The title track and “Mercy Now” are the standout tracks of Pretty Bird, but the material is uniformly strong and captivating. “Little Glass of Wine” has been turned from a pop into a country song. Teresa” is less jangly, though it has a bit more string, and “Tell Me What You Ache For” has less piano. The version of “Mercy Now” here cuts out the the original’s strong beat. “Ode To Billie Joe” has less bass and is generally less orchestral. This is not the place for a biography of Hazel Dickens, but she was the real deal. Hopefully, Mattea’s album can bring some attention to this musical pioneer, who blazed a trail for women in roots music, and who fought the good fight in social activism. Though Mattea sings a faithful version of “Pretty Bird,” the difference in their voices makes for very different songs. Mattea’s voice is rich and full, while Dickens’s has a nasal quality. While Mattea and the late Hazel Dickens both hale from West Virginia, they are, vocally, quite different. Where Mary Gauthier’s rough Louisiana accent lends a somber tone to “Mercy Now,” the richness of Mattea’s bends it a hopeful direction. Mattea’s interpretation of “Chocolate on My Tongue” is faster and more upbeat than the Wood Brothers’ original. Mattea took to these lessons well, and she turns her subtle vocal changes into a positive on Pretty Bird, making more soulful renditions of the songs here.Įven though Mattea’s voice has gotten lower, it still has an uplifting quality, one that is highlighted by the arrangements. Mattea has discussed going to a vocal coach to learn to properly use her changed voice. While it’s still beautiful, it’s gotten a little lower and a little huskier. In interviews, Mattea has spoken candidly about dealing with changes in her voice. Pretty Bird comes out six years after Mattea’s last album, Calling Me Home. But Mattea’s performance as a singer is what will carry this album. Choosing the right material can help make those performances interesting, and good musical accompaniment can help bring out a singer’s voice. Her albums rest, ultimately, on her ability to sustain interesting, entertaining vocal performances. She is not a songwriter who performs original material. Mattea is a vocalist who interprets songs. Pretty Bird does not evidence the pop stylings of Mattea’s early work. With its sparse arrangements of country songs and folk melodies, Pretty Bird, named after a song by Mattea’s fellow West Virginian and folk/bluegrass legend Hazel Dickens, can be considered Americana, maybe even folk. The dozen songs on Pretty Bird feature Mattea’s gorgeous singing with stripped-down accompaniment. With 2008’s Coal, she took a hard roots turn. Between 19, Mattea had four number hits on the Hot Country chart: “Goin’ Gone,” “Eighteen Wheels and a Dozen Roses,” “Come From the Heart,” and “Burnin’ Old Memories.” While Mattea has always had an element of (country)folk in her work, she started to move in the direction of Americana with her 2005 album, Right of Nowhere. In the 1980s and ’90s, Kathy Mattea achieved significant popularity with her country-pop styled releases.
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