| Libbiville - Libbi Bosworth | |
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Reviewed by Jennifer Webb
Out of all albums I have reviewed that could be classified as "Texas Country," none have been from female artists, but that streak has been broken with Libbi Bosworth's Libbiville, and what a fine release to showcase the flip side of the coin. There are thirteen songs, all written or co-written by Libbi herself, an extremely talented lady with a distinct voice that is pure enough to make any listener become a fan.
There is a mixture of instruments and sounds on "South Texas Highway," a song about realizing you cannot always be what the other person expects of you and how sometimes you have to leave just to sort out feelings and memories that you have shared together. You try not to miss them, but in the end he is all you can think about. Legendary Lloyd Maines plays the pedal steel, while Chip Dolan plays the great according parts.
"Disappearing Ink," written by John Sieger, is certainly a favorite of mine. It is upbeat, rollicking, and full of the undeniable spunk that Libbi puts out in every single song and in varying amounts. The man thought that she believed everything he wrote and said, yet in the end she showed him that she knew he was not meant to be and that they never really were together in the first place - she was the one that did the fooling.
"Highway 59" is an interesting, yet sad, song that tells the story of an ex-veteran that was forced to retire and give up his truck driving job, only to live a life that was full of nothing at all. He spends his days and nights thinking about the children he never gets to see and drinking his cares away. The only comfort he has is listening to the eighteen-wheelers passing by the trailer as he relishes the only good thoughts his mind can muster up and remember. "He'll check his empty mailbox, buy him a pair of new socks, and keep on drinking long in to the night."
Just when you thought that only guys can get together and sing a fun duet, Toni Price joins Libbi and proves us all wrong with, "Man Overboard," a honky-tonk song in which they tell the women out there that are feeling overwhelmed and "weathered" with their men to just throw them out and grab one of the other fishes out in the great big sea.
With the slow, lonely sounds of Martin Banks on the trumpet, "Baby Your Baby" gives the album a Jazzy feel to it as Libbi softly sings about how a woman needs to be pampered and paid attention to so that she can feel her best. She wants to feel romantic with her husband's touch so that she can be assured that he loves her like she loves him.
"Back To Texas" really captures what most of the people living here feel if ever they move away. Sure, they might like another state for a while, but when it comes down to it, you end up missing the locusts buzzing around and even the temperature rising by the minute. This song is about starting all over again in a place that is as comforting as it gets, a place where a person can start again and move on from the heartache.
The most rootsy sounding tune from Libbiville is "Pine Box," a simple song that is sprinkled with the sweet sounds of an upright bass, acoustic guitar, rub board, dobro, and harmonica. As far as the woman is concerned, the man is dead and buried and if she could, she would plant flowers on his grave because she is so happy that he is finally out of her life.
From Barry Corbin's "Welcome to Libbiville" message at the start, to his "Thanks for stopping by" at the end of the album, you get a superb release that you could listen to in any mood because you can really tell these songs had a lot of thought and emotion behind them. Pick a song and chances are you can relate to it in some form, shape, or fashion. I look forward to hearing other material from this talented woman. In the liner notes Libbi wrote: "And I hope you feel glad you stopped by," to which I would have to answer that I sure did enjoy my visit, Libbi, and thank you for inviting me.
Song List:
MP3 clips courtesy of Libbi Bosworth's Official Website
Songs marked with an "*" are full-length downloads.
Album cover, used with permission of Ramble Records.
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