SUMMARY: RUNNING TIME: 39 MIN.
Released by Rising Tide in 1997 through Universal Records, this album’s eleven tracks were written/co-written by Matraca Berg. Her tracks are:
Title: Time:
| 1. | Along for the Ride | 3:45 |
| 2. | That Train Don’t Run | 3:15 |
| 3. | Back in the Saddle | 3:16 |
| 4. | Here You Come Raining on Me | 3:02 |
| 5. | Some People Fall, Some People Fly | 3:13 |
| 6. | Back When We Were Beautiful | 3:40 |
| 7. | Sunday Morning to Saturday Night | 3:39 |
| 8. | Good Ol’ Girl | 3:54 |
| 9. | Give Me Tonight | 3:28 |
| 10. | If I Were An Angel | 4:06 |
| 11. | The Resurrection | 4:34 |
- Guest back-up vocalists: Kim Carnes appears on Track 2; and, as a rollicking ‘Ladies’ Night’-style chorus, Martina McBride, Faith Hill, Patty Loveless, and Suzy Bogguss appear on Track 3. Bogguss also appears on Track 9.
REVIEW:
More well-known as a songwriter for other country music singers, Matraca Berg makes the most of her classy Sunday Morning to Saturday Night. Her endearing, down-to-earth charm permeates this album, as she blends elements of contemporary country music, folk, bluegrass, and gospel. While she composed Track # 6 herself, Berg co-wrote the other ten tracks with Randy Scruggs, Alice Randall, and Gary Harrison, among others.
Though a few tracks are average, Tracks 1 (a good-natured Along for the Ride); 3 (the sassy Back in the Saddle); 7 (a rollicking Sunday Morning to Saturday Night); and 8 (the gentle Good Ol’ Girl) are top-tier entertainment. Tracks 5 (Some People Fall, Some People Fly) and 6 (the wistful Back When We Were Beautiful) provide poignant contrast at just the right moments. Throughout the album, Berg’s recurring church inferences (i.e. Tracks 7, 8, 10, and 11) are well-conveyed
To Berg’s credit, this unpretentious album sounds heartfelt. It makes a strong case for her dual talents as both a vocalist and an insightful songwriter. As such, Sunday Morning to Saturday Night is an underrated gem well worth re-discovery.
PACKAGING:
The tracks and running times appear in triplicate: on the back cover, in the booklet insert, and on the CD itself. The CD is safely secured in a standard casing. The booklet includes song lyrics & musician credits; production credits; thank-you notes; and some low-key promotional photos of Berg.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 8½ Stars
