Album Reviews

KATHY MATTEA

Coal

2008-04-22

Country singer Mattea compiles some of the finest coal mining songs on this CD, bringing the joys and (mostly) sorrows of life in and around the mines to life (with plenty of them about death). The Sago, West Virginia mining disaster of 2006 compelled her to find the right set of songs to convey mining life and the best of them -- such as "The L&N Don't Stop Here No More" (#1), Coal Tattoo (#6) and "You'll Never Leave Harlan Alive" (#8) -- both educate and entertain. The closer, "Black Lung," is a harrowing a capella number, combined with an instrumental, "Coal." This set may not burn up the spins chart, but is a valuable contribution to the YCE library. 4/08 MJVD F-Traditional

Quick Links:

all reviews | all folk reviews

More reviews tagged #Folk

reviewed 06/2006
The Del McCoury Band
The Promised Land
reviewed 05/2008
Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder
Honoring the Fathers of Bluegrass : Tribute to 1946 and 1947
reviewed 08/2016
Lee Bob & The Truth
The Light LP
reviewed 06/2005
Jim White
Searching for the Wrong-Eyed Jesus OST
reviewed 07/2006
AMY SPEACE
Songs For Bright Street
reviewed 04/2016
Radical Face
The Family Tree: The Leaves

Compiled by the WYCE Journalism Club

The opinions expressed in these reviews are those of the individual volunteers that submitted the article and do not necessarily reflect the views of WYCE or GRCMC; nor its staff, donors, or affiliates.