Pretty Enough

Monday Morning, most people are not pretty enough.

Country Western Music. A popular genre, due to the fact that there aren't as many splits in it as other genres (Rock for example, has Alt-, Punk-, Classic-, Nu-, Metal-, etc). For the most part, as a genre, CW remains somewhat true to its roots. mostly live musicians, guitars are a norm, singers sing about love and loss... but not necessarily.

The rise of alternative country has bridged the gap for those looking to find a more mellow sound that both Rock and Country cannot provide. While The Dixie Chicks are Queens of the heap in this school, a lot of really interesting artists, such as KT Tunstall and Kasey Chambers have arrived on the scene with minimal fanfare, and critical success.

Kasey Chambers is an Australian-hailed Alt-Country singer. Her album Barricades and Brickwalls went to #1 in her native land, with songs like "If I Were You," and "True Colours." Her hit, "Not Pretty Enough," however, went to #1, for it's wide appeal, simple lyrics, and softly provided melody. Her plaintive titular question starts off the piece, not necessarily sadly, but worn with introspection. The guitars are there, but unassuming. The drumbeat is pretty simplistic, cymbals in all the expected places. There is nothing extra special about this song, save her voice, and the sad longing within it. Had one had ever heard this song from a jaded, questioning waif during 100 lifetimes, each of those lifetimes I can envision, one would do anything to solve that question. This makes the song pretty powerful, haunting, and memorable.


Sometimes, you don't need to try that hard. Sometimes, simple is pretty enough.
-om