Joseph M. (Wings1295) from CHERRY VALLEY, MA Reviewed on 8/13/2010...
A great CD, another classic by Dolly!
CD Reviews
Back to Her Roots
Jake Z | Canada | 10/29/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Through Dolly Parton's career, she's went through many changes with her image and her music. HUNGRY AGAIN is a return to her roots, as it's her most stripped back album since her early career. Much through the late 80s and 90s, she tried contemporary country with varied results, but ultimately there was no longer any room in their format for Dolly, which is ludacrous, but at least she took it in stride and has made this music. The album is very simple, but the lyrics pack an emotional punch. During the recording of this album, Dolly fasted and wrote the music during this period. This is a return to her original, traditional country sound. She was signed with Decca at the time, but a few months after the album was released, the label folded, and Dolly was left without a label. That is until she signed with the indie label Sugar Hill.She released two singles from this album. The first was "Honky Tonk Songs", a song where she asks "Why don't more women sing honky tonk songs?" which is a nice statement to make. The second single was "The Salt In My Tears", a typical Dolly song that is just fun and tongue in cheek. "Blue Valley Songbird" was used for her TV movie of the same name. There's some really nice ballads here like "Paradise Road", which is a very autobiographical song for her, or the ballads "I Still Lost You", "I'll Never Say Goodbye", etc. The uptempo songs "The Camel's Heart" and "Time and Tears" are just fun and a light hearted look at heartbreak. There's some inspirational songs as well, in the form of "Shine On" and "When Jesus Comes Calling For Me". She has never sounded better, but she continues to get better. HUNGRY AGAIN is a truly remarkable album that should not go unnoticed."
"This album is truly wonderful....Dolly gets back to her country roots and makes the listener feel like he or she is right there in the Smokey Mountains with her as she sings one song after another. The first single from the album, "Honky Tonk Songs" asks a question that I always thought but never dared to ask..."Why don't more women sing honky tonk songs?" The ballad entitled "Blue Valley Songbird" is about a girl born in the Tennessee Hills who leaves the hills after abuse from her father and goes out to sing her story. As only Dolly can, she adds a couple of gospel flavored songs to the album. She sings with such feeling one would wonder if she isn't truly one of the angels in "When Jesus Comes Calling For Me" and "Shine On." Unlike some of the albums produced by artists today, every song on "Hungry Again" is written by Dolly. She makes it a family affair with her cousin producer Richie Owens as co-producer. Great idea! This album is very worth what it costs and will make you want to listen over and over again."
Authentic and Real
Michael R. Nothstine | Wilmore, Ky | 12/30/2004
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I have been a fan of Dolly Parton for six or seven years now. This cd is an excellent authentic and a real soulful recording. Dolly is at her best when she sings roots music from the hills of Tennessee. Dolly Parton is one of the greatest songwriters of all times and she penned all of these songs herself.
Some of my favorite are the driving song "The Salt In My Tears," The high lonesome lullaby "Blue Valley Songbird," the poetic gospel song "When Jesus Comes Calling For Me, and "Paradise Road" and "Shine On." A few of the songs do not really stand out like "I Still Lost You" or "Honky Tonk Songs," but most of the album is wonderfully written and sung. Dolly Parton has a magical, unique, and soulful voice, there is no doubt about that. If you like country music and you like Dolly Parton this is a pretty dang good album to own. I love the honesty, simplicity, and depth of her words and voice. She is definitely a national treasure."
One of the best CD's ever recorded
Michael R. Nothstine | 01/13/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I can't go on enough how much I love this CD. I love the story of how Dolly went back to shack she grew up in and fasted and
wrote songs like her next meal depended on them.
Every song on this CD is excellent. I can never get enough of
it. It is country music the way it used to be. the songs are
the way Dolly used to write. Her lyrics are so clever and the
band playing on the CD hits every beat. Buy this CD and you will fall in love with Dolly Parton's music all over again"
Dolly's comeback started here - deservedly so
Peter Durward Harris | Leicester England | 08/25/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"For some, Dolly's current credibility began with the outstanding Grass is blue album, but this album (the one before that) is the album which relaunched her career. It didn't sell well in America but was a huge success in Britain, giving Dolly the encouragement she needed to continue recording traditional music.
It was with this album that Dolly returned to her country roots, beginning with the excellent title track and continuing with a whole series of outstanding songs, all in a traditional country style with only a little contemporary flavor. Some have a touch of bluegrass, showing the direction her music would take next.
My particular favorite is Blue valley songbird, which was the inspiration for a movie of the same title, and which was about a struggling singer and songwriter.
At the time of it's release, this was the best Dolly solo album for 20 years, and it's also just as good as those that followed.
If you like Dolly's more recent albums, or you enjoy her early seventies music, you will surely enjoy this one too."