We’re covering new releases from Eric Church and Liv Greene today.
“Hands of Time”
Eric Church
Written by Eric Church and Scooter Carusoe
Kevin John Coyne: Eric Church is doing the vowel elongating thing that makes latter day Elton John insufferable, and it’s getting worse with every record.
I found it incredibly distracting on “Hands of Time,” an otherwise solid effort of the “make a song out of other songs” variety. I like a lot of the songs referenced, and they have a cohesiveness that supports the song’s nostalgic message.
But one Gary LeVox is enough, Mr. Church. Please rein it in. B
Jonathan Keefe: Compared to his peers in the mainstream, Church is willing to take some real risks. Which means that he will release the occasional horror show like “Darkest Hour,” only to follow it up with something like “Hands of Time,” on which his and producer Jay Joyce’s wild swings actually connect. Aesthetically, this strikes me as a refinement of what Church was trying to accomplish with “Desperate Man” and “The Outsiders,” in the sense that the racket he’s making sounds like a collection of purposefully layered elements instead of just being loud for the sake of being loud.
Unfortunately, the song itself isn’t nearly as interesting as is the production. Here, he’s gone back to the well of nostalgia for his favorite music (Bob Seger, AC/DC, and “Amazing Grace” are just a few of the references) for what feels like the hundredth time. That would be excusable if he had something different or deeper to say than what he’s already said on “Springsteen” or “Record Year” or “Mr. Misunderstood.” But “Hands of Time” doesn’t really have anything that’s different or deeper than what he’s offered on some of his very best singles to date.
Church tries to mask that with a forceful vocal performance, but he’s never been all that convincing when he tries to strike this type of would-be badass posture. His long-time collaborator, the spectacular Joanna Cotten, sure does her damnedest to elevate the final few bars, though, with her powerful contralto cutting through the cacophony.
Like Church and Joyce, Cotten goes big here. Somehow, that’s fitting for such a maximalist single. It’s messy and loud, but what works really works. B
“Flowers (Party Version)”
Liv Greene
Written by Olivia Ann Greene
JK: I love the sarcasm in Greene’s parenthetical title for this re-recording of one of the many standout tracks from her brilliant 2024 album, Deep Feeler. Greene’s songs are so interior that, in comparison to the original cut of “Flowers,” the slightly kicked-up tempo and livelier arrangement on this updated single does sound like a riot.
Greene’s “Flowers” shares an overarching conceit with the Grammy-winning, career-reviving hit by Miley Cyrus, but Greene’s song reimagines that notion from the perspective of someone without Cyrus’ disposable income but with perhaps greater self-actualization. “I’m a 21st century woman just cryin’ like a little child,” Greene sings as he takes stock of her discretionary spending.
But she’s not celebrating her newfound independence. Instead, she’s, “leavin’ [her] poor heart in [her] shopping cart in the frozen food aisle.” She then cuts to the heart of the matter with an absolutely withering– and brilliantly written– observation: “The truth is I just can’t afford to miss you anymore.”
As I said in my review of Deep Feeler, the title of the album is a perfect descriptor for Greene. Her “Flowers” isn’t an anthem of self-empowerment; it’s kind of a self-pity party. And Greene has the talent and presence to make that inviting. A
KJC: If K.T. Oslin was around today, this ode to retail therapy would already be written.
Greene’s vocals are of the sweet and lilting style of Dolly Parton, a far cry from the brassiness of Oslin at her most feisty. I think she pulls off the same wry sarcasm in her own way. I swear I can hear her smirking with just the corner of her mouth while she delivers the hook.
This is my favorite musical arrangement of any single this year, so that this gorgeous instrumentation is paired with a smart lyric delivered by a compelling vocalist makes it an automatic end of year list contender for me. A
I like the last part of the Church song quite a bit, but the rest of it was underwhelming. I’ll have to check out more Liv Greene stuff, because I like this song! She has an interesting voice that I’m liking.