{"id":40771,"date":"2008-03-05T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2008-03-05T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dailyvault.adishjain.in\/index.php\/reviews\/backwoods-barbie\/"},"modified":"2008-03-05T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2008-03-05T00:00:00","slug":"backwoods-barbie","status":"publish","type":"review","link":"https:\/\/dailyvault.adishjain.in\/index.php\/reviews\/backwoods-barbie\/","title":{"rendered":"Backwoods Barbie"},"content":{"rendered":"

What the hell does Rolling Stone magazine know about country music anyway? Their low-rated review of Dolly Parton\u2019s new album, the hilariously titled Backwoods Barbie<\/i>, simply doesn\u2019t add up. Obviously, the writer isn\u2019t much of a country fan to begin with, let alone a Dolly Parton fan. Fret not, Daily Vault reader, you needn\u2019t think twice about plunking down ten dollars for this album \u2013 just do it; it\u2019s definitely a keeper.<\/o:p><\/p>\n

I admit, after the high water mark set by Dolly\u2019s bluegrass trilogy (which had started nearly a decade ago), I didn\u2019t think she had it in her to keep on delivering the goods. You can never underestimate Dolly Parton, though, because she has a seemingly endless number of new tricks up her sequined sleeve. As the first release on her brand-spanking new record label named (what else?) Dolly Records, Backwoods Barbie <\/i>comes jam-packed with extensive liner notes and even a bonus track that changes depending on where you happen to buy the album. My \u201cBest Buy version\u201d has a live cut of one of my favorite Parton classics, \u201cBaby I\u2019m Burnin.\u201d<\/o:p><\/p>\n

What makes this a refreshing change from her previous albums is that we finally get a real sense of the human side of this larger than life character. Behind all the glitz, glamour and yes, surgically altered features, lies the sensitive heart of a vulnerable country girl. The image is merely a fa\u00e7ade for show, folks. Dolly even freely admits in the title track that she\u2019s always been misunderstood because of the way she looks. I, for one, never for a minute got hung up on her image, as hard as it is not to notice her, uh, trademark ample bosoms. For me, it is the music that really matters. Still, I do sometimes wish she would tone down the over-the-top theatrics and wear less makeup. Maybe then people, especially critics, will start taking her more seriously as an artist and a gifted songwriter.<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Things get kicked off on Backwoods Barbie <\/i>by the surprisingly blunt \u201cBetter Get To Livin,\u201d where Dolly seems a little irritated by hearing people complain about their lives so much. Unfortunately, it really doesn\u2019t make for a strong lead-off single, because of its somewhat clich\u00e9d lyrics. Oh well, that train has already left the station, so it\u2019s a little late to complain about it now. The next single, \u201cJesus And Gravity\u201d is also an unfortunate choice because of its exclusive focus on Christianity. Still, as a gospel tune, it\u2019s a good one\u2026as long as you don\u2019t mind being preached to. Different strokes, I guess.<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Dolly\u2019s choices of remakes are always exciting since they always seem to come out of left field. From the woman who last brought us a country version of \u201cStairway To Heaven,\u201d comes her latest renditions of \u201cDrives Me Crazy\u201d (originally by Fine Young Cannibals) and \u201cThe Tracks Of My Tears\u201d (the Miracles\u2019 chestnut.) Dolly gives both cover tunes new arrangements and makes each of them her own. I\u2019m telling you, she can put her stamp on practically any song you throw her way \u2013 talk about a miracle worker.<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Perhaps the strongest stretch is in a trio of songs to be found later in the album. On \u201cThe Lonesomes,\u201d Dolly surprises us yet again with a blues number that is nothing short of a showstopper. As for the testy two-some of \u201cCologne<\/st1:place><\/st1:city>\u201d and \u201cShinola,\u201d Dolly lays into her two-timing lover but good. You will be blown away by just how much fire and venom this \u201cwoman of a certain age\u201d still has left in her. Her band is there to provide the musical ammunition she needs to settle the score, turning \u201cShinola\u201d into a rare and oh so satisfying rock number for Parton.<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Backwoods Barbie <\/i>is the sound of a female country artist who is still very much in charge and at the top of her game. Nobody can EVER keep this woman down and the world of music is truly better for it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":57,"featured_media":29231,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"artist":[6780],"rating":[5613],"class_list":["post-40771","review","type-review","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","artist-dolly-parton","rating-rating-a-minus"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyvault.adishjain.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/review\/40771","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyvault.adishjain.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/review"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyvault.adishjain.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/review"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyvault.adishjain.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/57"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyvault.adishjain.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=40771"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dailyvault.adishjain.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/review\/40771\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyvault.adishjain.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/29231"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyvault.adishjain.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=40771"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"artist","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyvault.adishjain.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/artist?post=40771"},{"taxonomy":"rating","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyvault.adishjain.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rating?post=40771"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}