Some Women Just Have A Gift For Music

Patty Griffin, Lucinda Williams, Mavis Staples And Rickie Lee Jones Have New Albums

(CBS)  Sunday Morning contributor Bill Flanagan of MTV says some of the best new albums are coming from the ladies. He weighs in on new work from Patty Griffin, Lucinda Williams, Mavis Staples and Rickie Lee Jones.

---

I don't know if women are smarter than men but it does seem lately that female singers have more interesting things to say than a lot of male musicians do.

I don't mean to give points to the other team, but in the new records I’m hearing a lot of men limit themselves to a few narrow musical and thematic categories, while the woman seem free to break down walls and go wherever inspiration moves them.

Let's look at the evidence:

Patty Griffin is a songwriter's songwriter. Her work has been recorded by the Dixie Chicks, Reba McEntire, Emmylou Harris and many others, and "10 Million Miles," a musical based on her songs, has just opened in New York.

Patty Griffin's latest album is called "Children Running Through," and it might be the best record she’s ever made. There's still the folk and country influences her fans expect, but Griffin moves toward R&B and a kind of ecstatic gospel singing on some of this material. It suits her. It's a warm, smart, grown-up piece of work.

---

Photos: Gifted Female Songwriters

---

Speaking of gospel — speaking for that matter of folk, country and R&B — Mavis Staples' latest album is called "We'll Never Turn Back." The voice of the Staples Singers has teamed up with producer Ry Cooder, another legend of American roots music. What an inspired couple they make. I was scared when I heard the premise of the record — new recordings of standards from the civil rights era. I thought, "Oh, I don't know, that sounds like 'Take Your Medicine, It's Good For You.'" But I put on the CD and forgot about the history lesson.

While these songs might have been written a long time ago out of longing for justice overdue, Mavis uses them now to express righteous anger for promises broken. You know what you get when you put the vitality of righteous anger into the forms of folk and gospel? You get rock 'n' roll. Mavis Staples has molded bits and pieces from 50 years ago into a great rock 'n' roll album. Don't miss it.

A whole different recombination of rock, soul and folk inspires Rickie Lee Jones’ new CD, "The Sermon On Exposition Boulevard" - a collection of spirituals for lost souls. These are songs in the voices of characters in the background of the New Testament, someone in the crowd at the Sermon on the Mount, a Roman soldier who was in Jerusalem at the time of the crucifixion and is trying to understand what he saw. The songs struggle to make sense of transcendence. They are in the voice of ordinary people coming face-to-face with the miraculous and trying to work out what it means.

Jones is attempting something heroic here, to clear away our preconceptions and expectations about Jesus and try to imagine what it might have been like to hear that message for the first time.

"The Sermon On Exposition Boulevard" is a record that has no precedent.

Anyone else out there working at that level? Well, Lucinda Williams pretty much lives at that level. You can pick up any Lucinda album and you will come away with music that is raw and real, as well as being smart and rigorous. She’s never made the same album twice, so if you're just starting out and want to play it safe, go for her Grammy-winning "Car Wheels on a Gravel Road" or the folk-rock "Lucinda Williams."

But if you are already a Lucinda loyalist, you’ll want to know that her latest album, "West," finds her close to the end of her rope, dealing with rotten boyfriends, the death of loved ones, and a general feeling that the ship is going down and there’s no one at the wheel. It takes a real artist to shape anger and sadness into something that is compelling and useful to other people. Lucinda Williams is a blues singer in the best sense. She takes negative emotions and bad situations and holds them up so that the light shines through.

These days the pop charts are full of silly girls who seem to spend less time thinking about the music they make than the parties they go to and clothes they don't wear. Patty Griffin, Mavis Staples, Rickie Lee Jones and Lucinda Williams are all smart, experienced and immensely talented adults.

Their music may not get a lot of play on the radio, but their songs will still be speaking to and moving listeners when the pop tarts are forgotten.

The real thing's back in town.

Click here to watch Patty Griffin perform at The Artist Den in New York City

I think there's a a good deal of stuff in Bill Flanagan's commentary to agree with... but, Mr. Flanagan seems to be more in love with poetry and prose than music. 'Cause the actual music that is found on the works he discusses is mediocre at best. I, however am intested at least as much if not more in the MUSIC aspect of MUSIC. Never mind what she's saying in most of her songs... listen to the beauty of the musical phrases Joni Mitchell gives us on her guitar, piano and dulcimer. Listen to it haunting ring, its classical value perfection. Listen to "Songs to Aging Children Come" "Cold Blue Steel and Sweet Fire" "I Had A King" and "Dawntreader." And on and on. And Judy Collins' "The Sisters of Mercy" and "Albatross." Some of Dido's stuff, Norah Jones, etc. etc. Gimme some music. Not 'downer' prose with music in the background to make it deliverable to the masses. Mr. Flanagan... be part of the solution to the withering away of soundly created music... not part of the problem. Pleeeeze! Vince

[cspirit1]

Bill, i loved your commentary on the 4 great female songwriters, but if you go to zebgould.com you will be introduced to a great male singer-songwriter who is not only a poet but a guitar virtuoso. his talent should be recognized.

[mkate77]

Kudos to Bill Flanagan for reviewing 4 excellent CDs by artists that deserve some press. A dope slap to him for beginning the segment with, "I don't know if women are smarter than men, but..."

Every now and then I start to think we are finally moving past the oh-so-dated discussion about gender and intelligence, and then along comes someone like Mr Flanagan who feels compelled to take the position that musical creativity is some sort of gender based competition. I'm pretty sure Mavis Staples, Rickie Lee Jones, Patty Griffin, and Lucinda Williams don't see it that way.

Mr Flanagan should have reviewed these artists for what they are--talented artists. No need to point out that they are all women. The viewing and listening public can figure that out for themselves.

[richardsdm]

"These days the pop charts are full of silly girls....when the pop tarts are forgotten."
My boyfriend and I both laughed when we heard this line. We both understood where Bill was coming from with this. I've used the term "pop tarts" myself in terms of some of the quick flash pop artists that come and go - instantly popular and just as instantly forgotten. It's the women of substance that we want to hear again and again.

[lolared-2009]

I liked this piece. It was kind and refreshing and relieving.
I think there are some great men out there playing some really wonderful music, as well....heartfelt, thoughtful and intentional...AND the women mentioned in this segment are amazing and he was right on in referring to them. He couldn't possibly mention ALL the great female singers...I would suggest checking out MICHELLE MALONE, however...she's in their league. I do believe women in music get the short end of the stick. Especially women in rock and roll...

Bill, great to see Patty Griffin and Lucinda Williams being recognized. Couldn't agree more that you could pick any recording by either of these artist. Other great artist to consider here are Mary Gauthier, Kasey Chambers, and Julie Miller and her husband Buddy.

[dpier1111]

Bill, Great story but what about The Calling and Mary Chapin Carpenter!!!!!!

[cbnorris]

This is directed to Bill...if he reads these. I appreciate your suggestions and often write down musicians who are new to me...and sometimes buy their CDs. A female singer/songwriter that I wish you had included: Beth Nielsen Chapman. Maybe you aren't aware of her, or maybe you included only those who have very new CDs. Beth has been around a long time...and singers Bonnie Raitt, Trish Yearwood, and indeed Sir Elton have performed her music. But she has a wonderful voice and presence herself...as much as these four you mentioned. Give her some air time on some future show!

[jyj3]

Bill Flanagan says: "Their music may not get a lot of play on the radio, but their songs will still be speaking to and moving listeners when the pop tarts are forgotten." Have we decided that "tart," which according to the American Heritage Dictionary means a prostitute or promiscuous woman, is an acceptable way of referring to women like Katie Couric and pop music singers? Perhaps Flanagan should go the way of Imus or will he try to convince us that he was referring to toaster pastries?

[likeitis5050]

oalbrecht We%u2019re talking music not ideology, religion or politics. Musicians need to stick to what they do best and not attempt to be intelligent.

I'm sure every serious musician is cringing from your post.

Music is and should be educational, thought provoking, inspiring, and entertaining. Sorry if you think getting up to a mich and belting out a tune is just pure, impulsive fun and should have nothing to do with intellect or agenda.

My god...the anti-war songs of the 70s all had a message. What do you listen to that has nothing of value to add to the song? "I liked the beat..' was a coined phrase from the teeny-boppers on American Bandstand...but they grew up.

%u201CThe Perfect Poor%u201D should be interviewed and asked how they feel about being described as 'nothing of value...just mindless fun for the mindless.'

[oalbrecht-2009]

I have long admired Bill Flanagan%u2019s reviews. After hearing his latest on Sunday Morning that contained this statement %u201CI don't know if women are smarter than men but it does seem lately that female singers have more interesting things to say than a lot of male musicians do.%u201D I now know my admiration has been misdirected having no idea where this man is coming from. Music should be all about enjoyment and fun, not what he (Bill Flanagan), the musicians think are interesting things. We%u2019re talking music not ideology, religion or politics. Musicians need to stick to what they do best and not attempt to be intelligent. Use their microphone for entertaining their audience. Take them away to a place of enjoyment away from their day to day problems. The band %u201CThe Perfect Poor%u201D does just that. Perhaps Bill Flanagan should check them out if he can get away from female musicians with what he thinks are interesting things to say..

[cbsimo-2009]

Patty Griffin both pays tribute to those before her and inspires others with music of the heart. My wife and I are looking forward to her concert in Ukiah, California this Sunday. It is exciting to know that we will be able to view a CBS segment on her and the other women singer songwriters you will be featuring on the same day. This is a very rare opportunity, indeed. Thank you for offering a national story which will so closely relate to our local experience. Hey, come on out to California. Should be worth the trip!