Dolly Parton - Better Day

Dolly Parton has settled nicely into her 'Icon' years and rather than resting on her laurels, she returns with a brand new album that servs as the follow-up to Backwoods Barbie. Read on to see how we rate her new material.

With strong lyrics and trademark Dolly charm, “In The Meantime” finds the icon singing about finding joy and good things on earth while we’re here instead of constantly living in fear.  With a rootsy feel to the production, “Just Leavin’” finds Dolly getting some help from bluegrass friends and fans of Dolly’s early 2000s bluegrass albums will certainly enjoy the traditional nature of the tune.  “Somebody’s Missin’ You” is a classic torch ballad with traditional country melodies featuring tasty fiddle fills and Floyd Cramer-like piano that help guide the melody along with an upright bass and light percussion and, for good measure, some dobro and mandolin.

“Together You And I” is as mainstream country as anything on country radio these days and finds Dolly completely in her element. It’s modern pop country and many people forget that Dolly was the pop-country queen of the early 1980s (without losing any of her traditional credibility, IMO). The lyrically fun “Country Is As Country Does” reminds me of a modern take on perhaps one of Dolly’s older songs or maybe even a Loretta Lynn record. The lyrics play up the country themes but really doesn’t list them in ways that country radio-ready tunes do these days. There’s a great telecaster breakdown with a fiddle solo and some very fun honky tonk piano a la Jerry Lee Lewis in the song as well.

“Holding Everything” is a duet with producer Kent Wells which recalls “I Will Always Love You” in places with a modern, more percussive melody. Their voices mesh well and I could see the tune being a big hit if given a chance. Dolly still ‘whispers’ some lines here and there on this song and “The Sacrafice.” “Better Day” is a fun and happy and uplifting gospel tune while “Shine While The Sun” is as uplifting and powerful as the title suggests it is.  It’s a song about living life to the fullest and the only way to do that is to take a chance on life.

Dolly Parton is an icon and on Better Day she certainly showcases that she’s both still in fine voice and is capable of writing and singing great songs that run the gamut from her traditional and bluegrass background to the more contemporary crossover fare. Here’s hoping that Better Day reaches the hands of fans all over the world, as it’s a record worthy of any and all attention it gets.

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