Country Rock Blog Saturday, June 30, 2012. Nitty Gritty Dirt Band- Will the circle be unbroken 2 Will the circle be unbroken 2. This record is the sequel to the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band's original Will The Circle Be Unbroken triple album, the one that got me hooked on these guys. In '72, when Circle was released, the members of the Dirt Band were. Please let me know what I'm missing, as I'm sure there's a ton of releases from bands on this blog I either missed or completely forgot about. Let me know what your favourite albums of 2020 have been, and I'll have my usual top 50 list out later this month. I also just wanted to quickly mention that right now I'm focusing on new releases only.
Artist- Demi Lovato
Track 1- All Night Long (featuring Timbaland and Missy Elliot)
This up tempo dance number is themost party like, live it up song on this record. It shows that Lovato is stillyoung and is a sassy lady, and the hook is really simple and light, exactlywhat you want in a pop number. Timbaland is great in keeping a nice steady beatthat slightly propulsive going throughout the track, and his short vocalfeature is a great call and response moment. Plus add the delicious Elliotvocal rap that pretty much can make any track and you have Lovato’s mostcommercial track but equally a catchy and pleasurable song that would indeeddeserve success if it was released as a single.
Track 2- Who’s ThatBoy (featuring Dev)
This track features Lovato in a flirtatious mood and has areally cool backbeat that gives a chilled flavour to the song. The lyrics arehighly clichéd put for a simple pop song this isn’t really much of a downpoint, and whilst vocally Lovato plays it safe throughout most of the song, ifshe had unleashed the power of her voice it might have distracted bymischievous nature of the song. The Dev feature is also just a nice sweettouch, not adding a lot to the track but giving a slight variation in tone.
Track 3- You’re MyOnly Shorty (featuring Iyaz)
This up tempo number is cool but also slightly annoying.Production wise the track keeps it pretty simple with the key point being ajingling background rhythm which definitely gives a fresh feeling to the track.Lyrically the song is just so so, but vocally Lovato is very good, downplayingthe vocals in the verses which gives an extra punch to the chorus. The realissue though is the Iyaz feature. The singer is wasted as he just repeats thesame line over and over again in the chorus, and it just makes you feel as ifhe could have done something else, even if the female male vocal combinationdoes work.
Track 4- Together(featuring Jason Derulo)
This uplifting song is a cool slightly RnB tinged, powerfulnumber that asks us to get along in the world. It’s a universal message thathas been done many times, but it still has a sense of lyrical freshness withinthis track. The song is done in proper duet style, raising the idea of unitingwith each other to another level, and both artists really bring the message ofthe track through vocally. The oh oh oh repetition is perhaps slightly annoyingbut is also really memorable, and the song is a little long but the simple claplike beat gives the track a minimal yet good, groovy feel.
Track 5- Lightweight
The vocal acapella key change that is a continual staple ofthe production of the track is a new sound to the album that is cool but at thesame easy to get annoyed at. However this lessens when the clattering beats ofthe latter half of the song begin. Lovato really uses her voice well withinthis track as she gives the impression of being lightweight through thesoftness of her voice in the verses, although the chorus is perhaps a littleover performed. It’s a bit of a downer after the relative upbeatness of theprevious track. But its good in giving a moment of diversity and being a littlemore lyrically deep.
Track 6- Unbroken
The album’s title track is a quite dance orientated numberthat features an aggressive back beat, offering a great contrast to the formertrack and showing how Lovato can shift seamlessly in sound whilst stillcreating a coherent body of work. The slow lyrical stresses of the versesgreatly contrast with the powerful, punchy chorus, and although this song islyrically speaking of a relationship, it also has that sense of empowerment inbeing unbroken in any situation, and is a fitting album title in the wake ofLovato’s personal but highly publicised struggles. The track is also as equallyaggressive and impressive vocally as it is production wise, and so is just allround delicious.
Track 7- Fix A Heart
This is one of the best tracks on the record in that it islyrically smart, vocally great and highly simple production wise. In contrastto the up tempo nature of the previous track it is a pure and simple ballad,giving a good balance to the record. The production is piano ledinstrumentation with a subtle beat and powerful drum clashes in the chorus thatdon’t overpower the song but add to it. The layering of Lovato’s vocals inplaces is also a nice touch. And it is very much her vocals that make thistrack, with Lovato knowing exactly how to use her voice and conveying a truesense of vulnerability.
Track 8- Hold Up
This dancey pop number with just a hint of a rock flavouringis short, sweet number and one of my personal faves. Sure criminal antics mixedwith love is about as original as the newest reality show. But it’s a reallysweet sentiment that is really given a kick by Lovatos innocent vocalperformance and the fast paced, dance orientated production. And it just that senseof a rush of first love, with a great pop hook.
Track 9- Mistake
The powerful fast paced beat driven intro of this track is alittle bit misleading as this is more of a mid tempo offering. The lyricalquality is bit thin as a lovers mistake is just a bit bland, and the vocalperformance is just a bit so so. The clattering drums and the guitar productionin the tracks latter moments save it from being just a bad album filler track,but it might have been better to put a proper up tempo number in this slot.
Track 10- Give YourHeart A Break
One of Lovato’s best known tunes,this is a powerful dance pop ballad is one of those songs that you just have tolisten to to really appreciate it. Its lyrical concept is great in giving asense of love rather than heartbreak and playing with that idea of heartbreak.And the violins and guitars give an epic stadium feel to the track, whilstvocally the song really builds, and the slow lyrical stresses really give thatsense of being in love.
Track 11- Skyscraper
The lead single off the album was Lovato’s big comebacksingle after her rehab troubles. And it perfectly encapsulates the artist andthe album in being a song that is a pillar of strength. With simple productionthat really builds towards a crescendo booming chorus and a vocal performancethat is so vulnerable and pure, this is an artist really laying herself on theline within her music.
Track 12- In RealLife
This is a cool lyrical song in that we all have that senseof dreaming but then crashing back down to reality, whether it’s in a relationshipor other elements of life. However the production is just a little so so comparedto the more tightly structured tracks on the album, and though youth is still amajor factor of Lovato’s work as she is only young, this track still feels alittle two young after the more mature work on this album.
Track 13- My LovesLike A Star
Unbroken Discography Blogspot Youtube
This light chilled out number is a sweet track co penned byJames Morrison. It’s a simple track that evokes a sense of longlasting love andis given a fresh tone through Lovato’s youthful vocals. The chorus is perhaps atad oversung but she really tries to get the sentiment of the song across with hervoice, and the chilled, almost transient state inducing bit allows for a verycool atmosphere.
Track 14- For TheLove Of A Daughter
This is a great final track to the album (ignoring theactual remix end) in that although it is a stereotypical ballad end it is themost emotional and deeply personal song on the album. Originally written forher last album but seen as too deeply personal at that time, it fits reallywell on this track and is produced in a great way, with a simple pianoinstrumentation leading into clashing drums and a flourish of electric guitar,elevating the power of Lovato’s vocals and the emotional intensity of thetrack. Whilst also being extremely personal, it is also a song that many peoplewill be able to relate t. And Lovato just gets brownie points for being able tobe this open and honest as an artist.
Track 15- Skyscraper(WizzDumb Remix)
The remix version of Lovato’s big emotional hit is a nicealbum finish because the simple but consistent and strong new beat that WizzDumb uses gives the track a more chilled out freshness, and so it’s a nice songto listen to if you don’t want to get too invested in the emotion of theoriginal track.
Final Review
A cohesive body of work that allowed Lovato to transition fromteen Disney pop rock into an accomplished adult artist. And it is a perfectexample of how out of great troubles can come some great works of art, and howmusic can be a great healing process.
Unbroken Discography Blogspot Torrent
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This record is the sequel to the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band's original Will The Circle Be Unbroken triple album, the one that got me hooked on these guys. In '72, when Circle was released, the members of the Dirt Band were long-haired, progressive country-rock artists who were trying to bridge the musical and cultural gap between themselves and the veteran country artists they were recording with. When the sequel to Circle came out in '89, 17 years later, NGDB was a veteran country act who had had a lot of hits. Will The Circle Be Unbroken, Volume 2 is not the groundbreaking album its predecessor was, but this record has a lot of great songs by a talented group of artists.
I don't know where to start with the highlights--there are many. The title track features Johnny Cash, Roy Acuff, Ricky Skaggs, Levon Helm(formerly of The Band) and NGDB's Jimmy Ibbotson taking turns singing the lead, and all the musicians and singers who perform on this record join in. Acuff, who was one of the singers on the first Circle album, and country music Hall of Famer Earl Scruggs, who played banjo, make a return engagement here. Ibbotson added a fifth verse to A.P. Carter's original lyric and dedicated it to the late Mother Maybelle Carter, who was one of the key performers on the original Circle album. The first hit off this record was 'You Ain't Goin' Nowhere', the classic Byrds song that was written by Bob Dylan. Although I think the Dirt Band's live version of the song on their Live Two Five album is a little more energetic than the studio version, 'You Ain't Goin' Nowhere' is noteworthy because Roger McGuinn and Chris Hillman, two of the guys from the Byrds, sing lead here. 'Turn Of The Century' is the Dirt Band's utopian vision of the future('There won't be no TV preachers to ask how much we gave/We won't need no TV preachers/See, by then we'll all be saved') and features Jerry Douglas on dobro, Mark O'Connor on fiddle, and NGDB's Jimmy Ibbotson, Jeff Hanna and Bob Carpenter each singing a verse. 'Lost River', written by Michael Martin Murphey, has Murphey singing lead and John McEuen, who had left the Dirt Band a couple of years before, joining his old bandmates on banjo. Hanna's Cajun rocker 'Bayou Jubilee', which NGDB first did on their 1975 album Dream, is redone here and is no less spirited now than it was then. 'When It's Gone', with Randy Scruggs(son of Earl) on lead guitar, O'Connor on fiddle, and Jimmie Fadden on harmonica, is a toe-tapper reminiscent of NGDB's classic bluegrass and swing numbers. 'And So It Goes', on which John Denver is backed up by the Dirt Band, was the first hit song in four years for the classic '70s folk-rock artist. Other songs I really like on this record are the traditional bluegrass anthem 'Sittin' On Top Of The World' with lead vocals by Jimmy Martin(another singer who was on the first Circle album); the gospel numbers 'Don't You Hear Jerusalem Moan', featuring the New Grass Revival, and 'Little Mountain Church House', sung by Ricky Skaggs; John Prine's 'Grandpa Was A Carpenter'; John Hiatt's 'One Step Over The Line', with lead vocals by Hiatt and Rosanne Cash(Johnny's daughter); and the moving wartime ballad 'Mary Danced With Soldiers', sung by Emmylou Harris.
I don't know where to start with the highlights--there are many. The title track features Johnny Cash, Roy Acuff, Ricky Skaggs, Levon Helm(formerly of The Band) and NGDB's Jimmy Ibbotson taking turns singing the lead, and all the musicians and singers who perform on this record join in. Acuff, who was one of the singers on the first Circle album, and country music Hall of Famer Earl Scruggs, who played banjo, make a return engagement here. Ibbotson added a fifth verse to A.P. Carter's original lyric and dedicated it to the late Mother Maybelle Carter, who was one of the key performers on the original Circle album. The first hit off this record was 'You Ain't Goin' Nowhere', the classic Byrds song that was written by Bob Dylan. Although I think the Dirt Band's live version of the song on their Live Two Five album is a little more energetic than the studio version, 'You Ain't Goin' Nowhere' is noteworthy because Roger McGuinn and Chris Hillman, two of the guys from the Byrds, sing lead here. 'Turn Of The Century' is the Dirt Band's utopian vision of the future('There won't be no TV preachers to ask how much we gave/We won't need no TV preachers/See, by then we'll all be saved') and features Jerry Douglas on dobro, Mark O'Connor on fiddle, and NGDB's Jimmy Ibbotson, Jeff Hanna and Bob Carpenter each singing a verse. 'Lost River', written by Michael Martin Murphey, has Murphey singing lead and John McEuen, who had left the Dirt Band a couple of years before, joining his old bandmates on banjo. Hanna's Cajun rocker 'Bayou Jubilee', which NGDB first did on their 1975 album Dream, is redone here and is no less spirited now than it was then. 'When It's Gone', with Randy Scruggs(son of Earl) on lead guitar, O'Connor on fiddle, and Jimmie Fadden on harmonica, is a toe-tapper reminiscent of NGDB's classic bluegrass and swing numbers. 'And So It Goes', on which John Denver is backed up by the Dirt Band, was the first hit song in four years for the classic '70s folk-rock artist. Other songs I really like on this record are the traditional bluegrass anthem 'Sittin' On Top Of The World' with lead vocals by Jimmy Martin(another singer who was on the first Circle album); the gospel numbers 'Don't You Hear Jerusalem Moan', featuring the New Grass Revival, and 'Little Mountain Church House', sung by Ricky Skaggs; John Prine's 'Grandpa Was A Carpenter'; John Hiatt's 'One Step Over The Line', with lead vocals by Hiatt and Rosanne Cash(Johnny's daughter); and the moving wartime ballad 'Mary Danced With Soldiers', sung by Emmylou Harris.