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Iris DeMent - My Life Audio CD

A fair review of the Iris DeMent "My Life" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all Iris DeMent reviews here, or go back to the Iris DeMent tabs.

Iris DeMent Band: Iris DeMent
Title: My Life
Rating:
Release Date: 1994-04-12
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Sweet Is the Melody 2: You've Done Nothing Wrong 3: Calling for You 4: Childhood Memories 5: No Time to Cry 6: Troublesome Waters 7: Mom and Dad's Waltz 8: Easy's Gettin' Harder Every Day 9: Shores of Jordan 10: My Life

Once Again, On My Arkie Angel
I am, however, due to that 'unrequited' love, in the process of trying to find every Iris CD I can get my hands on. Well, everyone by now knows that I love Iris Dement (see my review of her "Infamous Angel" in this space) so we need not get back on that track. That search brought me to this Warner Brother produced CD from 1994, "My Life". Does this effort measure up to the others? No. Does it have any songs with the power of "Walking Home Alone" ( I can still see the chipped dishes and worn out sofas of my own home growing up that song evokes), "A Wall In Washington" (one of the great anti-war songs where it counts), "These Hills" (that still brings a lump to my throat) or "After You've Gone" (with that great line about knowing every line of her lover's face). Hell no. I believe that it is probably due to the fact that it is a little over-produced.

Iris' voice left with a simple guitar, or better yet, piano as accompaniment can carry her rich and thoughtful lyrics. Again, as is her forte she sings of loves lost (or misunderstood), spiritual longing (she might argue religious longing but I will not quibble) and those long ago formed and fastened roots to family, home and hearth. Although no song here took my breath away "You've Done Nothing Wrong" was evocative (sometimes romance just runs out of steam before you can do anything about it). "Childhood Memories" (a tribute to her late father) was fine and also evoked a response in me to my very different childhood experiences.

The winner here though is clearly "Easy's Getting Harder Every Day". The story line (Is it somewhat autobiographical?) and Iris' Arkie twang drive home a very strong message about the hard struggle to keep one's head up that many, too many, people face on a day to day basis. Oh, yes. Iris, don't forget that proposal I made in my review of "Infamous Angel" if you tire of Greg Brown. It is still on the table.
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I love my life
This is the first Iris Dement album I own and I'm hooked. I grew up listening to folk music,but only just recently have I started to collect my own musical library. This cd is worth its weight in gold. I am in awe of her songwriting ability,she makes it sound so easy. This is a tiny package filled with beautiful songs and lyrics that will make you just want to stop and listen for hours on end.

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It's brilliance and power sneaks up on you
I was so caught up in the shimmering vocals and harmonies. I played this CD a few times before paying much attention to the words. Finally, the first track struck me with pure poetry:
"Sweet is the melody
so hard to come by
so hard to make every note bend just right"

I could have never said it better, and it explains why music is so great. And this album delivers all the way to the end. The album can really break your heart, but threads of hope are woven throughout. You could cry your eyes out to "easy's getting harder every day", as it explains the unfulfilling suffocation that daily life can provide. But somehow it's redemptive, as you should realize that it's an unavoidable consequence of survival. The song doesn't come out and say that, but you can gather that. For example, the closing title track unsentimentally reminds us that your life's worth is largely valued by the littlest of things. Things that are so small that no one might notice them, but they will become more noticeable and missed in your absence.

I think each song is a gem, and I cannot believe this sat on my shelf for five years before I realized the greatness contained within.

This belongs in the pantheon of singer/songwriter classics. .


Iris DeMent talent can rival the best with ease it's real homespun
not only does she write the stuff but sings it as well and it's real homespun folk music and as good as hank william,tammy wynette ,etc . i came across the song (let the mystery be )last week and fell in love with this artists work i was was so impressed with the lyrics i started researching the composer witch led me to miss DeMent. i found the album infamous angel and it's hard to believe it was released 15 years ago but i guess you don't get much play on the radio for folk music even if its as high a caliber as this ,in fact the only place you get to hear folk music is on PBS. mostly the great old timers but i don't know how they could have missed this lady some of her stuff is so pleasing to listen to (sweet is the melody and childhood memories are exquisite tracks you'll fall in love with instantly).


folk masterpiece.
her songs are warm, often melancholy, always moving, and she sings them with an expressively unique voice that is absolutely mesmerizing. iris dement is one of the very best signer songwriters to emerge in the 1990's. this album is a folk masterpiece that you should not miss.


You can see a complete list of all Iris DeMent discography, or go back to the Iris DeMent tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.

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