Product Description Women + Country is Jakob Dylan s highly anticipated sophomore album following his critically acclaimed solo debut, Seeing Things. Women + Country is soulful yet striking, ripe with sublime beauty. Paired with Oscar, Grammy, and Golden Globe award winning producer T Bone Burnett (Robert Plant, Alison Krauss, Crazy Heart) and joined with the stirringly rich vocals of Neko Case and Kelly Hogan, Women + Country creates a compelling and powerful experience for the listener.
Album Description 2010 release, Jakob Dylan's highly anticipated sophomore album following his critically acclaimed solo debut, Seeing Things. Women + Country is soulful yet striking, ripe with sublime beauty. Paired with Oscar, Grammy and Golden Globe award winning producer T Bone Burnett (Robert Plant, Alison Krauss, Crazy Heart) and joined with the stirringly rich vocals of Neko Case and Kelly Hogan, Women + Country creates a compelling and powerful experience for the listener.
jacob should be doing the background vocalsAugust 22, 2010 glyng Great stuff but why did they bury the fantastic backup singers Neko Case and Hogan?
Better if Jacob did the backup and give the leads to Case and Hogan!
Jakob gets it!August 10, 2010 Tourmaline This CD is wonderful. Jakob has created an experience and a dreamweaving platform. His voice is molten and velvety flanked by the complimentary harmony of Neko and Hogan. It's good chemistry that clearly comes through. I hope Jakob continues to grow in this direction - it suites him well.
great cdAugust 4, 2010 Zana U. Anderson good CD, reminds me of his dad, saw his show first which was very good also
Women and Country WorksJuly 19, 2010 David A. Moyer(Crystal Lake IL) 1 out of 1 found this review helpful
It is hard for this reviewer to make up his mind if he likes this CD or its predecessor, Seeing Things, better. Therefore, the best advice is to get them both. There are a couple of songs that don't work quite as well as others, but overall, it is a very strong compilation of songs with some great lyrical hooks. Produced by T-Bone Burnett, reviewers from everywhere are lauding Dylan's latest effort.
WOMEN + COUNTRY = A Good Time For All!July 7, 2010 Jef Fazekas(Newport Beach, California United States) 1 out of 1 found this review helpful
There was something about WOMEN + COUNTRY, Jakob Dylan's second solo album, that, upon my first listen, caused me to pause. Compared to 2008's brilliant SEEING THINGS, which seemed so lush and full-bodied with just guitar and bass basically backing each track, this album seemed...cluttered. The saying "Sometimes less is more" kept twirling in my head.
But sometimes "more can be more" as well....as in, "More instruments add more layers" and "More listens allow all the special moments to rise to the top." What it boils down to is, WOMEN + COUNTRY is an absolutely captivating piece of work, every bit as good as SEEING THINGS. Yes, I have an issue or two with it (more on that later!), but the fact remains...Jakob Dylan is on a roll!
Opening up the disc is the gently rocking "Nothing But The Whole Wide World." Dylan's lead vocal is sublime, while the instrumentation perfectly anchors the thoughtful lyrics: "I ain't got no money/Can't get no love/Never was too good at either of them/I'm here for adventure/Whichever way it comes/But what good is an angel that won't catch up?" The perfect way to kick things off!
"Down On Our Own Shield" is a little more somber, but that's okay...there's a classic Jackson Browne/Warren Zevon vibe going on here, and it's one that totally works. Dylan's lead vocal is understated, yet moving (particularly on the line "It's not the kind of trick/That you get to pull twice"), while the backing vocals ~ courtesy of Neko Case and Kelly Hogan ~ are simply angelic. Lovely.
"Lend A Hand" is special because it's just a little more edgy, a tad bit quirkier (And on an album that seems to sail along at mostly the same clip, well, that's a good thing!). Bluesy, boozy and bawdy, it shuffles along like some New Orleans juke jam theme song. Stinging guitar, slinky percussion and wa-wa-wonderful horns all come together in an arrangement that is pitch perfect. Add a relaxed lead vocal and you have one of my favorite cuts!
"We Don't Live Here Anymore" is another favorite of mine. There's a groove to it that could almost be described as menacing, but at the same time it's TOTALLY captivating! Dylan's lead vocal just exudes darkness and danger, all Gothic and grim. Special mention also has to be made of David Mansfield's brillint banjo and fiddle playing....talk about atmospheric! WOW!! Love it!!!
It's at this point that things get bogged down a bit, be it ever so slightly. It's not that this block of songs is bad...it's just that we've heard it all before, both from Dylan and producer T-Bone Burnett. These are songs that Dylan has been doing his entire career, both on his own and with the Wallflowers....same pitch, same groove, same melody. Ditto Burnett...a lot of these tracks could fit here, on the upcoming John Mellencamp CD or Robert Plant and Allison Krauss' excellent RAISING SAND. It's O.K. to have a signature sound, but you don't ever want it to cross over into predictability.
That said, each song has it's own special moments and small charms, particularly "Everybody's Hurting", with it's brilliant blend of acoustic bass, Mansfield's sterling fiddle and muted horns.
On a different album, say, one where it followed one or two upbeat tracks, "Yonder Comes The Blues" would have been a great album closer. Here it's just a tad bit...sleepy. Ditto "Holly Rollers Of Love"...it's nice enough, but it just never really takes off. It does try...sort of....kind of...buuuuut....it...just....never...happens!
Things rebound big time with the Quentin Tarantino/spaghetti Western-flavored "Truth For A Truth." Talk about atmospheric....there is just SO much attitude and feeling and mesmerising power both to and in this song! Dylan's lead vocal just draws you in, partially because it is so perfectly cushioned by the ethereal instrumentation. Another one of WOMEN + COUNTRY's finest moments!
"They've Trapped Us Boys" is what they used to call a great "album track"...not a standout cut, but one that definitely adds something positive to the overall quality of the disc. There's a real nice push-and-pull vibe here...the lilting arrangement is in stark contrast to the extremely dark story the lyrics are telling (Kudos once again to Mansfield, this time for his mandolin playing. Ditto veteran musician Greg Leisz on pedal steel).
There's an easy-going charm, as well as a profound sadness, to "Smile When You Call Me That." Leisz' pedal steel guitar sets the mood, with Dylan's wounded lead vocal clinching the deal. Add stinging lyrics to the mix ("I'm drunk and you're insane/I can't quit and you won't change"), and you have another one of W+C's true gems!
Things end on a strong note with the horn-drenched "Standing Eight Count." With it's pounding backbeat and hypnotic brass section, the song just works it's way into your head and doesn't let go. Dylan's lead vocal is mysterious, yet pointed, while the instrumentation is top notch. An absolutely brilliant way to wrap things up!
With SEEING THINGS and now WOMEN + COUNTRY, Jakob Dylan has delivered his two strongest, most mature, releases to date. At a truly exceptional point in his career, here's hoping he continues to dig ever deeper, challenging himself as he continues to grow. (As with all my reviews, I'm giving the disc an extra half a star for including the lyrics).
