Graham Parker
Your Country
(Bloodshot)
First Appeared at The Music Box, April 2004, Volume 11, #4
Written by John Metzger
Throughout his career, Graham Parker has danced around the fringes of country
music without ever succumbing completely to its earthy overtones, making his
latest outing Your Country somewhat of a departure from, as well as a logical
extension of, his pub-rock sound. Nevertheless, one can’t help but feel that
while the idea is a good one, the execution of it is somewhat of a mixed bag.
Lyrically, the songs are solid, featuring Parker’s caustic sense of humor (Tornado
Alley), his panoramic vision (Fairground), and his bittersweet views
of love (Things I’ve Never Said). Likewise, the music is certainly
enjoyable, owing a tremendous debt to Bob Dylan while adding splashes of the
Rolling Stones (Anything for a Laugh), Lou Reed (Nation of Shopkeepers),
and Tom Petty (The Rest Is History) for good measure. He even offers an
amiable rendition of the Grateful Dead’s Sugaree. Somewhere along the
line, however, Parker loses sight of himself and his contributions to rock ’n‘
roll. As a result, Your Country falters and winds up feeling more like
Dylan’s mediocre, but enjoyable, Under the Red Sky than his classic Blonde on Blonde
— or Parker’s own Howlin’ Wind, for that matter. 
½
Of Further Interest...
Elvis Costello - When I Was Cruel
Bob Dylan - Tell Tale Signs: The Bootleg Series, Vol. 8
Your Country is available from Barnes & Noble.
To order, Click Here!
Ratings
1 Star: Pitiful
2 Stars: Listenable
3 Stars: Respectable
4 Stars: Excellent
5 Stars: Can't Live Without It!!
Copyright © 2004 The Music Box