Album Review: Bonnie Bishop – Free
Wikipedia tells me that Bonnie Bishop is a country rock singer/songwriter. That may well be, but her musical vocabulary as presented on her debut Free suggests that “country rock” is a criminally limiting label, at least for Bishop. “Keep Using Me” does have echoes of Bonnie Raitt (a fan, by the way), John Hiatt and others who might best be labeled “adult alt-Americana” or something equally unwieldy.
Point is, Bishop’s a strong vocalist, and several of the songs on Free rock. For the most part, this ain’t boot-scootin’ stuff: “Shrinkin’ Violet” owes as much to soul and Southern rock as it does to anything coming out of Nashville. (Well, okay: IHOF, the studio where Free was cut, is in Nasville. But still.) Ther’s some wailing slide guitar on “Shirink’ Violet,” but Bishop deftly pivots to an emotive, swaying midtempo ballad on the title track. She exhibits great control over her voice, sprinkling melismas here and there, but not in that overwrought TV-talent-show sort of way.
“Bad Seed” is much more in a country vein, and scores extra points for wry, clever lyrics that play well in the story-song tradition. “World Like This” is a sultry torch number with hints of gospel, built around some deeply soulful piano and organ work. “Best songs Come From Broken Hearts” starts quietly and benefits form an excellent use of slowly-building dynamics. And “the album closer “Right Where You Are” ties together every style Bishop has in her bag of tricks, resuting is something that feels a lit like an uptempo female-vocal led take on Elton John‘s Tumbleweed Connection period.
If there’s a criticism of Free, it’s that it’s a bit on the short side (seven tracks total). But seven strong tracks always beats the hell out of a longer album padded with filler.
Those whose tastes don’t typically run toward Americana will still find a lot to like on Free, but Bonnie Bishop’s music is rooted firmly enough in the best country traditions so that c&w and Americana fans will likely dig this as well.
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About the Author
Bill Kopp
With a background in marketing and advertising, Bill Kopp got his professional start writing for Trouser Press. After a stint as Editor-in-chief for a national music magazine, Bill launched Musoscribe in 2009, and has published new content every business day since then (and every single day since 2018). The 4500-plus interviews, essays, and reviews on Musoscribe reflect Bill's keen interest in American musical forms, most notably rock, jazz, and soul. His work features a special emphasis on reissues and vinyl. Bill's work also appears in many other outlets both online and in print. He regularly hosts lecture/discussions on artists and albums of historical importance (including monthly events Music to Your Ears and Music Movie Mondays), and is a frequent guest on music-focused radio programs and podcasts. In Spring 2023 he taught a history of Rock 'n' Roll at UNC Asheville's College for Seniors. He also researches and authors liner notes for album reissues -- more than 30 to date -- and co-produced a reissue of jazz legend Julian "Cannonball" Adderley's final album. His first book, Reinventing Pink Floyd: From Syd Barrett to The Dark Side of the Moon was published by Rowman & Littlefield in 2018, and in paperback in 2019. His second book, Disturbing the Peace: 415 Records and the Rise of New Wave, was published in 2021 by HoZac Books. His third book, What's the Big Idea: Great Concept Albums will be published in 2024. Read even more about him here.