CD review: George Jones duets
From Friday’s Weekend Look section of The Oklahoman.
Country
George Jones “Burn Your Playhouse Down: The Unreleased Duets” (Bandit Records)
Albums of previously unreleased material act as musical garage sales: Record labels get the chance to make some cash by offloading clutter, and the public gets to sift through plenty of junk in the hopes of finding a few gems.
Fortunately, George Jones’ “Burn Your Playhouse Down” includes a bounty of sparkling duets. Most of them are left over from the star-studded 1994 “The Bradley Barn Sessions” and his 1988 recordings for the 1991 album “Friends in High Places.”
Jones’ smooth, deep vocals contrast effectively with Lawton native Leon Russell’s raspy twang on “The Window Up Above,” which also features Russell’s prodigious piano skills.
Oklahoma-born Vince Gill’s gently sensitive vocals offer another interesting contrast on “Selfishness in Man,” though the solemn song borders on dirge.
Jones’ pairing with Rolling Stone Keith Richards on the honky-tonk title track takes a few listens to process, but grows on you.
And what’s a George Jones duets album without a song with his ex-wife Tammy Wynette? The 1977 holdover “Lovin’ You, Lovin’ Me” offers a tuneful flashback to their long string of hit duets.
But the album opens with its standout track, “You and Me and Time,” the earnest new duet with Georgette Jones, his daughter with Wynette. The autobiographical tale of an absentee dad and his adult daughter reconnecting showcases the father’s timeworn voice and his daughter’s high, clear vocals.
- BAM
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