Reviewed by Tony Cummings

Those versed in popular music history will know that these two good ol' boys from Alabama were the stylistic template for the Everly Brothers' haunting harmonies and through that a major influence on the Beatles. 'Tragic Songs Of Life' is, in the words of the sleevenote, "a journey into subconscious paranoia" and certainly the mood is melancholic, sombre with the glass definitely half empty. There's an achingly sad version of "I'll Be All Smiles Tonight", a song first recorded by the Carter Family, while "Let Her Go, God Bless Her" may have a jaunty tempo but its lyric is sheer loss. There's a superb version of the folk standard "In The Pines", and a bleak tale of misjudgement on "My Brother's Will" which recounts how on the death of his love-rival brother, a man is willed his house and wife but on returning to the family home discovers that she has already gone off with another and he cannot fulfil his brother's last wishes. Soap opera has never sounded more compelling. There's still time for "Take The News To Mother" about a soldier dying on the battlefields of France while "Mary Of The Wild Moor" tells of a girl returning home who freezes to death at her door because her father cannot hear her knocking. Songs of dark tragedy weren't the Louvins' only speciality. They also sang haunting country gospel and on this reissue clever Righteous Records have put four bonus cuts, "Satan Lied To Me", "Pray For Me", "Lord, I'm Coming Home" and "Thankful". No doubt some of Cross Rhythms' cooler readers will find the Louvins impossibly cheesy but for others the sheer intensity of these eerie high voices will be a revelation.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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