Bettye Lavette - Thankful N Thoughtful - Music & Performance - CD

R&B legend Bettye LaVette is set to mark her 50th anniversary in the music world with the upcoming release of her mesmerizing album, THANKFUL N' THOUGHTFUL, on September 25 on ANTI- Records. Produced by Craig Street THANKFUL N' THOUGHTFUL is a selection of contemporary tracks written and previously recorded by Bob Dylan, the Black Keys, Tom Waits, Neil Young, Patty Griffin, Gnarls Barkley and others, which Bettye consumes whole, rearranges deep within her soul and exorcises as her own through her voice filled with longing, rage, desire, despair, survival and victory.

Bettye LaVette gets classified as an R&B singer, which she is, of course, but her newest album, the Craig Street-produced Thankful N' Thoughtful, finds her taking her blues, gospel, and soul-influenced singing style into deep, swampy, and edgy American roots territory, and she makes it all work with a sting and bite to her phrasing that ranks her as one of the best living soul singers. She gives Neil Young's "Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere" a little jump of joy, moving the song away from being plaintive and lonely to something closer to anxious homesickness. Tom Waits' "Yesterday Is Here," complete with brass and reeds, loses some of its clang and becomes a poignant blues. The most stunning track here is LaVette's reinvention of the old folk song "Dirty Old Town," best known in the version by the Pogues. She fills it with disgust and ominous menace -- there's also a slower version of "Dirty Old Town" that lets a measure of sadness creep back in at the close of the album. Thankful N' Thoughtful is a solid outing from an outstanding singer who knows how to growl, croon, grumble, praise, and jump for joy with her vocal phrasing -- whatever makes the song live and breathe. She is still a marvel. ~ Steve Leggett, Rovi

Performer	Bettye LaVette
Music genre	R&B / Soul
Music release type	Album
Media format	CD
Original release date	2012
Is collectible	Y
Has parental advisory label	N
Number of discs	1
Track listing	Everything's Broken, I'm Not the One, Dirty Old Town, The More I Search (The More I Die), I'm Tired, Crazy, Yesterday Is Here, Thankful and Thoughtful, Fair Enough, Time Will Do the Talking, Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere, Dirty Old Town [Slow Version] [Version]
Record label	Anti
Composer	Bob Dylan, the Black Keys, Tom Waits, Neil Young, Patty Griffin, Gnarls Barkley
Songwriter	Bettye Lavette
Music producer	Craig Street
Occasion	Anniversary
Music media format	CD
Is edited	N
Is enhanced	N