Album Reviews

Tift Merritt
Another Country
Concord Music Group

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Tift Merritt made a statement with the release of her rock solid debut album Bramble Rose. Her distinct voice and solid songwriting resulted in showers of critical acclaim and established her as a new artist to watch carefully. Merritt’s second release, Tambourine was unexpected and exceptional. The blend of rock, oldies, alt-country, and soul was one of the highlights of that year. Tift then seemed to simply disappear. She took off to Paris with a piano and spent time penning the collection of songs which would become her new album Another Country.

The new record successfully blends the sounds of Bramble Rose and Tambourine into a satisfying collection of songs. The acoustic musical backing of “Keep You Happy” is beautiful in that simple stated way that is so decidedly Tift Merritt music. Tift is in her element with mid-tempo alt-country songs and her voice sparkles on tracks such as “Broken” and “Something To Be”. “Morning Is My Destination” and “I Know What I’m Looking For Now” are also winners.

“My Heart is Free” will remind listeners of Tift’s previous single “Stray Paper” and that’s a good thing. Merritt’s voice sounds absolutely fantastic over this fuller band sound and it’s something she would be wise to use more of in the future. The funky “Tell Me Something True” continues some of the funky, oldies influences found all over the Tambourine record. It’s great to see she hasn’t abandoned that daring sound completely. It’s something completely distinct in the country genre right now and Tift should be applauded for taking some risks in her music.

Another Country isn’t perfect. There are moments where a few of the tracks seem to blend together when you play the record from start to finish. But any complaints here are minor and don’t detract from the fact that Merritt has proven once again to be a consistent performer. She hits them out of the park way more than she misses so you don’t hold the rare misstep like the dull title track against her.

Tift Merritt has triumphantly returned with Another Country. It’s a solid alt-country record that covers quite a bit of musical ground. The album successfully blends Tift’s two musical personalities into a cohesive whole and there is a little bit of something for any music fan to enjoy. For the listener not familiar with Merritt’s music, start with Tambourine, but everyone should get familiar with this release as well. Let’s hope the next record is right around the corner.

Album Review by Jeff Krasky

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The WOC Rating Scale

The album stands above the rest. This is a record that every country music fan needs to have in their collection. This album is better than the average release. A strong record with some flaws that keep it from reaching that 5 star level. This album is an average country release. Doesn't posses qualities that make it stand out among all the other albums out there. A weak record that lacks solid songs or good vocal performances. Sample before you buy. This record is a bargin-bin reject that just isn't worth the time or the money. Completely misses the mark.

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