RSSMarcia Ball/Lou Ann Barton/Angela Strehli [extended]
- Old Enough [Antone's, 1982] C+
- Soulful Dress [Rounder, 1984] B+
- Dreams Come True [Antone's, 1990] A-
- Blonde and Blue [Rounder, 1993]
- Let Me Play With Your Poodle [Rounder, 1997]
- Sing It! [Rounder, 1998]
See Also:
Consumer Guide Reviews:
Lou Ann Barton: Old Enough [Antone's, 1982]
She's got a fine little instrument, like a nubile Bonnie Bramlett--the drawl pure cracker, the pitch and rhythm deep blue. But what she's selling with it is tractability. For Glenn Frey she poses as a flapper in the age of Deep Throat, for Jerry Wexler she sings good old songs in good old Muscle Shoals. Sincerely in both cases I'm sure, which makes things worse. C+
Marcia Ball: Soulful Dress [Rounder, 1984]
Most of the new rash of soul folk, survivors and revivalists both, do little or nothing to redefine the values they hold dear, but this reformed country singer avoids any hint of neocon nostalgia. With her rolling bayou backbeat, her standards you never heard before, her habit of belting the man she's loyal to, and the moleskin burr that textures her every line, she has the makings of a downhome Bonnie Raitt. Just in time. B+
Dreams Come True [Antone's, 1990]
Wrapping her warm, slinky voice around lyrics borrowed and dreamed up, Marcia Ball earns top billing in this ad hoc Austin blues trio. Lou Ann Barton, a professional tramp who's done her share of rehab, and Angela Strehli, a sensible sort who runs the label, must have figured it would be neighborly to help their old pal turn in a decent followup to Soulful Dress, which is eight years old now. Sure they did--they love each other like Ike and Tina, whose "A Fool in Love" they covered to initiate this mission impossible in 1985. Congratulations to coordinator-bassist Sarah Brown for getting a record out of them, and to producer-pianist Dr. John for easing it up toward the sum of its parts. A-
Angela Strehli: Blonde and Blue [Rounder, 1993]
Marcia Ball: Let Me Play With Your Poodle [Rounder, 1997]
"Let Me Play with Your Poodle"
Marcia Ball/Tracy Nelson/Irma Thomas: Sing It! [Rounder, 1998]