Rita’s previous album ‘Come Sunrise’ has been a favourite here for the last couple of years, and this new collection is even better with 11 crafted country-folk songs that feel like an honest representation and glimpse into modern blue collar America.
A powerful lyricist, she’s skilled at capturing the detail and colour of a situation and presenting them in a manner that creates atmosphere – much of that comes from her restrained vocals that are delivered with real conviction.
Produced by Rich Brotherton (Caroline Herring), the musicians providing the soundscape for her songs include Brotherton, and other members of Robert Earl Keen’s band who add bass, drums, guitar and more.
All eleven songs on ‘Burn’ are originals from Rita, and they cover a broad-range of subjects, characters and situations, but they are all delivered with real passion and intensity and she sings every single word with real conviction.
This is a superb modern Americana album, the songs are excellent, the instrumentation beautifully understated and the vocal delivery is delicate but packed with emotional power.
Track listing
1 Something You Got
2 When Miners Sang
3 Crash and Burn
4 Indian Giver
5 How Many Fires
6 Dishes
7 My Demolition Man
8 Ballad for the Gulf of Mexico
9 The Coyote
10 My Golden Bull
11 Song for Claire
review 12 September 2011
