Tift Merritt – Another Country

Tift Merritt – Another Country / 2008 Fantasy / 11 Tracks / http://www.tiftmerritt.com /

Tift Merritt is rapidly closing in on eir second decade in the country music business. 1999 saw the first EP release for Merritt, which featured two original songs and five re-tooled versions of eir favorite country tracks. After three releases beyond this first one, Merritt has settled in quite nicely to a mature style. “Another Country” is the first of Merritt’s releases to hit on the  US Top 200 chart, peaking at #156. While other music magazines are apt to stick a dagger in Merritt the second ey gains the slightest in popularity (I’m looking at you, Pitchfork), the compositions on Another Country are a step above those laid down on either “Tambourine” or “Home Is Loud”.

Another Country starts out with “Something To Me”, a track that links together an atmospheric, airy sound with a more traditional country type of sound. Hints of Stevie Nicks are also present at the periphery of the song, which ends as softly as it began. “Broken” is a track that shows that Merritt can move into the pop realm, with a sunny style that anyone into music can appreciate. One thing that should be noticed about “Another Country” is the fact that the vocals do double duty. Instead of only providing individuals with the narrative, Merritt’s vocals act as another instrument with which the track can then be filled out.

The title track shifts things back to a much more Spartan sound. The only things that are left during this track are the vocals, guitars, piano, and drum, but it is the vocals that take the bold step forward here and create another single-worthy track for Merritt. “Hopes Too High” continues with that little tinge of pop influence, but individuals can easy hear the older country influences that manifest themselves in a number of ways on this album. “Morning Is My Destination” is a track that looks back to Fiona Apple, Sarah McLachlan, and even Jewel in its nineties-adorned arrangement. “Another Country” is a diverse album that has something for listeners, no matter if they are into country, rock, pop, or alternative music. Merritt has continued to modify and shape eir distinct brand of music, and I sincerely hope that ey can build off all of the successes that ey has during “Another Country”. Pick this album up, for sure.

Top Tracks: My Heart Is Free, Tell Me Something True

Rating: 7.2/10