Compared to pretty much every noted country artist over the last 10 years or so thanks to her impressive catalogue, Annie Keating‘s 6th self-released album is, as you would expect, overflowing with well written, tender, poignant and engaging numbers. Over the course of these 12 emotive and nostalgic snap-shots, the band and Annie invite you to listen close to her words of wisdom with all sorts of enchanting melodies and perfectly placed notes. Coney Island is a sweet and optimistic opener which finds Annie recalling a trip to the New York funland that adorns the cover. Sunny Dirt Road is a swaggering country waltz, and the sunny disposition of Know How to Fall is bound to make it a future ‘keep-your-chin-up’ anthem.
There are enough highlights to gloss over…
320 kbps | 103 MB UL | HF | MC ** FLAC
…the unremarkable moments here (One Good Morning and the predictable I Want to Believe) and illustrate why Keating is thought of so highly. Just Up Ahead finds Annie delivering sage advice about living in the moment (“joy won’t come to those always looking in the other direction”). Foxes, meanwhile, is the stand-out; with tremolo guitar, mellotron and pedal steel all complimenting Keating’s vocal perfectly. Each note intentionally placed to create a work of incredible beauty. Perhaps the only gripe is that you almost know what to expect from the album and that maybe, just maybe, it’s a little too well crafted – too many perfect and intentionally placed notes. However, those niggles aside, “Make Believing” is quite a pretty splendid piece of work.