Pretty Bird
Thirty Tigers, 2018
8/10
Kathy Mattea has enjoyed an amazing career, which includes a pair of Grammy’s, several CMA awards and 5 gold albums so far. However, in her 50s, her voice started to change, which forced her to adjust her singing style accordingly. After much vocal training and soul searching, the songstress returns with Pretty Bird, one of her most reflective albums to date.
“Chocolate On My Tongue” wastes no time reeling us in with playful, organic instrumentation against Mattea’s rich, expressive vocals, and “Ode To Billie Joe” follows with a warm, folksy strummer where vivid storytelling keeps us hanging on every word.
Further along, “He Moves Through The Fair” glides with a vocally strong tune of timeless ideas, while “St Teresa” picks up the pace and volume with a lush display of country inspired rock. “October Song”, one of the album’s best, then offers gorgeous instrumentation as Mattea’s graceful pipes emit much intimacy.
Late in the listen, “Holy Now” recruits backing vocals for breezy, folk and gospel fun, and the title track exits the listen a cappella, as just Mattea’s flawless pipes take on a hint of jazz influence in their new life.
Mattea picks tunes from artists like Joan Osborne, Martha Carson and Hazel Dickens, to name a few, and much like everything she’s done, she makes the songs her own with a soulful, emotive and often bare display of country/gospel/folk/rootsy power.
Travels well with: Gretchen Peters- Dancing With The Beast; Randy Travis- Precious Memories