Review: Tattoos & Bruises CD

I'm linking up this post to the Tuesdays Gone blog hop. Breathing new life into an old post. Enjoy, and thanks for stopping by hoppers!

I was recently given the opportunity to review the latest CD from Mary Bragg, called "Tattoos & Bruises." I had never heard of this artist before, but I thought I would give it a try. You see, I'm a country music lover, but the genre has been letting me down quite a bit lately. I thought maybe this artist could bring back some of my former excitement for the music I was brought up on.

When I put the CD in the player, I was immediately pleased. Mary Bragg's voice is and strong and sweet- just what I expect from a female country singer. She has a story to tell in each of her songs, and she does it well. The band plays in fantastic country style. This is not pop or Top 40 music cleverly disguised as country music in order to be played on all of the radio stations. "Tattoos & Bruises" is pure country music at its finest.

What I liked best about this CD: The songs were fresh and not "in your face." They didn't speak of sex and alcohol as if they were something to be celebrated and the main focus of life. When these subjects are referred to, they are part of the story rather than the main idea. The music was something I would not be embarrassed to play with my mother-in-law in the room.

What I would change: I would have loved to hear a more "raw" song- something with a little more emotion. All of these songs sounded very similar to me. I was waiting for a song that would really stand out from the others. A faster tempo would have been a nice change in the middle of the CD. I would have liked to hear Mary Bragg stretch her comfort zone and give a bit of a growl. I suspect she would be awesome!

Where you can buy this CD: Mary Bragg's store offers the digital edition, as well as the standard CD. You can also purchase t-shirts and her previous albums.