Bettye Lavette

[Mike Lofthouse]

I better reserve judgement - makes a change though!!.........................................................................

The release of Bettye LaVette's eagerly awaited follow up to her Grammy-nominated Scene of the Crime is just around the corner with the May 25 release of "Interpretations: The British Rock Songbook". In anticipation, Anti- Records and Paste Magazine are making Bettye's take on the Jagger-Richards' gem from the classic "Beggar's Banquet" album "Salt of the Earth"

available for download now from Paste Magazine.

On her upcoming Interpretations, Bettye brings the British invasion home to its American R&B roots, looking to the past for inspiration and uncovering common ancestry in seemingly divergent musical avenues. Throughout the new album, her performances are a revelation, inhabiting each song so completely as to make them her own. To that end, Bettye made some changes to the lyrics on a number of songs including the aforementioned track "Salt of the Earth," whereby she modernized "strange beauty shows" to "reality shows" and "polio" to "HIV."

Fittingly, Keith Richards has given Bettye some advance praise, noting: "When you hear a voice like Bettye LaVette's there's a sense of transportation (NOT to a penal colony!), but a certain freedom of movement and emotion, which is rare. Especially to me and I suspect other Englishmen who were so fascinated by the music that is so natural to Bettye while we were still getting our feet wet. The 'hands across the pond' aspect gives me a warm feeling. A connection! A great record. Put me in the fan club! How did Bettye LaVette slip thru the net for so long?"

Produced by Bettye, Rob Mathes and Michael Stevens, the album is a 13-song journey through compositions by the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd among others, before concluding right where the very idea for "Interpretations" started: Bettye's visceral show-stopping rendition of The Who's "Love Reign O'er Me" from the 2008 Kennedy Center Honors, which appears here as an extended bonus track.

Meanwhile, Joss Stone, who has shared the stage with Bettye, declares: "What a voice and what a soul to compliment such a talent. I believe every word, as does everyone that has had the pleasure of hearing Bettye LaVette sing. She's inspired a lot of great music. You can hear clearly that her influence is all over the new music today".

Throughout INTERPRETATIONS, her performances are a revelation not just of raw emotion, but of the inexorable ties between British rock 'n' roll and American blues and R&B, which when combined, catalyzed popular music. That Lennon, McCartney, and so many others who crossed the Atlantic in their wake, were deeply influenced by American music is no great secret. What BETTYE demonstrates here so convincingly is the degree to which rock 'n' roll and American soul remain bound by bloodlines.

The Beatles' pre-psychedelic Rubber Soul classic "The Word" takes on an almost religious fervor, while Paul McCartney's "Maybe I'm Amazed" is transformed from a majestic pop song into a stark, almost desperate exp

ression of devotion. Profound alienation becomes intense longing on Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here," and the wistful naivet of The Moody Blues' "Nights in White Satin" matures into a deep and unshakeable lament. BETTYE inhabits these songs, revitalizes them and exposes the humanity that makes these 13 tracks not just pop songs, but enduring works of art.

Such mastery hardly comes as a surprise to at least one legend featured here. Elton John (whose "Talking Old Soldiers" appeared on The Scene Of The Crime) offers this endorsement of BETTYE's impassioned take on "Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me":

"Bettye LaVette has always been a wonderful singer - I have been a huge fan for many years. To my delight and surprise she recorded an amazing version of 'Talking Old Soldiers' - a song that nobody else has covered - and made it her own.

"Now she has recorded 'Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me' and has done exactly the same - but this time with a much more familiar song. I am truly touched by her picking these songs and can only hope that this album brings more attention to this incredible artist."

Track Listing:

1. The Word (John Lennon/Paul McCartney)

2. No Time To Live (James Capaldi/Stephen Winwood)

3. Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood (Bennie Benjamin/Gloria Caldwell/Sol Marcus)

4. All My Love (John Baldwin/Robert Plant)

5. Isn't It A Pity (George Harrison)

6. Wish You Were Here (David Gilmour/Roger Waters)

7. It Don't Come Easy (Richard Starkey)

8. Maybe I'm Amazed (Paul McCartney)

9. Salt Of The Earth (Michael Jagger/Keith Richards)

10. Nights In White Satin (David Hayward)

11. Why Does Love Got To Be So Sad (Eric Clapton/Bobby Whitlock)

12. Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me (Elton John/Bernard Taupin)

13. Love Reign O'er Me (Peter Townshend) [bONUS TRACK]

[Ady Croasdell]

Well What Condition My Condition is in was a biggish record for her and that was rock so she's giving it another go. Scary titles though!

[Sean Hampsey]

Hey Mike, it worked for Tina Turner... old school, Soul singer turned Rock chick

... but its not what I'd like to see Bettye doing.

Some bloody awful songs in that lot!

Sean

[Guest Dante]

Hey Mike, it worked for Tina Turner... old school, Soul singer turned Rock chick

... but its not what I'd like to see Bettye doing.

Some bloody awful songs in that lot!

Sean

[John Benson]

Some bloody awful songs in that lot!

Sean

Not quite "Tell me a lie" is it Sean?

Now that was an album!

[Sean Hampsey]

Not quite "Tell me a lie" is it Sean?

Now that was an album!

Phwooooooar!

Agree John.

Solid throughout.

The surprise package of 1982.

Another Muscle Shoals masterpiece... and the songwriters were in a different league!

Sean

[Guest]

[Reg Scott]

Well What Condition My Condition is in was a biggish record for her and that was rock so she's giving it another go. Scary titles though!

Agree with you Ady on the scary titles for the new gear..

But, "What Condition.." is a brilliant interpretation of the 'Kenny Rogers / First Edition' attempt at acid trip pop..

I don't think it can be considered a "rock" tune by any stretch, just a great piece of interpretative Soul music by one of the best female voices ever..

My humble opinion of course

Best,

Greg.

Edited April 23, 2010 by ClearVinyl

[funkyfeet]

Lets look on the bright side if Bettye has some success in the twilight of her career, surely she's paid her dues and deserves her pension.

"Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)" is a song written by Mickey Newbury. Said to reflect the LSD experience, the song was intended to be a warning against the danger of using LSD. First recorded in 1967 by Jerry Lee Lewis, who rejected it, it was a hit for The First Edition (with Kenny Rogers on lead vocals) in 1968. It was Rogers' first top ten hit in the Billboard charts, but was not typical of the country folk harmonies that characterized most of The First Edition's catalog.^[1] However, the group was already familiar with rock music, bouncing from country, to pop, to rock, and to folk music.

[Paul Shirley]

Agree with you Ady on the scary titles for the new gear..

But, "What Condition.." is a brilliant interpretation of the 'Kenny Rogers / First Edition' attempt at acid trip pop..

I don't think it can be considered a "rock" tune by any stretch, just a great piece of interpretative Soul music by one of the best female voices ever..

My humble opinion of course

Best,

Greg.

couldn't agree more she has graced my flyers and posters since i started my club

[Philippe]

Personnally I'm curious about this new album and I hope it'll be on vinyl like the previous ones.

O.K., the material may seem "strange", but who knows ?

I love her version of "Heart of Gold" :

And I don't like Neil Young !

[pikeys dog]

Agree with you Ady on the scary titles for the new gear..

But, "What Condition.." is a brilliant interpretation of the 'Kenny Rogers / First Edition' attempt at acid trip pop..

I don't think it can be considered a "rock" tune by any stretch, just a great piece of interpretative Soul music by one of the best female voices ever..

My humble opinion of course

Best,

Greg.

The link being, that Betty was recording for Lelan Rogers' (THE Silver Fox) label SSS international / Silver Fox, who was Kenny Rogers' brother.

Edited April 23, 2010 by pikeys dog