The Nashville-based country music business has always been a fairly small operation, with only a tiny percentage of country performers maintaining contracts on the limited rosters of the major labels that in turn feed the restricted playlists of country radio and reach the mass of country fans. In the old days, an artist's failure to get signed by a major meant that one might as well pack up a U-Haul and head back home. But in the early years of the 21st century, there were other avenues for determined performers. Jennifer Brantley, while writing and performing at clubs in and around Nashville, put out her own album, On the Other Side, in 2003, and has since gotten her tracks onto Internet websites, going around the country music establishment. Her second album, Break Down, released by Mountainside Productions, was produced by Bil VornDick, whose previous clients have included another Nashville maverick, Alison Krauss. As is often the case with independent country artists, Brantley turns out to sound pretty much like a major-label one. Her songs are very much in the mold of contemporary country with rock touches here and there. She has a strong voice, and VornDick has surrounded it with good country arrangements. The album's only false step is a cover of "You're No Good" that owes too much to Linda Ronstadt. Brantley might want to trust her instincts a bit more, notably on "Blonde Girls," an indictment of stereotypes about "dumb blondes" that could bite deeper. But for the most part, she competes successfully with similar singers on major labels. She just doesn't have their promotion and distribution.
© William Ruhlmann /TiVo