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Braver Newer World is an album by the American musician Jimmie Dale Gilmore, release in 1996.[2][3] Gilmore deemed the album's sound "West Texas psychedelic blues-rockabilly".[4]

The album peaked at No. 19 on Billboard's Heatseekers Albums chart.[5] It was nominated for a Grammy Award for "Best Contemporary Folk Album".[6]

Production

Recorded in Los Angeles, the album was produced by T Bone Burnett; Gilmore had started the album with Bones Howe before scrapping the results.[7][4] The title track was written specifically for the film Kicking and Screaming.[8] "Where Is Love Now" was written by Sam Phillips.[9] "Because of the Wind" was written by Joe Ely; "Black Snake Moan" is a cover of the Blind Lemon Jefferson song.[10][11]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[12]
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution[9]
Calgary Herald[13]
Chicago Tribune[14]
Robert Christgau(3-star Honorable Mention)(3-star Honorable Mention)(3-star Honorable Mention)[15]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[16]
The Indianapolis Star[17]
MusicHound Folk: The Essential Album Guide[18]
(The New) Rolling Stone Album Guide[19]

The New York Times opined that "the album is slicker and more rock-oriented than Mr. Gilmore's previous albums... In this context, keeping Mr. Gilmore's cosmic sensitivity from becoming too sappy and rock's propulsive drive from becoming too overwhelming is a challenge that Mr. Burnett meets only some of the time."[20] Salon wrote that, "with a precise intelligence, he uses the perfect blend of Americana to bring his songs to life: melodies from country and western, rhythms from swing and rock 'n' roll, fills from folk and bluegrass."[21] The Chicago Tribune deemed the album "a radical departure that risks alienating longtime fans while reinventing and reinvigorating the artist."[14]

Trouser Press noted the "richly atmospheric mix, with a potpourri of percussion, pedal-steel drones, Vox organ, lowing horns and chunky baritone guitar."[22] The Calgary Herald determined that "Gilmore is rooted deep in Texas storytelling, the emptiness of the landscape or someone's heart tempered by a spiritual, personal optimism."[13] Texas Monthly stated that "there are moments when-for the first time ever-he rocks as effortlessly as he rolls."[23] The Indianapolis Star panned the production.[17]

AllMusic wrote that the album finds Gilmore "moving away from the staunch musical traditionalism that characterized his earlier releases, into a brilliant fusion of pure country, mystical explorations, and sonic experimentation that foreshadows the psychedelic tilt of nominally alt-country albums like Wilco's Summer Teeth or the Jayhawks' Smile."[12] MusicHound Folk: The Essential Album Guide likened the album to Magical Mystery Tour, if the Beatles album had "been recorded in Austin, Texas."[18]

Track listing

No.TitleLength
1."Braver Newer World" 
2."Come Fly Away" 
3."Borderland" 
4."Headed for a Fall" 
5."Long, Long Time" 
6."Sally" 
7."There She Goes" 
8."Where Is Love Now" 
9."Black Snake Moan" 
10."Because of the Wind" 
11."Outside the Lines" 

References

  1. ^ Mirkin, Steven (Sep 1996). "Quick Fix". CMJ New Music Monthly. No. 37. p. 6.
  2. ^ "Jimmie Dale Gilmore Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic.
  3. ^ McCall, Michael; Rumble, John; Kingsbury, Paul (February 1, 2012). The Encyclopedia of Country Music. Oxford University Press.
  4. ^ a b Mirkin, Steven (May 25, 1996). "Jimmie Dale Gilmore maps a 'Newer World' on Elektra". Billboard. Vol. 108, no. 21. p. 12.
  5. ^ "Jimmie Dale Gilmore". Billboard.
  6. ^ "Jimmie Dale Gilmore". Recording Academy. Retrieved 5 July 2022.
  7. ^ Wolff, Kurt (July 5, 2000). Country Music: The Rough Guide. Rough Guides.
  8. ^ Hornaday, Ann (17 Nov 1995). "Jimmie Dale's no stranger to Hollywood soundtracks". Austin American-Statesman. p. E7.
  9. ^ a b Dollar, Steve (27 June 1996). "Gilmore's poetic simplicity turns softer, richer". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. p. D4.
  10. ^ DeLuca, Dan (30 June 1996). "2 Texans: Lovett Needs Fire, but Gilmore Glows". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. K1.
  11. ^ Fricke, David (Jul 11–25, 1996). "Braver Newer World". Rolling Stone. No. 738–739. pp. 87–88.
  12. ^ a b "Jimmie Dale Gilmore Braver Newer World". AllMusic.
  13. ^ a b Muretich, James (30 June 1996). "Getting to the heart of country music". Calgary Herald. p. E5.
  14. ^ a b Kot, Greg (4 July 1996). "Gilmore Reinvents Himself on 'Braver Newer World'". Chicago Tribune. p. 8B.
  15. ^ Christgau, Robert (October 15, 2000). Christgau's Consumer Guide: Albums of the '90s. Macmillan.
  16. ^ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 3. MUZE. p. 757.
  17. ^ a b Redmond, Mike (14 July 1996). "Jimmie Dale Gilmore 'Braver Newer World'". The Indianapolis Star. p. I7.
  18. ^ a b MusicHound Folk: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1998. p. 312.
  19. ^ (The New) Rolling Stone Album Guide. Simon & Schuster. 2004. pp. 331–332.
  20. ^ Strauss, Neil (25 June 1996). "To Get on the Road Again". The New York Times. p. C13.
  21. ^ Berger, Kevin (July 1, 1996). "Braver Newer World". Salon.
  22. ^ "Jimmie Dale Gilmore". Trouser Press. Retrieved 5 July 2022.
  23. ^ Morthland, John (July 1996). "Hot box". Texas Monthly. Vol. 24, no. 7. p. 18.
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