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Michelle Shocked - Arkansas Traveler Audio CD

A fair review of the Michelle Shocked "Arkansas Traveler" 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 Michelle Shocked reviews here, or go back to the Michelle Shocked tabs.

Michelle Shocked Band: Michelle Shocked
Title: Arkansas Traveler
Rating:
Release Date: 1994-06-14
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: 33 RPM Soul 2: Come a Long Way 3: Secret to a Long Life 4: Contest Coming (Cripple Creek) 5: Over the Waterfall 6: Shaking Hands (Soldier's Joy) 7: Jump Jim Crow/Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah 8: Hold Me Back (Frankie & Johnny) 9: Strawberry Jam 10: Prodigal Daughter (Cotton Eyed Joe) 11: Blackberry Blossom 12: Weaving Way 13: Arkansas Traveler 14: Woody's Rag

Terrific artist I had never heard of
This is an excellent CD with music you can really get into. I was just navigating through Amazon when I ran across this artist, sampled a couple songs and decided to give th CD a try. The music is good and the singing is first rate. If you like country, some blue grass and a little humor, this is a good buy. I am happy I found it and will buy more of Michelle Shocked. .


A must-have for fans.
Probably better is her best-of collection, "Mercury Poise" although her breakthrough album "Short Sharp Shocked" is where most of us became fans and remains one of her most brilliant works. If you're buying your first Michelle Shocked, this album probably isn't the best one.

But, if you're a fan filling out your collection -- "Arkansas Traveler" is a must-have.

"Cotton Eye Joe" is one of her best songs, ever. But the rest of the album is good-to-very-good as well.

If you are a fan, I doubt you'll be disappointed in this album. Even the lesser albums of Michelle Shocked are better than most music out there!.


Top comedy album
" Some of the songs have double titles, possibly one for the words and another for the name of the tune that old-timers would recognize. The CD liner notes mention blackface minstrelsy as "the real `roots' of many of the tunes included. For example, "Prodigal Daughter (Cotton Eyed Joe)" ends with a long instrumental that could be background music for any great theatrical extravaganza. The first verse is about the typical prodigal son story, but the woe, "Oh Cotton Eyed Joe" line is reserved for the pathetic girl who's "bringing such shame to the family name. " The scene is dramatic enough to stage:

Look, here comes a prodigal son
Fetch him a tall drink of water
But there's none in the cup
because he drank it all up
Left for a prodigal daughter
Singing Oh Cotton Eyed Joe

Comedy provides the only lines in the "Arkansas Traveler" song, with a farmer who isn't lost talking to a stranger who would like to know where the road goes. Jimmy Driftwood, who gets credit for guitar and vocals, wrote songs when I was very young. "Woody's Rag (W. Guthrie)" is entirely instrumental with a slightly different bunch of pickers.

The songs seem to delay their messages for a long time. Singing about a river sets up a situation for "Over the Waterfall," but the reason for the song is saved for the very end: It don't hurt you when you fall, boys; only when you land. The song I like best is "Secret to a Long Life. " I don't really need all the fiddle playing. Mandolin, accordian, bass, drums, and guitars in Woodstock, NY are fine backing for the story that song tells.


A MASTERPIECE
And to set the record straight, this was produced by Michelle Shocked herself, contrary to what has been said before, the only song produced by Don Was is Come A Long Way (brilliantly produced by the way). This is simply a Masterpiece. Recorded in interesting places like an antique store, a Riverboat and some living rooms,with some of Michelle's own heroes. A lot of history in this record that tells you that "bluegrass music is not only white poeple's music, but black people's music as well" I have been listening to this record since '92 at least once a week. Can't live without it.


great country
Michelle Shocked continues to impress me with every album that I find of hers. This is one of the best country albums that I've heard. This is as good or better than most of what is coming out of country music today and the songwriting is probably better. Shocked defies categorization, but this is almost a niche album. The sound is closer to a classic country feel than today's pop-country music, but it is as well produced as any Shania Twain album. There is more depth, and more emotion in Shocked's voice than many singers can hope to ever produce. Simply said: this is a great album and is a must have for a fan of Michelle Shocked, country music, or just good music. Arkansas Traveler transcends the genre it has fallen in to and lands in the simple category of "good music".


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

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