door” with its strong aggressive vocal. What rocks a little harder is “Disneyland.” Laid out with some bouncy guitars & drums. Endowed with a catchy melody with a guitar attack that has the enduring chiming notes of The Blasters, The Byrds & Del Lords. Invigorating to say the least.
So, the songs doled out possess humor, resilience, storytelling with generous dips into country, rockabilly & Americana. Tales of how people leave one another, the roads they choose, balancing heartbreak with warmth & wit. Despite the country overtones the final dab from “Claire” is rooted in Euro-balladry with its soft melodic French café accordion notes. A nice cap for an enduring album.
Highlights – “Every Day of the Week Ends In Why,” “You’re Driving Me Away,” “Drive Around,” “Don’t Turn Around,” “The Lights Are Off But Somebody’s Home” & “Claire.”
Musicians – Grey (lead vocals/bgv), Mandy Barnett (vocals/bgv), Marvin Etzioni (nylon string classical guitar/maracas/ (tambourines/castanets/lap), Andy Paley (drums/tambourine/harmonica/sleigh bells/bell tree/timpani/temple blocks/vibes/bass, fuzz bass & bass VI/piano/lead electric, 12-string electric & classical guitars/harpsichord/Glockenspiel), Deke Dickerson (Bass VI/electric & acoustic guitars), Bernie Dresel (drums), Murry Hammond & Bob Glaub (bass), Dave Lang (organ/piano/electric piano/harpsichord), Stephen McCarthy (electric & 12-string electric guitars/acoustic & acoustic slide guitars/Coral sitar), David Ralicke (horns), Tammy Rogers (violins/violas), Chris Scruggs (steel guitar), Mike Bolger (trumpet/accordion), Mickey Raphael (bass harmonica), D.J. Bonebrake (vibes), Jake Gideon (guitaret/electric & acoustic guitars/percussion/shaker), Gideon Klein (cellos), Greg Leisz (pedal & dueling steels), Kyle O’Donnell (baritone sax) & Corky Hale (harp).
A folded lyric insert included. Color image courtesy of Grey’s Bandcamp. CD @ Bandcamp & https://greydelislegriffin.com/