Gail Davies – Love Ain’t Easy

Gail Davies long has been one of Nashville’s most iconoclastic performers. From her start in the ’70s, she showed a determination to control her career that was unheard of for women. Naturally, Nashville repaid her determination with a cold shoulder. Still, Davies has trudged on, making thoughtful singer-songwriter country-folk that clearly influenced the likes of Mary Chapin Carpenter and others.

Davies’ latest record, released on her own label, is typically fine, albeit a bit on the cranky side when it comes to matters of the heart, illustrated by some of the song titles: “Better Love Next Time”, “Love Ain’t Easy”, “Burning In Hell For You”. The arrangements are mostly acoustic, reminiscent of those terrific early Judds records.

In addition to her own material, Davies has chosen some excellent covers that sound like they could have come from her pen. Kimm Rogers’ “Right By You” stakes this claim for love: “Don’t wanna be over your head/Don’t wanna be under your feet/Don’t wanna make any demands that we can’t possibly meet.” On the title track, which she wrote, Davies makes the hard-won observation, “So let me say for whatever it’s worth/That being in love is a whole lot of work.”

Davies closes with a surprising, terrific version of the old Tommy Johnson blues song “Big Road”, growling: “If you don’t want me baby, why don’t you tell me so/It ain’t like I’m a woman who ain’t got no place to go.” Indeed, Davies continues to sound like a woman with places to go; following her is always an adventure.