| Halos & Horns - Dolly Parton | |
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Reviewed by Jolene Downs
Dolly is releasing her third album from Sugar Hill Records. It is titled Horns and Halos, and with that title and Dolly singing - you know you are in for a treat from the start. Dolly had a burst of creativity while at her Tennessee home recently and headed for the studio to get some of her ideas on tape. This album is certainly one of her best; there is no doubt about it. She says it is virtually live, since she has a hard time stopping and going back and then doing it over with the same feeling. She didn't wait to schedule studio musicians and just brought in a few members of her band and recruited a few others from her Dollywood theme park plus some other local people.
Dolly's last two albums had returned her to her Bluegrass roots and have won her well-deserved praise. This current album will continue the trait. Dolly sounds a pure and fresh as when she started with her first single release in 1960. Her songs are well written and they all have something to say. She even chose to cover two classic songs on this album. Bread's "If" and "Stairway to Heaven" by Led Zeppelin. Both songs are covered beautifully, leaving their original over-all sound intact.
It was hard to pick out favorites from this great CD because everything was awesome. I really enjoyed "Sugar Hill," which was a song about growing up in the country and being carefree. Going skinny dipping in the lake, young lovers holding hands and sneaking kisses, and all the related joys of being young and having no worries. "Hello God" was absolutely beautiful. It was simply written as a letter to God and sung with amazing feeling. The Kingdom Heirs, a local gospel group that performs at Dollywood sings backup on this song. This is a song that was written after the events of September 11 and just comes from deep within her heart. "Shattered Image" was originally recorded in 1976. It was written when the tabloids were having a hey-day with Dolly's personal life. Basically it says that people in glass houses shouldn't throw stones. It is a fun song to listen to.
"These Old Bones" seems to be Dolly's humorous contribution to this album. I've always enjoyed Dolly's ability to change her voice. In this song she takes the part of an old mountain woman, a woman who "sees" the future in old bones that she tosses on the ground and reads. The end of the song has Dolly and the old woman actually seeming to sing a duet. This is definitely one of my favorites on the album.
This is a definite must for any album collection. Dolly is definitely on top of her game and she sounds spectacular. As the last note faded out, I considered just replaying it over and over so it wouldn't end.
Song List:
Album cover used with permission of Sugar Hill.
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