Feels Like the Third Time
The gals in Freakwater sometimes get faulted for placing emotion ahead of execution on their list of singing priorities, but vocal perfection on these songs would be like putting an Armani on a coal miner. Indeed, Janet Beveridge Bean, Catherine Ann Irwin, and David Wayne Gay are all about life's imperfections, its unfairness, and the misery and apprehension that often accompany these blemishes. Their embrace of traditional country comes without the winks and nods that sink so many other modern bands. Here they offer seven originals (six by Irwin) and another group of well-chosen covers that range from the songs ofWoody GuthrietoConway TwittytoNick Lowe. But Irwin's incisive originals are what truly set them apart, and the final two songs provide ample proof. "Are You Ready" uses a timeless gospel melody to demythologize the hope of salvation in death, while "Lullaby" seeks to comfort and console a child by telling her how lucky she is that she doesn't have her mother's troubles.--Marc Greilsamer