Blogcritics The critical lens on today's culture & entertainment
Is there such a thing as country rock anymore? Greats such as Johnny Cash and Bob Dylan are known for their dual genre music. The best traditional example would be Lynyrd Skynyrd, but Blanche – led by husband and wife singers Dan and Tracee Miller – follow Cash more so than the others.
If We Can’t Trust The Doctors… starts off with “Preamble” – a short whispering song – that sets the album’s tone. Dan and Tracee feed off each other, like Johnny Cash and June Carter, in “Do You Trust Me?” and “Bluebird.” Both songs are very simplistic, with steady beats and strong vocals. “Superstition” is more modernized, giving a nod to Garth Brooks’ “The Thunder Rolls.” The album’s steady tone can be heard in “So Long Cruel World” with its haunting and hypnotic combination of strong lyrics and instrumentals, backed by mysterious sounding vocals by Tracee. Dan sings mysteriously as well in “Jack On Fire” – sounding eerily similar to Jim Morrison of The Doors. The best song is “Garbage Picker” and although the title sounds weird, it is something powerful. Audiences might not like the album’s slow and simple approach, but boring is what If We Can’t Trust The Doctors… is not.
