Tracy Grammer - Tanglewood Tree (11 tracks) +Album Reviews

Let the Song Play On...

Kelly L. Norman | Plymouth, MI United States | 06/22/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Tanglewood Tree is exactly what folk music should be. Simple but haunting melodies and lyrics evoking the beauty, bumps and warts of the human experience. Instruments from the traditions that influenced the songs: banjo, mandalin, harmonica, dobro. Played clean and flawless. The beauty, mystery, and range of emotions evoked made ever more poignant by the death of Dave Carter in July of last year. I don't think Dave Carter and I would have had much in common. From the hint of Eastern thought on this CD and information read, I gather he practiced an Eastern spiritual discipline far different from my evangelical Christian faith. His work speaks of life on the road in a carnival, of fortune tellers, gamblers, and even crocodile wrestling. But when I first heard "Mountain" played on a radio folk show here, and later as I listened to most of the songs on the CD, I could (uh-oh, here comes the R word), yes, relate to Dave, Tracey and their characters immediately. And one must admit, there aren't that many Buddhist country-style folk singers around. Maybe there was some magic in that mixture itself. For my money, the most amazing song here is "Cat-Eye Willie Claims His Lover." This is the kind of tale you tell at camp around the campfire to scare the younger kids, or listen to for the edge of "horror" entertainment at Halloween. Sung in a 19th century gentile Southern parlance, a world away from these artists' lives, one might expect it to be a cover of a traditional ballad that Carter threw in the mix. But this is not public domain, it's from the versatile pen of a master; one who has clearly left us too soon."

Solid, solid songwriting

cream puff | Barrow, AK United States | 08/27/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"back in 2001 i went to the colorado folks fest to see gillian welch, and dave & tracy were playing when i walked in. i'd never heard them or heard of them at the time; they were in the middle of 'when i go' and the line 'and i will crumble down uncountable in showers of crimson rubies' immediately caught my ear. over the next few songs i knew i was going to buy all of their albums immediately. this isn't music that took awhile to 'get used to' either. i liked almost every song as soon as i heard it. i still get chills listening to '41 thunderer'. dave died while i was overseas and i'll always regret not going to see them again before i left.i've listened to all 3 of their albums extensively, and while my absolute favorite songs of theirs are on the other albums, i think 'tanglewood' is their most consistent effort taken as a whole. it would be my recommendation for someone who's looking for the best representative sample of their capabilities. i can't say enough good things about this duo. what a tragedy that they're no longer together."

Ok, so we played it till it wore out

John Anderson | Bar Harbor, ME USA | 12/31/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"& then got a new one. This is music that everyone from grown-ups through to my children (ages 5 and 10) can love. Personally I don't think TANGLEWOOD is quite as consistently amazing as DRUM HAT BUDDHA, but it does have some wonderful songs in it (the title cut is excellent & I think that THE MOUNTAIN is my personal favorite Dave & Tracy). As in Drum Hat Buddha we get a fun mix of folk/country/whatever with great lyrcs, two beautiful voices, and nice instrumental harmony, and it only reinforces how much we all lost when we lost Dave Carter. I hope that Grammer keeps on recording, it would only magnify the tragedy if we lost her voice too."

WARNING: Buy a CD changer!

R. Kyle | USA | 01/20/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"You're going to need one, because you won't want to take Dave and Tracy's CDs out. Honestly, what can I say that hasn't been said? This is some of the most beautiful and evocative music of any genre I've ever heard.

I had the honor to see Dave and Tracy in concert twice in Austin, TX. It's just the two of them onstage. Dave with his guitar and Tracy with her fiddle. You're lost for two hours and you don't want to go when it's over. This CD gives you the same feeling."

Deceptively Simple, Brilliantly Rich

Woodsprite | MI United States | 02/14/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I simply cannot say enough about the magic of Dave Carter & Tracy Grammer--their music is quite simply unparalleled, and "Tanglewood Tree" is a very good example of why.From the first, "Happytown" will hook you in and get your feet tapping and your head bobbing and, before you know it, you'll find your mouth trying to sing along to the deceptively simple melody but you'll find that you're having a hard time keeping up with the exquisitely complex lyrics--one of Dave Carter's most masterful songwriting traits. The guy sure fit a lot of multi-syllabic words into his songs and yet, they're so right, so absolutely right, it's almost otherworldly how he artfully transformed language into sheer, unveiled, spiritual expression. Yet it takes a few listens to really hear the words, because the melodies will distract you--in a very good way.The title cut, "Tanglewood Tree" is one of my favorite songs ever written. This was a prime demonstration of Dave and Tracy's creative ambition--weaving together lyrics, overlapping melodies and layering really fine instrumentals to produce a song that fits so perfectly in every way you will think you already know the song the first time you hear it. And yet, it's nothing like anything you've hear before; there's nothing predictable about it, but it rings true and feels familiar nonetheless. Joan Baez now performs "The Mountain" at her concerts and does a fine job, but I haven't heard anything that matches the sheer beauty of the original, sung by Tracy (it's the first time we hear Tracy sing lead--she sung only backup on their first album, "When I Go") and featuring a delicate, yet deeply colored instrumental arrangement. Every time I hear the song, I think of the rings which roll over water. "The Mountain" is about searching for meaning, for truth in spirituality. You may find that it lingers, floating along the air long after the song is over.The rare thing about Tanglewood Tree is that there are simply no bad songs on it. You can listen to the entire album and, although there are some standout beauties, the music just flows easily from one track to the next. This cd has never been out of heavy rotation in my musical repertoire since I bought it in 2000. I'm pretty darn sure you'll find it hard to put away, too."

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	Tracy Grammer Tanglewood Tree Genres: Country, Folk, Pop Track Listings (11) - Disc #1 Happytown (All Right with Me) Tanglewood Tree The Mountain Farewell to Saint Dolores Hey Conductor Crocodile Man Walkin' Away from Caroline Farewell to Fiddler's Rim Cat-Eye Willie Claims His Lover Cowboy Singer Farewell to Bitterroot Valley
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