Album Review of
Tumbleweed

Written by Mark Gallo
August 25, 2017 - 12:00am EDT
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Greta Gaines is known in some quarters as a snowboarding champion, in others as a broad member on NORML and in others as an exemplary singer and songwriter. She has been compared to Lucinda Williams, and those comparisons are often right on, sometimes not so much. Always the song stories are powerful and convincing slices of real life. She says that she felt compelled to write these songs, as she explains in “Begin Again.” “Stopped in the woods to listen/Thought I heard the angels whisperin’ whisperin/This is a temporary madness that you’re in/It feels like it’s over when it’s time to begin. Begin again.” The opening Tumbleweed” deals with childhood innocence. “The lights went out/he was five and I was seven/I told Tim everything I knew about him/when nothing hurts/and you are free/to ramble round like a tumbleweed.” Eric Fritsch plays most of the instruments and the producing is full and clean. “Leo For Real” is an upbeat cautionary tale. “Only Lonely” is a lovely ballad and “Sweet William” is a story of an 1863 romance. Her voice on both is almost reminiscent of Suzanne Vega. “Light It Up” is a pro marijuana tune. Regardless where your politics lie, this is a joyful song. On “Heal Me, “she sings, “Sometimes it just comes down to the heart of the matter/you want to feel better. “ This is a disc that can accomplish that.