Album Reviews

Music You Don't Know You Like Yet

KATHY MATTEA

Coal

2008-04-22

Country singer Mattea compiles some of the finest coal mining songs on this CD, bringing the joys and (mostly) sorrows of life in and around the mines to life (with plenty of them about death). The Sago, West Virginia mining disaster of 2006 compelled her to find the right set of songs to convey mining life and the best of them -- such as "The L&N Don't Stop Here No More" (#1), Coal Tattoo (#6) and "You'll Never Leave Harlan Alive" (#8) -- both educate and entertain. The closer, "Black Lung," is a harrowing a capella number, combined with an instrumental, "Coal." This set may not burn up the spins chart, but is a valuable contribution to the YCE library. 4/08 MJVD F-Traditional

Quick Links:

all reviews | all folk reviews

More reviews tagged #Folk

reviewed 10/2008
LUCINDA WILLIAMS
LITTLE HONEY
reviewed 09/2015
Callaghan
A History Of Now
reviewed 10/2010
ENOCH KENT
Take A Trip With Me
reviewed 01/2015
BROTHER ADAMS
Almost Alive at Front Street
reviewed 08/2011
CHADWICK STOKES
Simmerkane II
reviewed 06/2007
Claire Fisher
Gold Miner's Journal

Compiled by the WYCE Journalism Club

The opinions expressed in these reviews are those of the individual volunteers that submitted the article and do not necessarily reflect the views of WYCE or GRCMC; nor its staff, donors, or affiliates.