Unlimited Streaming
Listen to this album in high quality now on our apps
Start my trial period and start listening to this albumEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
SubscribeEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
Digital Download
Purchase and download this album in a wide variety of formats depending on your needs.
This T-Bird Americana two-fer pairs two of Rodney Crowell's forgotten albums of the mid-'90s. It's fitting, because Let the Picture Paint Itself (1994) and Jewel of the South (1995) sum up the singer/songwrtiter's recording period between his hit album Diamonds & Dirt (1989) and his re-emergence with the Houston Kid in 2001. The two albums represented here are the two records Crowell cut with producer Tony Brown at MCA after leaving Columbia. They were to be his last for six long years. Neither charted nor sold well, but that's neither here nor there when it comes to hearing them in the present day. Both are strong offerings. Let the Picture Paint Itself hosted three singles in the rocking title track, the genuine, swinging honky tonk of "Big Heart," and the ballad "I Don't Fall in Love So Easy." The album also featured two excellent co-writes with fellow Houstonian Guy Clark in the beautiful, acoustic, singer/songwriter fare of "Stuff That Works," and the popping two-step of "The Rose of Memphis." The talents of Trisha Yearwood and Patty Loveless also graced the album as backing vocalists. Jewel of the South boasted only one single, in "Please Remember Me," co-written with Will Jennings; it never even charted. The album is loaded with guests including Raul Malo, Béla Fleck, Vince Gill, Kim Richey, Vince Gill, Charlie McCoy, and Billy Joe Walker. The material is cagey, in that some of it hearkens back to Crowell's earliest days (the rocker "Love to Burn," co-written with Hank DeVito, and Crowell's own "The Ladder of Love," which could have been recorded by Dave Edmunds), and pretty much disdains the neo-traditionalism that became contemporary country during those years -- covering Roy Orbison's "Que' Es Amor (What Is Love)?" wasn't the most commercial thing to do -- and even points the compass forward with the reflective title track and "Thinking About Leaving." Taken together, these album are far better than they were originally thought to be, and they were way ahead of their time. They also cast a new light on an important part of Crowell's career -- his discontent with Nashville -- and they paint a portrait of a restless and creative veteran artist in the process of reimagining himself by going back to his roots. This two-fer is well worth the time and effort of seeking it out.
© Thom Jurek /TiVo
You are currently listening to samples.
Listen to over 100 million songs with an unlimited streaming plan.
Listen to this playlist and more than 100 million songs with our unlimited streaming plans.
From £10.83/month
Rodney Crowell, Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Tony Brown, Producer
℗ 1994 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Rodney Crowell, Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Tony Brown, Producer
℗ 1994 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Rodney Crowell, Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Guy Clark, ComposerLyricist - Tony Brown, Producer
℗ 1994 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Rodney Crowell, Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Tony Brown, Producer
℗ 1994 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Rodney Crowell, Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Tony Brown, Producer
℗ 1994 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Rodney Crowell, Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Tony Brown, Producer
℗ 1994 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Rodney Crowell, Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Tony Brown, Producer
℗ 1994 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Rodney Crowell, Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Tony Brown, Producer
℗ 1994 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Rodney Crowell, Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Guy Clark, ComposerLyricist - Tony Brown, Producer
℗ 1994 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Rodney Crowell, Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - JOHN LEVENTHAL, ComposerLyricist - Tony Brown, Producer
℗ 1994 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Rodney Crowell, Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Tony Brown, Producer - Lafayette Thomas, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1995 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Rodney Crowell, Producer, MainArtist - Beverly Ross, ComposerLyricist - Tony Brown, Producer - Neil Fredericks, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1995 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Rodney Crowell, Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Tony Brown, Producer - Will Jennings, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1994 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Rodney Crowell, Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Tony Brown, Producer
℗ 1995 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Rodney Crowell, Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Tony Brown, Producer
℗ 1995 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Rodney Crowell, Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Tony Brown, Producer - Lee Roy Parnell, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1995 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Rodney Crowell, Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Tony Brown, Producer - KEITH SYKES, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1995 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Rodney Crowell, Producer, MainArtist - Tony Brown, Producer - Buck Owens, ComposerLyricist - Harlan Howard, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1995 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Rodney Crowell, Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Hank DeVito, ComposerLyricist - Tony Brown, Producer - Will Jennings, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1995 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Rodney Crowell, Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Tony Brown, Producer
℗ 1995 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Rodney Crowell, Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - ROY ORBISON, ComposerLyricist - Tony Brown, Producer - Will Jennings, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1995 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Album review
This T-Bird Americana two-fer pairs two of Rodney Crowell's forgotten albums of the mid-'90s. It's fitting, because Let the Picture Paint Itself (1994) and Jewel of the South (1995) sum up the singer/songwrtiter's recording period between his hit album Diamonds & Dirt (1989) and his re-emergence with the Houston Kid in 2001. The two albums represented here are the two records Crowell cut with producer Tony Brown at MCA after leaving Columbia. They were to be his last for six long years. Neither charted nor sold well, but that's neither here nor there when it comes to hearing them in the present day. Both are strong offerings. Let the Picture Paint Itself hosted three singles in the rocking title track, the genuine, swinging honky tonk of "Big Heart," and the ballad "I Don't Fall in Love So Easy." The album also featured two excellent co-writes with fellow Houstonian Guy Clark in the beautiful, acoustic, singer/songwriter fare of "Stuff That Works," and the popping two-step of "The Rose of Memphis." The talents of Trisha Yearwood and Patty Loveless also graced the album as backing vocalists. Jewel of the South boasted only one single, in "Please Remember Me," co-written with Will Jennings; it never even charted. The album is loaded with guests including Raul Malo, Béla Fleck, Vince Gill, Kim Richey, Vince Gill, Charlie McCoy, and Billy Joe Walker. The material is cagey, in that some of it hearkens back to Crowell's earliest days (the rocker "Love to Burn," co-written with Hank DeVito, and Crowell's own "The Ladder of Love," which could have been recorded by Dave Edmunds), and pretty much disdains the neo-traditionalism that became contemporary country during those years -- covering Roy Orbison's "Que' Es Amor (What Is Love)?" wasn't the most commercial thing to do -- and even points the compass forward with the reflective title track and "Thinking About Leaving." Taken together, these album are far better than they were originally thought to be, and they were way ahead of their time. They also cast a new light on an important part of Crowell's career -- his discontent with Nashville -- and they paint a portrait of a restless and creative veteran artist in the process of reimagining himself by going back to his roots. This two-fer is well worth the time and effort of seeking it out.
© Thom Jurek /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 21 track(s)
- Total length: 01:15:25
- Main artists: Rodney Crowell
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: UMC (Universal Music Catalogue)
- Genre: Blues/Country/Folk Country
© 2011 Universal-Island Records Ltd. This Compilation ℗ 2011 Universal-Island Records Ltd.
Improve album information
Why buy on Qobuz...
-
Stream or download your music
Buy an album or an individual track. Or listen to our entire catalogue with our high-quality unlimited streaming subscriptions.
-
Zero DRM
The downloaded files belong to you, without any usage limit. You can download them as many times as you like.
-
Choose the format best suited for you
Download your purchases in a wide variety of formats (FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF...) depending on your needs.
-
Listen to your purchases on our apps
Download the Qobuz apps for smartphones, tablets and computers, and listen to your purchases wherever you go.