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Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed albums.
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Van Lear Rose
by Loretta Lynn
It's been over 40 years since she released her first album (and four since her last, 2000's 'Still Country'), but the coal miner's daughter returns to the spotlight with this 13-track effort (all Lynn-penned originals), produced by The White Stripes' Jack White.
| LABEL: |
Interscope |
| RELEASE DATE: |
27 April 2004 |
| DISCS: |
1 disc |
| GENRE(S): |
Country |
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
100
Blender
Some of the most gripping singing you're going to hear all year.... A brave, unrepeatable record that speaks to her whole life. [May 2004, p.123]
100
Mojo
Lynn's voice... is as strong as it was during her heyday, while her songwriting ability has only increased with age. [Jun 2004, p.98]
100
Under The Radar
It's just that damn good. [#7]
100
Entertainment Weekly
Crackling with a bristling immediacy, Van Lear Rose yanks Lynn into the present while never abandoning musical traditions that continue to define her, her voice, and her material. [30 Apr 2004, p.160]
100
E! Online
The duo's collaboration on Van Lear Rose is unexpectedly gripping, a raucous slice of vintage Nashville fuelled by Lynn's down-home wisdom, twangy gee-tars and White's inspired hand at production.
100
Tiny Mix Tapes
The beauty of the album rests in Loretta Lynn's exceptional songwriting.
100
New York Magazine
A darkly compelling masterpiece that taps into the pitch-black id of Johnny Cash’s best records.
100
Spin
The toughest record ever made by a former mainstream country artist.... If all the songs don't rival her finest work, the arrangements pull them up. [May 2004, p.105]
100
Uncut
White's willfully basic approach is what gives Van Lear Rose its freshness.... If you thought Rick Rubin's Johnny Cash reinvention was impressive, wait 'til you grab a fistful of this. [Album of the Month, June 2004, p.84]
94
ShakingThrough.net
The most personally felt, universally inclusive record of her career.
93
Pitchfork
Van Lear Rose is remarkably bold, celebratory and honest. It's a homecoming for a small-town musician gifted with poise, humor and compassion, but at its very heart, it's happy to be just a kick-ass country record.
90
The Guardian
The result is genuine alt-country at a time when the term has come to signify little more than middling acoustic rock.
90
All Music Guide
The brilliance of Van Lear Rose is not just how the two approaches complement each other, but how the record captures the essence of Loretta Lynn's music even as it has flourishes that are distinctly Jack.
90
Delusions of Adequacy
A rich, rewarding showcase for a woman whose voice, spirit, and energy have not faded.
90
PopMatters
The fact that a woman of Lynn's tenure can slide so easily into what is essentially an alt-country environment without losing any of her down-home authenticity simply underscores her versatility and timelessness.
90
Stylus Magazine
Recast[s] her matchless mountain holler and ever-sturdy songwriting genius in the milieu of gut-bucket blues riffs and blistering rock guitar, making Lynn sound not so much reinvigorated as reimagined, given a raucously purposeful, wildly authoritative new playground for her still-terrific proto-feminist (even in 2004) tropes.
90
Q Magazine
Nothing short of remarkable. [Jun 2004, p.102]
90
Drowned In Sound
Her voice sounds so goddamn fresh, spontaneous, uncompromised. There's an intensely visceral quality to these performances that is so utterly compelling.
90
Logo
Perhaps the album of her career.
90
Billboard
The final product exceeds the hype.
90
Amazon.com
Van Lear Rose exceeds all expectations, a bold collaboration in which artists from two different musical universes forge a memorable work that neither could have created alone.
90
The Onion (A.V. Club)
Given a chance to be herself, Lynn responds with a powerful return to form. [28 Apr 2004]
90
Rolling Stone
Lynn and White weren't straining to make history, just a damn good Loretta Lynn album. But it sure sounds classic anyway.
89
Austin Chronicle
Kudos to White's preservation of Lynn's loving, narrative songwriting even when paired with his own grittier sensibilities. In doing so, the two unlikely bedfellows have cut a classic.
80
cokemachineglow
White’s arrangements and production are simple and effective, clear without gloss.
80
Dot Music
It’s not as remarkable a transformation as the one Rick Rubin performed on Johnny Cash, but this is a fine collection and as pleasurable a listen as it undoubtedly was to record.
70
Village Voice
Less rehearsal, less production, and fewer layers of sound let Loretta's Lorettaness shine through.
The average user rating for this album is 9.1 (out of 10) based on 84 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
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