Published on Dec 23, 2004
After seven lines of the list of credits for the album, the last
line reads, “All these fine people, and many others, were involved
in making me find these great songs.” And, this is true.
Don’t I Know is an album of songs written by other people —
Maura simply sings them — and, the choice of songs is
excellent.
Don’t I Know is an album of ‘pop-song’ nature. It has a
heavy underbelly of folk, with producer Jerry Douglas playing the
lap steel guitar on literally every song. It also has great words,
not to mention very fine singing. The appealing words sung out,
stand clearly from the supporting music, and this runs consistently
throughout the album — those people in the seven lines of the list
of credits have indeed gone through a lot of hard work to search
for words and bring them to Laura’s lips.
The most beautiful of them all, “Trip Around The Sun” — the
album starter and a subtly philosophical birthday song — has the
chorus saying, “I’m just hanging on while this ol’ world keeps
spinning…if there’s one thing I’ve learned from all this
living; it’s that it wouldn’t change a thing if I let go,” and a
deep, as well as simplistic closing line, “Just enjoy this ride on
my trip around the sun…till it’s done.”
As a aching lover, Maura sings, “And life’s so hard; it’s the
little things that seem to be saving me today; and I am doing what
I can not to be getting down; and I am going down in flames” on
“Going Down In Flames,” and on “Up And Flying,” sings, “I should be
free to leave the ground; with no dreams left to weigh me
down…The one I loved loves someone new.”
Maura’s baritone-ish vocals sound like a mother sheltering the
tender words that she brings to life with her most appropriate
rendition of them, as if they were her very own. Her warm vocals,
and the simple but nicely assembled musical arrangements, complete
with acoustic and lapsteel guitars and keys, make
Don’t I Know a very feel-good record.
Don’t I Know makes a nice companion when one is driving
through the countryside where everything is calm and serene, and
the wind is sweet and pure. It is uncomplicated, but nicely
produced. It does bridge pop music and folk music, and has a
‘country’ feel to it, too. It is for everyone who likes deep
lyrical content and non-glamorous thoughtful pop music mixed with
folk music.