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R.E.D. Distribution Product Details - Ratings and reviews for coal.
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by: Kathy Mattea
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$14.71
$3.78
Sales Rank: 7341
R.E.D. Distribution
Released: 2008-04-01
Media: Audio CD
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Title Tracks for Coal
- 1. the L&N Don't Stop Here Anymore
- 2. Blue Diamond Mines
- 3. Red-Winged Black Bird
- 4. Lawrence Jones
- 5. Green Rolling Hills
- 6. Coal Tattoo
- 7. Sally in the Garden
- 8. You'll Never Leave Harlan Alive
- 9. Dark as a Dungeon
- 10. Coming Of the Roads
- 11. Black Lung
Product Review
Product Description
Grammy winner and environmental activist Kathy MAttea, known for such classic hits as "18 Wheels and a Dozen Roses," has dreamed quietly about one day recording an album like COAL. Raised near Charleston, West Virginia, her childhood was steeped in the Appalachian culture and her mining heritage is thick: bother her parents grew up in coal camps, her grandfathers were miners, and her mother worked for the local UMWA. But the songs on COAL are more than just mining songs. Mattea says she wanted to pay tribute to "my place and my people."
The idea for COAL began to gel during the Sago Mine Disaster, which killed twelve WV miners in 2006. "I knew the time was right," says Mattea. COAL forced her to dig really deep to find the power to let these songs come forth. Co-producer Marty Stuart understood her core relationship to these songs, that they were "in her blood." As Mattea says, "I think there's a mystery there. Somewhere in my DNA, there's my great grandmother singing, my grandma, and my people singing through me, with me." Singer, songs, producer, and pickers have come together flawlessly to form COAL, a career record for Mattea and a great gift for music lovers.
The idea for COAL began to gel during the Sago Mine Disaster, which killed twelve WV miners in 2006. "I knew the time was right," says Mattea. COAL forced her to dig really deep to find the power to let these songs come forth. Co-producer Marty Stuart understood her core relationship to these songs, that they were "in her blood." As Mattea says, "I think there's a mystery there. Somewhere in my DNA, there's my great grandmother singing, my grandma, and my people singing through me, with me." Singer, songs, producer, and pickers have come together flawlessly to form COAL, a career record for Mattea and a great gift for music lovers.
Product Details
Coal
- Audio CD: 0 pages (2008-04-01)
- Publisher: R.E.D. Distribution
- Label: R.E.D. Distribution
- Studio: R.E.D. Distribution
- Sales Rank in Music: #7341
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23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:  Dark As Dungeon but Beautiful as A Pine-topped Mountain..., By This review is from: Coal (Audio CD) The albums UNTASTED HONEY and TIME PASSES BY were always the standard I held Kathy Mattea to, and they are both from a much earlier period in her career. Continuing to buy Mattea's CD's now and then, I had grown resigned that she just couldn't surpass those two high water marks, where folk met country and country met bluegrass and everything was blended beautifully by that powerful voice. She's had some great songs through the years since then, and good records, too, don't get me wrong. But now, finally, Mattea has reached a new career touchstone.
As Patty Loveless and Dolly Parton have done before her, Kathy has returned to her roots, and like them, she has set a new standard for herself. This record is so gorgeous, it's hard to be objective about its dark subject. The instrumentals, singing and song selections reveal themselves quickly, though, leaving no doubt that this is a labor of love. And while I'm gushing, let me also say that Mattea is doing the most...Read more 11 of 11 people found the following review helpful: Among her best..., By This review is from: Coal (Audio CD) Kathy Mattea's "Coal" is an album of coal mining songs. Having come from West Virgina Mattea knows a thing or two about the life of a coal miner. The songs on here are all pretty bleak and as dark as the coal of which they were written about. The album is not depressing however. Many of these songs of been recorded by many others, but Mattea makes them her own with her beautiful vocals. There isn't a weak track on here, the entire album from start to finish is an incredible piece of work. However the most incredible track on here is the final track, "Black Lung" sung a capella Mattea is breathtaking. "Coal" is the first album released on Mattea's own "Captain Potato Records" (say "Kathy Mattea" real fast and you'll understand where she got the name of her label from) and is produced beautifully by Marty Stuart. As with other artists who have been dropped from a major label and gone out and released their music thru their own labels, Mattea is free to do the music she likes and...Read more 6 of 6 people found the following review helpful: Beautiful Renditions of some classic material, By Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?) This review is from: Coal (Audio CD) Kathy Mattea definitely knows her way around music. And, like Patty Loveless with "Mountain Soul", I always love when a performer goes back to their roots. I mean literal roots, where they grew up and the music that permeated their childhood. You know you're going to get genuine, "really been there because I lived it" music. While Loveless has the plaintive thing down better, Kathy still works the material very well.
I can't say that every single song is a gem, but from only one listen, I know this has no lumps of coal (sorry); all the songs are well done and are tributes to the writers, other performers and especially to the people about whom these were written. You can hear when there is love involved in a music project because the performances are more vital and alive; the artist and their accompanying musicians are vested in the performances because they know this music as though it is part of the very fabric of their being -- because it is. That's when...Read more |
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Coal
