CD REVIEW: LORRIE MORGAN – Letting Go… Slow

Label: Shanachie Entertainment

Release Date: February 12, 2016

Rating: 9/10

Reviewed by: Todd “Toddstar” Jolicoeur

What rocks?  It is something that gets the foot tapping?  Something that stirs emotion? It doesn’t necessarily need to have thunderous drums, soaring riffs, and heavy handed bass to rock.  The latest release from Lorrie Morgan rocks the head and heart without turning up the tempo or the volume.  Not to mention a cool cover of a Bob Dylan classic that rocks.  “Strange” opens the disc with an old school country flare, including big vocals, steel guitars, and lyrics that hit home with anyone that was on the wrong end of a breakup.  The classic “Ode To Billy Joe” gets a makeover from Lorrie, and its slowed pace and delivery help set it apart from other versions while maintaining the originals emotional integrity.  “Something About Trains” is a different style track than most of the other songs on the disc, but the cool instrumentation underneath the vocals helps set the mood and tempo for the track.  Ms. Morgan is given plenty of room to run and soar, especially at the chorus.  Dylan’s “Lay Lady Lay” gets a reggae-tinged remake.  Lorrie recently joked during our interview that she wasn’t sure how her fans would receive this track.  Her vocals shine on the song and give this a cool country/folk/reggae hybrid groove that I haven’t found anywhere else.  “Spilt Milk” is a great song that has more of an easy listening feel to it than a country vibe, but it fits on this disc and helps demonstrate the beauty and talent of Lorrie’s voice, regardless of the genre.  “Lonely Whiskey” brings the emotional Lorrie back to the forefront, as she delivers the chorus with vim and vigor.  Morgan’s voice swirls in the mix with the guitars, drums, and background vocals perfectly creating a large sound on a subdued track.

“Is It Raining At Your House” is a beautiful song that pulls at the heart strings and stirs emotions of love and loss.  As usual, Lorrie’s vocals are able to take lyrics and paint a picture that fits many of our lives at one time or another.  “I’ve Done Enough Dying Today” continues down the same road as other ballads and love gone wrong songs on the disc, but the use of Morgan’s range and classic sound help make this song special through the emotion filled chorus.  “Slow” starts off with a beautiful piano piece that gets a melancholic lift from Lorrie’s vocals when she begins to pour her heart out – ‘I reached out this morning to hold your hand, but stupid me forgot somehow you were gone.’  This is one of those songs that got into my heart, made its way to my head, and the lyrics are still stuck there, thanks to Morgan’s heart-wrenching delivery.  “Jesus & Hairspray” is a fun upbeat track that blends a modern country vibe with a classic groove.  Listening to this song, you can’t help but let your foot start tapping and get into the moment.  Lorrie demonstrates perfectly how well her voice sits among the classic country divas of the last 30+ years.  “What I’d Say” is another beautiful ballad that brings Morgan’s vocals together with great lyrics, guitars and keyboard, and a solid rhythm section.  There is even a cool electric guitar solo at the bridge.  Disc closer “How Does It Feel” is an awesome redo of a track Lorrie wrote with Kelly Lang and Mark Oliverius and recorded for her last album.  This updated version seems to pop from the speakers and has more emotion stirring under the surface than the original.  This brings together so many of the high points of the disc and ties them into one great package that is better unwrapped… Slow.

​​Tracklisting: Strange – Ode To Billy Joe – Is It Raining At Your House – Something About Trains – I’ve Done Enough Dying Today – Lay Lady Lay – Slow – Spilt Milk – Jesus & Hairspray – Lonely Whiskey – What I’d Say – How Does It Feel

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Category: CD Reviews