There's a certain feeling that comes from seeing the dawn.
Watching the sun rise over the horizon brings with it an invigorating feeling of wonder and possibility.
Full of crisp, clean steel guitar, soft, propulsive strumming and a voice that's still full of hope despite the fact that it's also full of painful experience, Something To Me"" the first song on Tift Merritt's Another Country, captures this feeling.
But you take tomorrow/So long as you know/It's something to me"" Merritt sings with a knowing smile and wink that comes right through the headphones.
It's a song with enough charm that the listener wishes he could be anything to her.
When taken one at a time, that's the effect of many of the songs on the record.
For the majority of Another Country, Merritt blends country and pop into warm balladry that's easy on the ears and bittersweet on the heart.
But as Merritt repeats the trick almost verbatim for the first eight songs, the album feels white-washed.
Luckily, Merritt finishes the record with a barrage of creativity.
First, Merritt breaks out a horn section and bounces along with the irresistible pop joy of Tell Me Something True.""
Then she borrows the amphetamine-driven midnight fury ofBob Dylan's psych-rock for the fist-pumping"" runaway anthem ""My Heart Is Free.""
The rest of the album could have done with more of the creative spice contained in these two songs
But despite Another Country's tendency for repetition" Merritt's delivery has more than enough heart-warming charm.
Contact the Diversions Editor at dive@unc.edu.
