Maurice Hope – January 30, 2016 at 05:32AM
Tags:_AMERICANA
The Essential Gretchen Peters as the title suggests it is look back through the career of the American singer-songwriter, someone who has had enjoyed a good many covers, and by named people too (who in turn have enjoyed a no little success). Peters might have seen Nashville artists embrace her work but she has remained strong enough to carve out a career of her own, performing her versions and on teaming up with fellow singer-songwriters Matraca Berg and Suzy Bogguss an another outlet too opened; a genial songwriter and storyteller Peters beautiful pieces of work are of the kind you learn to enjoy the more you hear them. And come to understand them fully; plus you have her live shows and it is here she really comes into her as an accomplished, clever, deep thinking observer of aspects of life and our reactions.
Among the selection of solo pieces; demos (“Chill Of The Early Fall” as covered by George Strait), work tapes and radio edits you have an acoustic version of her biggest song (Martina McBride’s monster hit and award winner) “Independence Day” a live version of “Woman On The Wheel” and a duet apiece with Bryan Adams (a previously unheard “When You love Someone”) and Tom Russell (co-write “Guadalupe”). Plus The Rolling Stones’ “Wild Horses” with good friends Berg and Bogguss (Wine, Women & Song) and you have a work tape recording of “Blackbirds” with co-writer, Irish recording act Ben Glover. An act I would recommend you check out immediately you finished up reading this review.
Recent sparse tune “Blackbirds” (as on the album of the same title) finds a place alongside such older stellar tunes as “On A Bus To St. Cloud“, “The Secret of Life” and “When You Are Old” and an equally wonderful “Sunday Morning (Up And Down Our Street)”. All of which it could be said of if she was not to write another song Peters would still be greatly admired by both fellow tunesmiths and fans alike.
Her cultured tones likewise cash in on “Five Minutes” (work tape), that is not all because you have the heartfelt, horns, cello warmed “The Aviator’s Song”, “The Matador” and “Hello Cruel World”, Peters just keeps on producing, like a rabbit from the hat such big songs; and in husband, piano and accordionist, Barry Walsh the perfect foil.
Maurice Hope
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