New Album Review: Dolly Parton- Run, Rose, Run

Dolly Parton- Run, Rose, Run

Label: Butterfly

Producers: Dolly Parton, Richard Dennison, and Tom Rutledge

The forty-eighth studio album from Dolly Parton, inarguably the most vital living legend in country music today, is immediately interesting in the fact that it serves as a companion piece for a novel that she recently penned with best-sellling author, James Patterson. It’s honestly a surprise that such a concept hasn’t emerged sooner, given not only the varied facets of her immense career, but also give her staggering stature as one of music’s greatest pure storytellers. That magic skill is evident throughout Run, Rose, Run, which given its source cannot help but play, at least loosely, as a concept album that follows the narrative of a young, aspiring singer-songwriter on a mission to make her dreams a reality. All of her classic calling cards are working full-time on this record: her chipper vocals, scrappy optimism, folksy charm, and a well-rounded sonic palate that revisits her affinity for polished but authentic contemporary country and bluegrass sounds. Neo-trad duets with the likes of Ben Haggard and Joe Nichols prove to be particularly satisfying. While it’s true that nobody will mistake this for one of those classic late-career landmarks that so many country icons have provided (besides, let’s face it: Parton already provided a slew of those caliber records back in the late 90s and early Oughts), but there’s also no denying that Parton remains one of music’s most gracefully aging stalwarts, and Run, Rose, Run is a sturdy addition to an already vast catalog.

Track Listing:

1. “Run” (Dolly Parton)
2. “Big Dreams and Faded Jeans” (Parton)
3. “Demons” featuring Ben Haggard (Parton)
4. “Driven” (Parton)
5. “Snakes in the Grass” (Parton)
6. “Blue Bonnet Breeze” (Parton)
7. “Woman Up (And Take It Like A Man” (Parton)
8. “Firecracker” (Parton)
9. “Secrets” (Parton)
10. “Lost and Found” featuring Joe Nichols (Parton)
11. “Dark Night, Bright Future” (Parton)
12. “Love or Lust” (featuring Richard Dennison) (Parton)