"All of these miles I've come,
All of these dreams I've chased in my mind.
All for something small and simple to find."
--Tift Merritt, "I Know What I'm Looking For Now"
Here's what I want from an artist or band when they release a new record:
Show me something new.
Show me something new about yourself, or the world, or even about myself. Show me another facet of your talent, show me your greatness, or show me your potential for greatness. Show me that you take songwriting seriously, that you think music is the language that binds us. Show me your passion for it. Show me why you should stand out in a sea of artists, in an industry corrupted by money and greed, stuck in neutral while the world changes. Just show me.
Tall order? You bet. I generally expect that no more than one or two records each year will meet those expectations. These are, after all, just records. I listen to a lot of music in a calendar year. To really expect those things from every album would be an invitation to constant and repeated disappointment. Sometimes a record just catches your ear, brightens your day. Sometimes, it's good enough that your return to it weeks and months after its release. Most of these Top 10 albums of mine are simply reminders of that, not timeless classics. But every now and then, something comes along lives up to such hopes.
Tift Merritt's Another Country is one of those albums. I do not doubt it. I have felt so many different ways about this record, but at the end of the day, I've come to love this album a whole lot. And yet it's strange to regard so highly an album that appears to be so devoid of ambition, so modest in its presentation. It is Merritt's artistic statement, to be sure, but is not a sweeping declaration. It does not pound its fists or wave its arms. Merritt herself has called Another Country more of an invitation, like extending a hand, rather than an attention-grabber like its predecessor Tambourine, which was a rolicking blend of rock, country and soul. The approach serves her well and preserves the intimacy of the songs, many of which were composed at the piano in a solitary flat in Paris. Her sound on this record marks a new direction for Merritt, who is equally at ease fronting her excellent band (who appear throughout Another Country) and peforming solo at the piano. It is probably no accident that this maneuver enables her to travel across the country - and often across the Atlantic - with a minimum of baggage when necessary, not to mention offer opportunities for fans to see her perform in different settings.
Somewhat surprisingly, returning producer George Drakoulias appears as adept at drawing out Merritt's gentler side as he was at releasing her inner-soul-mama on Tambourine. It is an understatement to say that Merritt is in fine voice here, and for all of her musical talents, her voice is her secret weapon, an instrument that is lovely and warm and, yes, inviting. In the end, it is the estimable spirit of this album that has drawn me back time and again. It all sounds so effortless and simple, yet by laying bare so many carefully crafted thoughts, Merritt has delivered the album of the year and of her career thus far.
Tift Merritt showed me something new.
(For a look back at my extensive 2008 Tift coverage, click here. It also just so happens that No Depression has included their review of Another Country as part of their ongoing Year In Review.)