We should have been in Kerrville this weekend except for Reba coming down with
something that barely let her walk for several days. She is a little better
now, but 10 days in the heat, humidity, smoke, and rough terrain of the
Pleasant Valley Ranch were more than we could face this week.
So let me tell you about a four-time Kerrville new folk winner, Tanya Savory
and her partner/accompanist Kim Wallenhaus. This review will appear in the
next issue of SingOut! and is printed here thanks to SingOut!
Tanya Savory
TOWN TO TOWN
Grand Prairie 094
Tanya Savory is the William Faulkner of folk music. Her songs are stories of
people, places, and events. Here are floods, trains, Kentucky bluegrass, her
dad’s experience as a minister, an old-timer named Reuben Brown, Interstate
Highways. Even the love songs are surrounded by structures and descriptions.
Listening to the sparse, generally simple presentations of her songs takes you
back to a different time and space.
The opening cut is not the usual over-produced radio throwaway. Rather, it is
an interesting story of Tanya’s grandmother growing up in Kansas, living in a
big town, which became a small town, which became no town at all. Typical of
most of the songs on the album, it is somewhat long -- 5 1/2 minutes. Savory
lets her songs go as long as they need to, rather than fitting them into the 3
minute radio straitjacket. This is somewhat surprising since her first album,
Better Shade Of Green, made #10 on the Gavin Americana Chart, and stayed in
the top 13 for 8 weeks.
There are not many instruments backing the vocals but they are used well. The
first cut is heavy on cello and keyboard. The next cut features a well-played
dobro. The 3rd cut has a lightly played guitar. Each cut has a distinctive
sound, appropriate to the lyrics and supporting the vocals which themselves
are moderate. Tanya doesn't belt out songs or have a large vocal range, but on
these songs she doesn't have to.
One of the fascinating aspects of Tanya’s writing is the use of metaphors to
lead into reflections on emotions and relationships. “Reason Enough” starts
off talking of golden leaves falling from trees, of geese flying from their
summer homes, and then the lover pacing the floor looking for reasons to go.
“And oh, don't the north wind blow/just a little bit colder because/if you're
thinking of leaving and needing a reason/that’s reason enough.” Shades of Joni
Mitchell.
I love this album. It is one of the three or four best albums I have heard in
1997. I have listened to it a dozen times and find more to like with each
listening. Do yourself a favor, call NOMA and buy it.
-30-
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Victor K Heyman / victor@heymanmail.com
Heyman Mailing Service Inc.
5609 Fishers Lane #3B
Rockville, MD 20852
301-881-4685 / 301-984-6257 fax
<http://www.dc.net/vheyman>Vic's Music Corner
<http://www.heymanmail.com/>HMS Business
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[ Stuntie sez: Tanya is on the Web at http://songs.com/tanya . ]