John Prine Album: “In Spite of Ourselves”

Listening to Dolores Keane, the great voice of Ireland, doing her solos and harmonies on "Its A Cheatin' Situation" and "In A Town This Size" is like discovering that there is finally someone who can sing in the slow-motion haunting style that once was soley the property of Pasty Cline. Then along comes Iris Dement's toe-to-toe duets with John, culminating in "In Spite Of Ourselves", in which she does the impossible - she steals the show! Fiona Prine's solo in "Till a Tear Becomes A Rose" makes me daydream of having a woman sing in such a way to me. You can tell she is singing to her husband!...And then there's Lucinda Williams' solo on "Lets Turn Back The Years"! She is worth the price of admission alone! Add to this the solos and harmonies of Trisha Yearwood, Emmylou Harris, Patty Loveless, Connie Smith and Melba Montongomery and you find yourself dazed and amazed at John Prine. This CD fits like a glove and each duet, so sublte and simple, is a homage to the lonliness we have all known, the love we have all longed for, the grand "honky-tonk days" when a few chords and a couple of great voices and uncomplicated lyrics accompanied a cold beer and a few tears. Then, just when we forget its our John Prine that is taking us on this journey, "In Spite Of Ourselves" comes along....and we realize the John we thought we knew is still amongst us!...Touche, ol' buddy....thanks for opening my ears to Iris Dement, Lucinda Williams, Dolores Keane and Fiona Price. Prine singing "country" with "country's best" and an Irish lady reminiscent of Patsy Cline - I'm gonna buy another copy of this CD in case anything happens to the one I have now!...5 stars?...No, how about 9 stars and and five ! for John Prine?....

I discovered John Prine 25 years ago, while living in Hartsville, Tennessee. I heard Prine "wailin' away" from an open window and I knocked on the door of that house to ask who that singer/song writer might be.

Since then, I have spoken of Prine as my favorite singer/song writer ever and as one we should all consider a National Treasure.

Of course "In Spite of Ourselves" is great. It's John, is't it? Once again, he epitomizes the "Americana" we are so rapidly losing. There's only one Prine-written song on the album, and you'll know it when you get to it because you'll find yourself laughing out loud, but each song is selected to define who John is.

Buy this album. It'll cost you almost nothing and last forever and if you're a fan of the style of music Prine invented, there's no doubt that you should own it.

Keep 'em comin' John and thanks for the music buddy.

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To say that this isn't "real" Prine is like saying that "World Gone Wrong" isn't "real" Dylan or that "Sweetheart of the Rodeo" isn't "real" Byrds. Prine clearly loves these great songs - why deprive yourselves of the pleasure just because he didn't write them, or just because they're "country"? Who cares other than idiotic folk purists who want hear him sing nothing but "Hello In There" for the rest of his life (as if Prine's own songs aren't essentially country in the first place)?

Country music is as important an American invention as blues, jazz, etc., and this album is perfect evidence of it. It is a joy from beginning to end. Thank you, John.

I hadn't taken much notice of John Prine before I bought this, and I'd tried to ignore Iris DeMent. This collection changed my mind about both of them. I was attracted to the album by the other guests - especially Connie, Trisha, Melba, Emmylou and Patty. Those excellent ladies lived up to my expectations - but I was surprised to discover that, of all the guests, Iris is the real star here. Iris sings four duets with John, and they seem to inspire each other. Connie, Dolores and Melba each do two duets, while the other five ladies do one each.

All the songs are country classics, several of them associated with George Jones and most of the others dating from the fifties and sixties. I see from the other reviewers that John's traditional fans do not all like this album. It is a departure from John's usual music, so that is inevitable. John recorded the album because he wanted to, and he obviously enjoyed himself. None of the ladies were contractually obliged to sing with John - they all agreed voluntarily when asked. Perhaps that's why this album works so well - it wasn't recorded to make a fast buck, yet it probably sold as well as any of John's other albums.

Fans of traditional country will enjoy this. John's loyal fans must make up their own minds.

Every, (yes every), person I have played this album for has gone out an bought it including my 21 year old son whose favorite music is hip-hop and urban rap. Even he found a song he wanted to play for his girlfriend. This is at the top of my list of John Prine Albums. The only bad thing is that the last song I hear each day is stuck in my head and plays over and over. Not a bad thing really.