Americana Music Reviews

 

Billy Rawlett
Latent Treasures
Independent

by Al Kunz

Not so subtle disclaimer:
This CD was produced without the slightest desire to get radio air play or appeal to any mass market target, Texan, Americana, Nashville or otherwise. I produced this CD mostly because these songs needed to be recorded and I felt they were worthy of my best effort.
Billy Rawlett --- Latent Treasures liner notes

Fair enough. An artistic endeavor that's too market driven will aim for the least common denominator. Go too far and the result is so bland and inoffensive as to be incapable of provoking a reaction in anyone, a marketing and artistic failure. But get the right balance and there's a chance to be the next Tim McGraw, Kenny Chesney, or at least Billy Ray Cyrus. A gigantic marketing success. Apparently there are millions who think these three and their interchangeable clones are also artistic successes. I'm not one of those millions. Not wanting to compromise artistic integrity in order to be the next Tim McGraw is a laudable goal. But continue reading and some of this disclaimer becomes less credible.

It's truly one of my life's treasures. I hope it will become one of yours.
Billy Rawlett --- Latent Treasures liner notes

4. Cryin In The Wind (5:53)
11. Cryin' In The Wind -- Radio Version (4:50)
From Latent Treasures track listing

Like a message in a bottle, Rawlett didn't aim for a specific market, but hopes some undefined market will find him. That's fine. Even if he didn't define the market there would be no reason to release the disc without a belief that some niche would be interested. But he's also developed at least a "slight" desire for radio play. The goals for this project now seem a tad ambivalent. Rawlett's not the only one with ambivalent feelings about this disc. I'll attempt to explain my mixed feelings by first breaking the performance down into its component parts.

Latent -- Present or with potential, but not readily evident

Vocals: Rawlett's no Tony Bennett or Pavorotti, but he's also no Bob Dylan. There are a legion of successful singers in rock, folk, country, pretty much every genre of popular music with less than perfect voices. Rawlett's voice is more than adequate, varying his delivery from a tuneful pseudo-spoken word approach (like Commander Cody's "Hot Rod Lincoln") on "I'll Take the Hick" to an earnest folk singer mode on "I Understand These Feelings," about the true love who moved on too soon.

As I looked back at you
I noticed a man by your side
Happy, strong and tall, I could tell he loved you so
I could sense the air he breathes is only just for you
Yes, I understand his feelings
Cause now I feel them too

Music and Supporting Cast: Jay and Rebecca Johnson were the only names I immediately recognized in the long list of credits (they sing backing vocals on two cuts) but the musical accompaniment is never less than workmanlike and provides several of the disc's high points. John Honeycutt pounds the Congas with Andy Akiho's steel pan drums to create a bit of islander flair on "Your Lovin' Comes Easy." Rawlett's harmonica on "I Can't Let Go" introduces a nice bluesy element.

In the desert blows a hot angry Western wind
It's calling, howling, singing out my lover's name
And as I look out in, to the distance, how far can I see
Into my dreams holdin' on to that woman who is by my side

Lyrics: More songs are written about love (looking for it, finding it, and losing it) than any other subject. Rawlett gives us all three. "I'll Take the Hick" is yet another possibility, sung from the perspective of a couple gals only looking for Mr. Right Now ("I'll take the hick, if you'll take the hunk / we both know it's not about true love"). "Crying in the Wind" sings of a mother's love for her child, abducted by a pedophile, while "Strange Girl" trods a well-worn songwriting path.

Strange girl in the night I want you to take me home
You'd be a real fine girl if you'd wake me up
With kisses, in the morning light

I've been lookin' for my true blue blonde headed queen
I've seen her once maybe twice
But I couldn't seem to break that ice

In a generic sense there isn't anything wrong with Rawlett's lyrical subjects. But to me the tunes seem just that, generic. Connecting with a song is very personal and subjective. The elements (vocals, music, and lyrics) when evaluated separately all seem workable, but for me the intangibles of how they fit together in the overall package just don't work.

*As with any evaluation where the ultimate verdict turns on personal taste, you might feel differently. If the sample lyrics seemed to connect with you I'd encourage a visit to www.billyrawlett.com to listen to some song samples. Maybe you'll uncover the Latent Treasures I was unable to find.



Contact Al Kunz at kunz-at-rockzilla.net

 
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