Megan Palmer Archives - Americana One

Review: Megan Palmer’s “What She’s Got to Give”

by Paul T. Mueller

What She’s Got to Give marks a real step forward for East Nashville-based singer-songwriter Megan Palmer. Palmer’s earlier recordings, including 2012’s Waycross, showed promise, but this one delivers on that promise, offering thoughtful lyrics, interesting arrangements and excellent playing and vocals.

Romantic difficulty lies at the heart of several of these songs. The oddly titled “The Only Trumpet” is an angry blast at a disappointing lover, while the bouncy tone of “Knifetwister” contrasts with its dark narrative about a bad girl behaving badly. Similarly, the sweet melody and gentle playing on the title track are at odds with its bittersweet theme – loneliness and the high price of trying to avoid it. “No one’s listening to what she says she wants,” Palmer sings plaintively, accompanied by intertwined guitar and piano lines. “They’re just taking all they can, and she knows that’s what she’s got to give… She knows that it’s never-ending.”

The album’s only cover is a nice rendition of John Hartford’s “In Tall Buildings,” which deals with growing up and accepting the drudgery of the 9-to-5 life. Again, the subject matter isn’t all that pleasant, but the song is enlivened by some sweet harmony from vocalists including Emma Berkey, Ariel Bui, Nellie Clay and Dylan Lee Johnston (Amy Speace contributed vocals on other tracks). The album closes with an uncredited final track, the bluegrassy “Tomorrow’s Gonna Make Up for Yesterday,” which showcases Palmer’s fine fiddle.

That fiddle is what Megan Palmer is probably best known for, but she’s also credited here with guitar, piano, organ and harmonium, as well as vocals. Other players include Tim Easton on guitar, mandolin and harmonica, Larry Cook and Tony Scherr on bass, and Jon Radford on drums. Patrick Damphier gets credit for clean production and interesting arrangements, as well as guitar and vocals.

Palmer, who’s dealing with a serious medical issue, was the beneficiary of a July 13 happy hour at Nashville’s 5 Spot. Hosted by Rod Picott, the event featured performances by Wild Ponies (Doug and Telisha Williams), Tim Easton, Aaron Lee Tasjan, Amy Speace, Allen Thompson and “surprise guest” Steve Poltz. A GoFundMe campaign to help Palmer with her medical bills has been set up at https://www.gofundme.com/meganpalmer

Tim Easton and Megan Palmer delight fans in Houston

By Paul T. Mueller

Tim Easton’s in-store performance at Cactus Music in Houston on Sept. 13 delighted fans who got considerably more than is typical of such gigs. Easton, accompanied by fiddler and musical partner Megan Palmer, didn’t stop at the four or five songs that are more or less standard for promotional appearances. Instead the duo stuck around for more than a dozen, throwing in some oldies, a cover and even a brand-new song, along with seven selections from Easton’s newest CD, Not Cool. From the look of it, they might have kept going had they not been scheduled to play a house concert later in the evening.

From Not Cool, Easton and Palmer played, not necessarily in this order, “Little Doggie (1962),” “Don’t Lie,” “Gallatin Pike Blues,” “Troubled Times,” “Four Queens,” “They Will Bury You” and one we’ll call, for the sake of delicacy, “Crazy MF from Shelby, Ohio.” Without full-band backup, the tunes got a folkier treatment than the rockabilly/Memphis versions on the CD, but Easton’s excellent guitar, harmonica and kick drum, plus Palmer’s lovely fiddle and vocals, proved more than adequate.

Megan Palmer and Tim Easton (Paul T. Mueller)

Easton also reached back into his extensive catalog for fine renditions of “Don’t Walk Alone” and “Carry Me” (the latter by audience request), as well as the more recent “California Bars,” “Dear Old Song and Dance” and “Burgundy Red” (Easton introduced the latter as an example of what he called “pre-hab music”). At one point he threw in a traveling song called “On My Way,” which he said he has not yet recorded. Palmer got a turn at lead vocal on John Hartford’s “In Tall Buildings,” also by request.

If fine songwriting and outstanding musicianship aren’t enough, give Easton and Palmer points for their work ethic as well. Earlier in the day, the two visited a local radio station for a fairly lengthy interview, including playing a few songs on the air, and all of it came less than 24 hours after opening for Billy Joe Shaver in Austin, a few hours’ drive from Houston. That kind of roadwork isn’t easy, but from the buzz Not Cool has been getting, it seems to be paying off.

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