Album Review – Stoney LaRue “Velvet”
Whenever I am rifling through the always-mountainous pile of albums on my desk peeping at me like hatchlings, begging for review, I’m looking for something. Sometimes that something is obvious, like great songwriting or engaging music. Sometimes it is something intangible, something I didn’t know I was looking for until I found it. Sometimes I use an album to set a context on something I want to express about the greater music world, a trend or something that a particular album is a good example of.
Some assume if I don’t write about an album, or don’t talk about an artist, that means I don’t like them, when many times it just means I don’t know what to say. Stoney LaRue, one of the stalwarts of the Texoma Red Dirt movement, released Velvet in late August, and though a lot of folks whose music tastes I usually align or agree with were singing the praises of this album, I couldn’t find anything I was looking for in it, and didn’t know what to say about it.
Honestly, this album feels and sounds “safe”. At first it felt like the albums you hear coming off of Music Row all the time, where it felt like the artist made the album because it was album making time, instead of from a sincere passion. Some of the lyrical lines feel lazy. They rhyme, but they don’t say much. The music is good and tight, well arranged and performed, but there is no risk in it. Velvet is also a little undefinable. It is not really country, not really rock, and it never really lets loose. Just like the texture of the fabric the album is named for and that adorns the CD cover, Velvet is “soft”, which is surprising coming from a guy that sports a bandana, and skeletons flashing devil horns on his koozies.
However there is something that wouldn’t let me give up on this album, and I am still not exactly sure what it is. After giving it a spin and not knowing really what to do with it, I’d perch back on top of Review Mountain, but I would invariably grab it again just to see if I could find whatever I was missing, never willing to give up on it. After listening to it I would find myself humming the tunes, and wanting to hear them again. That is because for all of Velvet‘s safety, for all of it’s lack of obvious songwriting prowess or easily-seductive music, there is an appeal here.
Maybe it’s because however mild the different elements are, combined together they equal greater than the sum of their parts. Maybe despite the safety and perceived pallidness of this album, behind it Stoney still gives his music tremendous heart that makes it rise above superficial concerns or a music reviewer’s traditional bullet points. In the end if I had to tell you whether I like this album or hate it, I would say I like it.
Despite the safety, there is a good flow to this music, and a patience. In most music, you have a group of guys doing their best individually, hoping it fits in the context of the song. With Velvet, everyone is on board, listening to the music and what the song is calling for. It’s like the difference of four horsemen riding side by side across the plain, or four horses yoked together, all pulling towards the same purpose. You’re not wowed by any individual effort, but in the end the efforts are more unified and effective.
The walking, rhythmic acoustic line in “Dresses” gets stuck in your heart. The chorus of “Look At Me Fly” is undeniably infectious. “Travelin’ Kind” uses the soft and safe approach to it’s advantage, and adds simplicity to the mix to become the standout composition of the album. “Travelin’ Kind” never really goes anywhere, which is why it is good, and that approach parallels the song’s message. It also features Lee Ann Womack on harmony vocals.
One thing I’ll pick on is the song “Te Amo Mas Que La Vida”. From Tom Waits to Jimbo Mathus to many others, there is a current trend to include one Spanish-oriented song on your album. I think folks think it adds spice to a project, but what it really does is add predictability, and many times, a easily-forgettable track. If you like the Spanish context, great. But add two songs, or no songs. And invariably the song ends up as the 7th or 8th track on the album; go back and check.
I’m not going to recommend you buy Velvet, I’m going to recommend you try Velvet. I wouldn’t argue with anyone if they wanted to call it one of their favorites of the year, or if they said they just couldn’t get into it. Because for me, it is kind of both.
1 1/2 of 2 guns up.
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Preview & Purchase Tracks from Velvet (only $4.99 right now)
Get More: Travelin’ Kind, Stoney LaRue, Stoney LaRue Videos
December 29, 2011 @ 7:12 am
my main problem with the LP is the fact the velvet cover has been done before. the bee gees ‘odessa’ album back in 1969. i guess folks don’t realize that some of us do pay attention to stuff. and re-treading 60’s music ‘art’ seems to be trendy now with sorta country folk. i didn’t care much for the music either. this LP or that particular bee gees LP. though in 69 the red velvet cover was pretty cool. 2011? not a chance.
December 29, 2011 @ 8:19 am
If you wanna hear more of this album just listen to any of Mando Saenz’s numerous albums…exact same thing as this album. Mando wrote nearly all of these songs (except I believe one written by Adam Hood) and if you listen to even one of Mando’s albums you will instantly realize the whole “Velvet” album is typical Mando…cool songs, but your left at the end of each song wondering “What was that song even about?” Mando’s lyrics are deep, in that they generally only make sense to Mando. (All that being said, I am a big fan of Mando and Adam Hood, both of whom I consider to be inspired song writers)
I think Stoney added a word or two to each song so that he could include his name on the songwriting credits…but you shouldn’t think badly of him for this, as even Taylor Swift pulls this trick on every album (If you are still one of those “Taylor Swift is a great song writer and wrestling is real” kinda people, just look on BMI’s website and look at who is winning awards for writing Taylor Swift songs (clue: non of them are Taylor Swift)
December 29, 2011 @ 8:44 am
I noticed the Mando credit on all the songs in the liner notes. Not being intimately familiar with Stoney, I just assumed this was one of those mutual relationships many artists have with a songwriter, someone to always be there to be a second ear or mind to help get songs done. Certainly the “Third for a Word” songwriting rule can leave some folks confused on just how much one person contributed to a song.
As for Taylor Swift, her Tonto for her first two albums was a woman named Liz Rose. Her daughter is Caitlin Rose, whose is also a songwriter and performing artist. But on Taylor’s last album, she wrote all the songs by herself. I think she did this partially to deflect some of the criticism that she wasn’t really writing those songs, she was just contributing a word or to to Liz’s compositions.
December 29, 2011 @ 2:29 pm
Never been a huge Stoney fan aside from a few songs, but he wields a ton of influence down here in Texas. I can think of at least five buddies of mine of the top of my head whose sound is very noticeably influenced by Stoney. That being said, there is also a large degree of contention among songwriters as to what Stoney has actually done, writing-wise. See, most all of his noteworthy songs (“Oklahoma Breakdown”, “Feet Down Touch the Ground”) were either written by other, noted-as-inspired songwriters (Mike Hosty and Brandon Jenkins, respectively), co-written by Stoney or tried-and-true covers (“The Weight,” “Forever Young”). With all the hype around “Velvet,” I’ve meant to check it out because I do enjoy Mando’s tunes, especially the “Watertown” record, and so far what I’ve heard off “Velvet” does sound a lot like Stoney acting as Mando’s mouthpiece. The lyrics and melodies are great–good flow and the ability to let the listener in to either relate or not, but there’s where the problem lies for many–Mando’s songs aren’t really beholden to one solid meaning and a lot of people just won’t “get” it. I dig the hell out of his style and have found his influence creep in to some of my own songwriting efforts, but again, it’s not for everyone.
December 29, 2011 @ 9:38 am
Being from here in Stillwater I’ve seen Stoney live and heard his music a million times. Most people around here probably wanted “Oklahoma Breakdown 2.0” out of a new Stoney album but I really think this album fits his musical style. If you see Stoney live you’re going to hear alot more Grateful Dead influence (deeper than surface level so don’t go picking that apart) to his music than Johnny Cash or Hank Williams. When his band jams it normally goes more into a funky territory than into more country or southern rock sounds and lyrically the Red Dirt crowd leans alot more on Folk music than your average country style.
About this album though I think its great. Stoney made an album that’s subtle. Something that’s severely lacking in music today. Both in the godawful mainstream and in the underground. Yes Justin Moore we get it, you drive a pickup truck. Thanks Hank III I would have never guessed you like drugs. The music and lyrics imply things and I appreciate that. Will it have any radio hits? No. Is it good background music for your next bender? Probably not. Is it just good music? I think so.
December 29, 2011 @ 10:02 am
This is a good comment. I appreciate the subtly of this album, and I don’t think that comparing it to The Greatful Dead is either an insult or far off. In fact I’m glad you said that, because that clears up for me why you see so many skeletons used in his imagery. The Grateful Dead also sang sweet music that contrasted with their skull and roses imagery.