Allison Moorer - 'Getting Somewhere' review (sorta)

Let’s be honest – there’s really no point in me “reviewing” the new Allison Moorer record Getting Somewhere. I’m not doing you any favors pretending that I can cast a critical judgment on the work of probably my favorite recording artist. As evidenced by the many Allison-related posts – from the hopefully useful to the utterly inane – on this blog, my objectivity has long since left the building. So I’ll save myself the trouble of writing a review and save you the trouble of reading it.

What I can tell you is that Getting Somewhere is Allison Moorer’s plainest attempt at a pop record. No one in their right mind should classify it as a country album – though the undeniable country-ness of Allison’s voice is still present throughout because, after all, who could suppress The Lady’s most distinctive quality? Some are going to argue that it is Steve Earle, Allison’s new husband and her producer this time around. Bullshit. Earle has blended his (and Allison’s) Beatles obsession with his own unique knob-twiddling techniques, which have served a number of more obscure artists very well. Credit is also owed to Earle’s longtime partner Ray Kennedy for delivering a killer mixing job which favors stereo clarity and a distinct vocal mix (right up front, where it belongs).

The songs are tight and quick – all ten clock in at just over 30 minutes. Some revel in a remarkable new optimism and rejuvenated spirituality that belies much of Allison’s previous bleak worldview. Her previous record The Duel explicitly dealt with the loss of faith; Getting Somewhere deals specifically with the recovery of it. Which is not to say that Allison shies away from her usual frankness – indeed, many of these songs are obviously self-directed calls to action (“Work To Do”) or mild admonishments (“Take It So Hard”). On the record’s centerpiece tracks – “New Year’s Day” and “How She Does It” – Allison exorcises demons from her distant past and manages to deliver her best storytelling to date. The title track closes the album on a topical (though not political) note, connecting the dots between what we see on TV to what we see in ourselves. Throughout the proceedings, The Lady sounds typically transcendent and uncharacteristically celebratory. It’s a refreshing direction and proves yet again that Allison Moorer is an artist who constantly challenges herself and her listeners.

So maybe that amounts to a review after all. Tell ya what – on June 13, run straight out and buy Getting Somewhere. Then you can decide for certain.