No Comments

1. Roy N. says:

   May 7, 2010 at 8:17 pm

   I rarely write music reviews but I had to after buying this train wreck of an album. I really like her first release Giddy On Up (when I can listen to it without picturing the horrific video she made for it). But this album is seriously bad. The lyrics lack substance and the music lacks depth. I had high expectations for this album but there are only two good tracks: Giddy On Up and Boyfriend which isn’t country at all. I don’t consider myself to be that critical when it comes to music, and of course music is subjective, but I was very disappointed. My advice is to save your money. This was $5.99 when I bought it and even at that price I think it was a waste of money. Sorry to any Laura Bell Bundy fans.
   Rating: 1 / 5
2. T. Yap says:

   May 7, 2010 at 9:10 pm

   Prime Cuts: Drop on By, Homecoming Queen, When It All Goes Down South

   If albums were horses, then Bundy’s major label debut “Achin’ and Shakin’” is a Trojan. Just like the mythical equestrian, this disc housed a myriad of genres drawn intricately from Bundy’s colourful background. Drawn initially to dance music as a child, Bundy later became a star at Broadway musicals. Though she had made her splash on shows such as “Hairspray” and “Wicked,” her greatest claim to fame is her role in “Legally Blonde: The Musical” where she has even garnered a Tony Award Nomination. Yet, Bundy has never felt constrained to one genre. “Aching’ and Shakin’” finds her calling country music home. Even though the moniker “country” is applied to this Mercury Nashville Records debut, lead single “Giddy On Up” has galloped up not only the country charts but also the Billboard dance chart. This makes Bundy the first country female artist to have a debut single charting in these two different terrains. But don’t let the lead single misdirect you: “Giddy On Up” is not representative of the entire album. Rather, this CD is a concept recording the two reflective moods associated with love. The “Aching” side of the record is a sultry indulgence into melancholy entanglements of love where Bundy’s deep throated contralto has a nostalgic throwback to the times of Tammy Wynette and Lorrie Morgan. On the “Shakin’” side, she dons her Gretchen Wilson outlaw-ish attitude whereby she rocks with a reckless yet seductive charm.

   Honestly, the “Aching” side is the better of the two sides. Perhaps her theatrical background is to credited, when she slows down to croon a torch-song, she has a way of reaching deep into her soul to express the ache that is just infectious. “Drop On By,” the only song not co-written or written by Bundy, is a sultry modern day equivalent to “Help Me Get Through the Night” where Bundy milks every ounce of longing from this old-school traditional ballad. Revolving around the graphic image of burning up the bed where love was once alive, “Curse This Bed” is one of the most honest heartbreak paeans whereby the frustrations, hurts and anger of a love gone sour are sonically expressed. Even more arresting is the dark “Cigarette” where Bundy considers the vices she could have turned to for comfort on a lonely night instead of a one-night stand, singing, “Should’ve let my hair down for dancing/Should’ve wrapped myself in a blanket/Should’ve been drinkin’ just to forget/Should’ve left my lipstick on a cigarette.” Not to be confused with Alabama’s hit of the same title, “When It All Goes Down South” a Bundy original, as the title suggests has a down home southern charm that masks the desperate feelings of love’s demise. Even more country and imbued with a retro feel is the Tanya Tucker-esque “Homecoming Queen.”

   Unfortunately, the “Shakin’” side is less uniform with a few hiccups along the way. Lead single “Giddy On Up” despite its yeehaws is essentially a dance number that falls flat due to its stereotypical “giving the cheating dude the boot” message. “Rebound” is a all fired-up rock number with Bundy displaying her more sensual side as she purrs for attention on this desperate number for love. Just when you thought Taylor Swift was pop, take a listen to “Boyfriend?” This time Bundy even does a little rap and it works. Despite the song stretching the word “country” to its max, “Boyfriend?” is so hook laden that it actually is quite infectious. “If You Want My Love” takes on another direction: this time Bundy lands in Gospel territory on a full on Gospel rave up with Bundy accompanied by a full choir. Though it has little to do with country music, it really shows what a versatile artist Bundy is.

   Call it a clever marketing ploy or creative artistic genius, “Achin’ and Shakin’” is sure to please both camps: those who like their country traditional and those who like a little countrypolitian infringement on their country. And the reason why it works is because of Bundy’s background. Her years in dance, Broadway, pop and country give her credibility to sing each track without sounding that she has betrayed any camp. Though not all the songs work, collectively this is an interesting record that is substantive and worthy of causing a stir in today’s largely predictable country music.
   
   Rating: 4 / 5