Saturday, June 18, 2011

"The Dreaming Fields" - Matraca Berg - A Review

Matraca Berg has been writing hit country songs for quite some time. This collection of her performing a set of her material is an ethereal experience. It is such a subtle production, but seething with emotions.

Berg sings songs that are so poetic, yet so real in human experience. The musical textures are subtle yet they so augment her vocals. The art work for the cardboard CD case is beautiful. Dualtone Records released this recording for her. The Musicians are the best that Nashville has to offer. There is a haunting feel to the music with the steel guitar fades and sparse feel. Dan Dugmore gets some sounds out of his steel on "You & Tequila" that are like other worldly.


"Racing The angels" has Suzy Boguss and Gretchen Peters on background vocals and also as co-songwriters.


If you never have heard of Berg, her sound on this CD is a cross between Kathleen Edwards and early Mindy Smith. There is a dark feel to the mood, but there is something deeply personal there you can relate to.



"Clouds" - I love this song, "only like clouds when it's rainin', doin' no good just hangin' round".


The title track is basically just her and piano . With the watered down glut of Discs littering the internet, this is a masterpiece. After I finished doing this review, I saw Kenny Chesney's version of "You And Tequila" on a CMT video, from his last CD, "Hemingway's Whiskey". It is good, I like Berg's version better.



http://www.matracaberg.com/

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