Gaylynn Robinson - Love & Heartache
By: Cheryl Harvey Hill, Senior Staff Journalist
8/25/08
Life got you down? Kids driving you crazy? Overwhelmed by the hectic pace required to simply survive these days? Know all about love and had just too dang many heartaches? Looking for that miracle cure for whatever ails you? Well, look no further than the new album from Gaylynn Robinson; Love & Heartache.
Robinson wrote all ten tracks and, as with her previous album, she demonstrates that her incredible talent isn’t limited to singing. She is an innovative songwriter who has a knack for writing simple, yet profoundly impacting, lyrics that are so in sync with the music that you can’t help but feel them. She has also perfected the cornerstone of great country music; she excels at the “they are singing my life songs.”
Once again she delivers a nice balance of boot scootin’ toe tappers and easy glidin’ two steppin’ music. It is also clear that Robinson surrounds herself with only top-notch musicians so there are plenty of great instrumental riffs on this album that make it difficult to not get up and dance around the room. Just try to sit still on “Whoa, Whoa.” Go ahead, I dare you. You can’t. I guarantee it. This bluesy number is so amazing. Robinson delivers the lyrics with so much spunk and triple kudos to all the musicians on this album. Awesome. Simply awesome. Extra kudos to Bobby Flores, who not only did a fantastic job on the production, he definitely took it to another level with his guitar, fiddle, and mandolin playing.
Trying to select a favorite tune proved futile since I enjoyed them all but “Call Back My Heart Texas Moon” effortlessly transported me to a virtual honky tonk where Bob Wills fans would feel right at home and I admit it, I couldn’t stop hitting replay on “Whoa, Whoa.” On the other hand, “Keeper of the Flame” has this really great Tex-Mex melody and I loved the words. But then, “Repeat Offender” is such a great story song and there is also “Poor Girl” which is a kindred spirit to “Fancy,” one of the songs that secured Reba a spot on the Opry Stage; a place where Ms. Robinson would be right at home, by the way. Bottom line is that I’m confident there is something for everyone on this album.
In her previous album, Songs by a West Texas Songstress, Gaylynn Robinson did her native Texas proud and gave them plenty to brag about. With her newly released Love & Heartache, bragging rights are once again in order. The ten tracks on this album are a delightful musical prescription guaranteed to lift your spirits, sooth your soul, and will prove to be just what the doctor ordered.
