Mary Gauthier "Mercy Now" (2005)

GRITTY AND MOVING

• I would call Gauthier's work country/folk and the in name for that definition seems to be Southern Gothic, a genre name that doesn't make a whole lot sense to me. But the songs on this album, they make sense to me, as they would to anyone who loves carefully crafted, gritty lyrics.

• Yes, these are often dark songs. Yet somehow the upbeat peeks through almost unexpectedly. Mercy Now and Prayer Without Words are good examples of that. In other words, they may be sad, but they aren't hopeless, and that little bit of a hook will grab you every time. There is a subtle spirituality here as well - listen to Wheel Inside The Wheel, for example:

Souls ain't born, souls don't die Soul ain't made of earth, ain't made of water, ain't made of sky So, ride the flaming circle, wind the golden reel And roll on, brother, in the wheel inside the wheel

• This is interesting work, even if, at its heart it is still about broken relationships, human disasters, being down and out, etc. And there is intelligence behind the lyrics, and a real artistry behind the songs. Give it a listen and you'll see what I mean.

• Gauthier has a true Southern whiskey voice, complete with edgy whine. And yet it is capable of a surprising number of colors, from really down and out to gently caring, and oh yes, just a dash of pointed sarcasm. "I Drink", a rework from 1999, is a masterpiece of the latter. In an interview, Gauthier mentioned that she often rewrites a song several hundred times, and this level of craftsmanship shows everywhere.

• So if you want to explore some of the sad sides of love and life, this is an album you will play over, and over.

More albums from Mary Gauthier

• "Dixie Kitchen" (1997)

• "Drag Queens and Limousines" (1999)

Tracklist in the Comments