Following up her recent It's All Relative, a tribute to her father and country legend Mel Tillis, Pam Tillis stays true to the generation before her with her new album Rhinestoned, releasing April 17.
Steeped in that rich tradition is "Something Burning Out." Her instantly recognizable voice owns the time-honored heartbroken lyrics of the genre and delivers them with an emotive style missing in much of the now popular crossbreed of pop and country. As with much of the album, it isn't only Tillis' style and voice that is pure and true to those roots, but it is also the accompaniment, rich with fiddles, harpsichord, acoustic guitars, and bass.
"Band in the Window," the current single, switches things up with a two-step tempo and a witty spin to the lyrics. It shows a side to Pam that may remind the listener of earlier singles "Cleopatra, Queen of Denial" and "Mi Vida Loca (My Crazy Life)" minus the pop slant she leaned toward for a very short time. In a recent interview Pam talked abut her slight detour toward cross-over music and how she quickly found her way back to her roots. When asked about those early songs, she says, "It started to go that way, yes. My first album for Arista wasn't that way at all. Actually, my first three albums weren't like that but then it started to change. You know, I'm proud of all my records, but I just didn't feel like that was where I wanted to be."
On Rhinestoned she finds a way to still visit the lighthearted songs without compromising the end sound. "Crazy by Myself" is yet a different spin on tradition and shows a fun and playful side to Tillis. In a similar vein is "Bettin' Money on Love," an ode to mixing love and gambling.
Article comments