Dolly Parton - Pure & Simple

Dolly Parton
Pure & Simple
2016
Spotify

43 albums. Pure & Simple is the 43rd album from legendary Country Music superstar Dolly Parton. That in and of itself should be enough to call this record a smash, not listen to it and just appreciate her for the National Treasure she is. However that would not been in the spirit of reviewing music and hence we dive in. Pure & Simple lives up to it's title in that the music is quite stripped down. Parton is not doing much celebrating, or really digging in to issues on this record, instead she is sort of grazing the surface of the topics she covers with a light touch. The majority of the album is totally pleasant but rarely takes a risk. A song like "Jolene" is so powerful because it deals with a subject that most artists don't have the balls to take on, but Dolly does. That is how she has made her career by doing the things that everyone told Her should couldn't but this album shows her softer, less combative side. This however does lead to some quite boring moments and some very predictable song writing. "Kiss It (And Make It All Better)" could not have a more basic title and the writing itself is amateurish at best. This record as a whole feels a bit dialed in and has a pace that we aren't really used to from Parton. This languished trip down memory lane with memories of life, love and loss feels much more melancholy than it ought to.

The effortless vibe is one that is pushed heavily on this album, like we are all just sitting down to take a listen to someone strum out a few tunes in our living room. That goal is achieved but really at the expense of any kind of excitement. At 70 however Parton's voice has lost little if any of it's beauty. The only time we really get a sense of Parton's age is on "I'm Sixteen" a song that tries to profess how love will keep you forever young, but it feels to cute for it's own good. It sounds more like a cheesy gimmick than it does a well written song. With the album mostly being acoustic you will find that much of the record sounds the same making 10 track album feel much longer than it actually is. "Head Over High Heels" is the one time we get classic Dolly. Middle fingers to the world if they have a problem the love she's in, its fun, funny and a really great listen. As a whole however it would be hard to point someone to this album and have them really enjoy it start to finish. An incredible career that shows no sign of slowing Parton will forever be an American Icon even if this album is not.

6.0 out of 10