Side-Step That Rubble
Alas, what will the lions think of this? Ah, what do we care. Janis Pruitt has been strumming and plucking guitar strings and singing for a long time. As far as I can tell, Streets of Rome, her debut CD, is in the ballpark (or shall we say, coliseum) with most female singer/songwriters I've heard on radio. Of course I'm not aware of every femme artist on the dial nor am I an expert on those I know. However, Pruitt is a good writer, singer and player and, well, without further ado, here's a glimpse of this debut.
For those who like to rawk, Pruitt kick-starts this disc with the emotional and up-tempo "I Remember Amsterdam." Apparently a love song, the protagonist is either addressing someone directly or, as the title suggests, recalling a very meaningful relationship that ended without eye contact or even a goodbye (Ouch!).
"Common Ground" is an intimate, heartfelt audiobiography of Pruitt's personal life against the backdrops of various eras she has lived through, such as the start of rock 'n' roll, the time we call "the 60's" and so on to the present. Good campfire song, that one.
If country bopping is your idea of fun, you'll love "Watch Me Fall." The story of a woman who is proud of and enjoys her independence, yet recognizes her vulnerability, with lines like, "Just when I thought I needed no one at all/ Watch me fall, watch me fall/ Cause I am headed for the edge/ watch me fall."
And yes, there's other good stuff between and after all that. Another important aspect of it is that it's been a long time coming and doesn't cater to any commercial music executives.
Wanna hear samples of this music and find out if you have some common ground with Ms. Pruitt? Roam over to www.janispruitt.com