Reviewed by Ian Phillips.
By Gina Jeffreys, Sonic Timber Records 2019.
It’s been 12 years since Gina Jeffreys’ last album and a lot has happened in that time. Most importantly she took a career break to raise her family and that experience has found its way into her songs.
Gina’s lyrics have always been emotional and personal, but it seems that they are doubly so on this album.
From the opening track and first single, Cash (a tribute to Johnny Cash, for whom she opened on her first tour back in 1994) to the heartbreaking song Milestones, which is about the death of her baby (a subject that has been too painful to write about until now) and on to the song Ferris Wheel Ride – a song about mental health – there’s a raw honesty to the album that’s compelling.
Beautiful Tangle was recorded at The Sound Emporium in Nashville and it was produced by her husband, Rod McCormack, who is a celebrated producer and musician in his own right.
The album was recorded live with all the musicians in the same room and this has brought a delightful warmth to the performances.
Interestingly, they only play acoustic instruments on the album – a process that isn’t that common these days when country music and rock share much DNA.
One of the most delightful songs on the album is titled He Still Wants To Dance With Her, a duet she sings with Lee Kernaghan about the extraordinary love her parents share.
“He’s swinging her around like it’s 1964… and he still wants to dance with her.”
It reminds me of my mother and father. They came from the generation of dancers, in their case the swing music generation of the second world war, and they were still beautiful dancers right up to their deaths.
The song Vintage, with its foot tapping swing sums up this period well and I can certainly imagine my mum and dad polishing up the kitchen floor to it.
Beautiful Tangle has already reached #1 on the Australian Country Chart and touring it has taken Gina from Nashville to the Sydney Opera House. In the process she’s picked up two CMAA Golden Guitar nominations for both Female Vocalist of the year and Traditional Country Album of the year.
I won’t be surprised if she picks up both.
