Cerulean Salt

by Waxahatchee

Overview

Laura Cantrell's debut album, Not the Tremblin' Kind, is a mix of originals and covers by little known yet superb songwriters like George Usher, Joe Flood, Amy Allison, and the Volebeats' Bob McCreedy -- resulting in an evocative blend of neo-traditionalist country. As a singer, Cantrell doesn't have the pipes of a someone like Lucinda Williams, but, like Merle Haggard, her clear and simple way with a tale or sentiment leaves the listener hanging on every word. Cantrell's own "Queen of the Coast" tells the story of a female country singer from a bygone era who stands toward the back of a stage while her man basks in the spotlight. (Think Bonnie Owens: The mandolin line even slyly echoes one-time husband Haggard's signature "I Am a Lonesome Fugitive.") The era the song nods to is also expressive of Cantrell's sound, which is of clearly different stock than the high drama of alt-country young lion Neko Case or the good-natured folkyness of predecessor Nanci Griffith. Rather, Cantrell's music echoes a truck-stop jukebox circa the 1950s or '60s and such woman pioneers as Kitty Wells. Also, Cantrell's work as a DJ at famed free-form station WFMU allowed her to cull the finest tracks that crossed her turntable, and her ear for the right tunes to cover is clearly evident. On her heart-piercing take on the Volebeats' "Two Seconds," her plaintive voice is used to excellent effect, driving home the primary sentiment, "Two seconds of your love is all I need of you/two seconds of your time, that's enough to say we're through/two beats of your heart is enough to know we'll never part." Another great cover is Amy Allison's "Whiskey Makes You Sweeter," which Cantrell delivers with the poise of a woman who won't make the same mistake twice -- rather than the sloppy, temporary regret the song might suggest. Solid production by World Famous Blue Jays member Jay Sherman-Godfrey and strong musicianship make this first-class, enduring Americana -- with one foot in the past and an eye towards the future. ~ Erik Hage

Product Details

Release Date:	07/07/2023
Label:	Don Giovanni
UPC:	0634457132122

Tracks

1. Not the Tremblin' Kind
2. Little Bit of You
3. Queen of the Coast
4. Pile of Woe
5. Two Seconds
6. Churches off the Interstate
7. The Whiskey Makes You Sweeter
8. Do You Ever Think of Me
9. Big Wheel
10. My Heart Goes Out to You
11. Somewhere, Some Night
12. The Way It Is

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Waxahatchee   Primary Artist
Laura Cantrell   Primary Artist
Will Rigby   Guest Artist
Allison Crutchfield   Drums,Vocals
Katie Crutchfield   Guitar,Vocals
Kyle Gilbride   Bass,Guitar,Synthesizer,Vocals (Background)
Sam Cook-Parrott   Bass,Vocals (Background)
Keith Spencer   Bass,Drums,Guitar

Technical Credits

Jay Sherman-Godfrey   Producer
Carl Montgomery   Composer
Laura Cantrell   Composer
George Usher   Composer
Dan Prater   Composer
Allison Crutchfield   Assistant Producer
Ryan Russell   Photography,Art Direction
Katie Crutchfield   Composer,Producer,Art Direction,Instrumentation
Robert McCreedy   Composer
Kyle Gilbride   Engineer,Producer
Sam Cook-Parrott   Assistant Producer
Joe Flood   Composer
Amy Allison   Composer
Keith Spencer   Producer