BettySoo and Doug Cox - Across the Borderline: Lie to Me

  by Andy Cassidy

published: 11 / 9 / 2011

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Review

'Across the Borderline: Lie to Me' is a collaborative project between Texan singer-songwriter BettySoo and Doug Cox from British Columbia. The pair met while teaching at an Alaskan guitar camp, and found that their musical tastes were closer than their relative geographic situations, and so they put together a set of songs by their favourite artists, some well-known, many less so. The album has a real campfire feel to it, and the selection of material is superb, a fantastic mix of new and familiar songs. BetttySoo has a voice to die for; clean, powerful and precise. Cox’s voice is less impressive, and is, wisely, featured sparingly on this selection - that is not to say that his voice is without a homely charm. His vocals on Loudon Wainwright’s' Be Careful There’s A Baby in the House', for example, while not auto-tuned perfection, suit the song well. It is, however, BettySoo who steals the show. Her vocals and guitar work on Guy Clark’s 'Dublin Blues', for example, are outstanding. When she sings, “I Wish I was in Austin…drinking mad dog margaritas and not caring where you are,” I, for one, wish I was there with her. The album opens with a great version of BettySoo’s Austin contemporary Jeff Talmadge’s 'Lie to Me'. BettySoo’s vocals soar over a well-constructed acoustic guitar and dobro (played by Cox) accompaniment. Her versions of 'You Don’t Need Me' and 'Light in Your Window' are other particular standouts, with understated guitar-work sitting perfectly with her breathy vocals. It is difficult to find fault with this album. If one were being ultra-critical, one might say that the two tracks on which Cox sings lead are the weak links on the album, but it would be unfair to level too much criticism – BettySoo is a tough act to follow. I would, however, have enjoyed the album infinitely more if BettySoo had provided all of the vocals. This is a fine collection of songs, well-chosen and well executed. BettySoo’s bluesy vocals are a revelation, and I would love to see how she might fare with original material. That is, however, for the future – for now, this is a hugely enjoyable album, and one which will translate well to the live medium when the pair tour the UK later this month.

Track Listing:-

1 Lie To Me
2 You Don't Need
3 Be Careful There's A Baby In The House
4 Boxcars
5 Ain't Gonna Make You Mine
6 Big Cheeseburgers And Good French Fries
7 Every Other Road
8 Louis Riel
9 Light In Your Window
10 Dublin Blues