Out of Print! Only 1 copy available!
45rpm Double LP Plus CD!
Lavette is known for her deeply personal interpretations of songs, even changinglyrics to personalize the songs to her life and world. Her “Thankful N’Thoughtful” album features Bettye’s take on the classic folk tune “Dirty OldTown”, made famous by the Pogues plus songs by the Black Keys, Sly Stone, TomWaits, Neil Young, and Bob Dylan, and you have Bettye’s grittiest, funkiestalbum to date.
Bettye Lavette has received glowing accolades for her album “Thankful N’Thoughtful” which was released in celebration of her 50th Anniversary in themusic business.
Thankful N Thoughtful opens with the funk injected Bob Dylan cut Everything IsBroken and when Bettye moans and howls the title refrain you have no doubt asto the trouble shes seen. The entire album turned out to be a companion pieceto her autobiography as while she was writing the book, she was also recordingthe songs on TNT. On Gnarls Barkleys Crazy, she slows it down just a tad,then wrings every drop of sweat and blood from each and every syllable till yourspine tingles, with Dirty Old Town (The Pogues/Rod Stewart), Bettye reworksthe lyrical setting to Detroitsinging about her first love at Northern High andthe Detroit race riots. Meanwhile, when she takes on The Black Keys Im NotThe One, the sensual grit of the song sizzles with her all-knowing rasp.
“Bettye LaVette gets classified as an R&B singer, which she is, of course,but her newest album, the Craig Street-produced Thankful N’ Thoughtful, findsher taking her blues, gospel, and soul-influenced singing style into deep,swampy, and edgy American roots territory, and she makes it all work with asting and bite to her phrasing that ranks her as one of the best living soulsingers. She gives Neil Young’s “Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere” a little jumpof joy, moving the song away from being plaintive and lonely to something closerto anxious homesickness. Tom Waits’ “Yesterday Is Here,” complete with brass andreeds, loses some of its clang and becomes a poignant blues. The most stunningtrack here is LaVette’s reinvention of the old folk song “Dirty Old Town,” bestknown in the version by the Pogues. She fills it with disgust and ominous menace– there’s also a slower version of “Dirty Old Town” that lets a measure ofsadness creep back in at the close of the album. Thankful N’ Thoughtful is asolid outing from an outstanding singer who knows how to growl, croon, grumble,praise, and jump for joy with her vocal phrasing — whatever makes the song liveand breathe. She is still a marvel.” – Steve Leggett, allmusic.com
Features:
45rpm Double LP + CD
Mastered at Sterling Sound by Greg Calbi
Pressed at Rainbo
Selections:
LP1 – Side A:
1. Everything Is Broken
2. I’m Not the One
3. Dirty Old Town
LP1 – Side B:
1. The More I Search (The More I Die)
2. I’m Tired
3. Crazy
LP2 – Side C:
1. Yesterday Is Here
2. Thankful N’ Thoughtful
3. Fair Enough
LP2 – Side D:
1. Time Will Do the Talking
2. Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
3. Dirty Old Town (Slow Version)
