European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - January 16, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse Country ladies of the 80s the Baltimore Sun there has always been room for women i country music and Over the years they have been everything from everyday housewives to the Honky Tonk Angels. Oddly though on place women Are becoming an increasing minority is among the ranks of the country music stars. Mosey through the billboard country albums Chart and it turns out that male singers outnumber their female counterparts almost three to one. It in t a matter of unequal Opportunity much less Lack of Star Power. The country sorority includes some of the biggest names in the business from Reba Mclntyre and Rosanne Cash to Kathy Mattea and . Lang. So what is the problem it could be just a phase country music is going through a random swing of the pendulum away from women s music and toward men s. What is More Likely though is that the same changes in audience and attitude that has opened doors for the Randy Travisee Dwight Yoakam and Lyle Lovetts has somehow left country s women out in the cold. Say what you will for the musical Merit of new traditionalism it is a whole lot More appealing for an 80s Man to play at being Hank Williams or Buck Owens than it is for an 80s woman to say something meaningful or modern while dressed up As Patsy Montana. Even an Effort As sonically satisfying As shadowland . Lang s Patsy Cline tribute seems More a matter of nostalgic tribute than vital revisionism. As a result where a Guy like Yoakam is Able to reshape the sound of yesterday into a commentary on today As he does in Buenos mochas from a lonely room what women who try that path Are left with is the sort of quaint instrumental coloration that runs through the judds greatest hits. From a purely pop standpoint it is hard to argue with the judds sound. Not Only does this Mother daughter team harmonize with astonishing agility but the two play off each other with a Felicity that belies any notion of a generation Gap. As they sing it the mama of mama he s crazy seems not to be Wynonna Judd but some other Mother entirely surely such harmonies could not be anything but sisterly. Add in the Slickly traditional sound of Brent Maher s production which surrounds those voices with the comforting twang of Dobro and acoustic guitar and the judds deliver an agreeable approximation of the new nostalgia with a sufficient dose of tradition but enough upscale modernity to avoid seeming Hokey. Trouble is there is not much to the judds beyond that. For All the melodic allure there is nothing beneath the surface of the High gloss finish. Even the occasional Stab at relevance the chummy girls night out the maudlin grandpa Tell me bout the Good old Days Are too mired in cliche to come across As anything other than the product of Assembly line songwriting. As a result though the judds greatest hits is proof enough of their commercial viability it has All the meaning and soul of a quarterly report. Country music has always had a Market for conservatism and conformity of course and it would be foolish to suggest that the judds will not be richly rewarded for the shallow predictability of their music. At the same time however there also seems to be a hunger for something More Down to Earth and vivid for music that More realistically reflects the lives and emotions of the country audience. And no performer stands closer to meeting that demand than . Oslin. Musically Oslin is about As far removed from the judds cozy traditionalism As a country artist can be. Ladies of the 80s, the song that made her reputation was upbeat upscale and unabashedly Urban in both sound and perspective in Many respects it would have been just As at Home in the repertoire of pop singers like Linda Ronstadt or Carly Simon. This woman Oslin s latest album is similarly lacking in Corn Pone and twang and while that May make her music sound More like Standard pop beneath the musical surface Oslin s lyrics the deep drawl of her speech and Rich falsetto of her singing voice is a Singer closer to the legacy of Loretta Lynn than any of the current Competition. Why because Oslin s writing and All the songs on this woman Are hers not Only understands the Hopes dreams and realities of Domestic life but expresses them with an uncanny amount of insight and wit. Love for instance is a constant in these songs. For All the Sass of her delivery in round the clock Lov inthe Mother daughter duo the judds Are commercially successful but their music lacks meaning and soul. The Singer s Adamant individuality never compromises her love struck Core she May get laughs complaining about what she does not need from her Good ol1 boy husband but All she really wants is the 24-hour affection of the title. And that common sense romanticism is a constant throughout the album from the can t buy me love logic of Money to the crying in my Beer lament of where is a woman to go. Oslin is at her most affecting when she finds unexpected parallels in the Way men and women break each others hearts. Jealous May seem like just another song about watching a Man make a fool of himself Over another woman but Oslin taps into a surprising truth when she observes that the Only heart that s cheating is the Only heart that Ain t being even More telling is hold me which starts off with a husband confessing to his wife that he almost left her gets its twist when she admits to the same thing and ends with an emotional plea to hold on to each other. Oslin s music says As much As the words from the raucous jollity of round the clock lovin to the quiet intensity of hold me. She s not that distinctive a stylist although her songs stand Strong it would be hard to recognize them As hers were they Sung by someone else but she has an unerring understanding of How to Bend a genre to suit her needs. Take the Way hey Bobby upends the listener s expectations by starting out with a two step Bass line that is perhaps the purest country instrumental cliche on the album then tops it off with a wickedly sensuous vocal. It seems a prank almost except for the Way that Lazy beat tickles the Bottom of Oslin s teasing do a Wanna huh chorus. It is hard to imagine the judds turning a cliche inside out like that much less working with a Lyric about lust that playful or Frank. But then that is what makes Oslin s music seem so real like life itself her songs Are concerned with the Way things happen not the Way they were. . Oslin s music realistically reflects the lives and emotions of the country audience. 1988 readers poll the ballot below is for the fourth annual stars and stripes readers poll. Let us know your favorite performers bands albums or cd and songs of 1988 whether it s country soul rap jazz or Rock n Roll. Ideally the responses should include bands and performers who made some kind of Impact in 1988, or albums cd or songs that were released that year. Just fill out the ballot Cut it out and mail it to readers poll stars and stripes Apo 09211, or to the German address readers poll stars and stripes Postrach 11 14 37,6100 Darmstadt 11, West Germany. Entries must be postmarked no later than Jan. 25. Results will be announced in february. Best Overall performer favorite song favorite band favorite new act male performer favorite comeback female performer favorite concert favorite album or cd least favorite performer. Monday january 16, 1989 the stars and stripes Page 17
