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CD Review - Keep It Country Kids
If you happen to hit Lower Broadway in Nashville, chances are you will have a chance to see a Sarah Gayle Meech show. Sarah is a pretty big deal around the Nashville HonkyTonk scene right now, and she now has her debut album available, One Good Thing. How does this debut hold up?



One thing. Buy. This Now. Seriously, this is one hell of an album. Sarah wrote all 12 tracks on the album, and pours emotion and realism into every song. This ain't a Taylor Swift pop album. Shoot, it ain't even a country-rock Miranda Lambert album. This is a modern day Loretta Lynn or Tammy Wynette album, full of solid country gold. It starts off getting right into the twang with "One Good Thing", a honky tonker claiming that "the one good thing about a heartache is a sad old song". Amen sister.

The album only gets better. "Old White Boots", "All I Wants A Honky Tonk", and the closer "Honey Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is" are all solid country rockabilly numbers. They sound like they could have been recorded in 1965 by Tammy or Loretta, but here they are in the modern day. "Sad and Lonely" features the always enjoyable Waylon Jennings style backbeat and vocal delivery style, which fits Sarah's voice perfectly. In fact, Sarah's deep growling voice is perfect for all these songs, she commands your attention and keeps the songs driving. The production is perfect as well, Andy Gibson puts just the right amount of steel and fiddle to bring the music to life.

This album isn't all toe-tappers. "Unlucky in Love", "Movin' On Song", and (my favorite) "Foolish" are emotional weepers that Sarah works every tear out of. "Foolish" in particular, is a fantastic song. If is the most laid back of the album, and really hits home. You can hear the honesty and truth in her voice, especially when she falls off the lines, almost like it hits too hard to sing them through. This track is radio ready and could be a big hit today if Nashville could get their head on straight.

Sarah's live show is fantastic as well. I had the privilege of seeing her live at Robert's Western World in December of this past year. She was engaging, lively, and a hell of a lot of fun. She took requests and chatted with the audience. I actually bought my album directly from her, which in today's world of country stars being so disconnected from their audience, is so refreshing, She thanked me and gave me a big smile. She sang all 12 songs from the alum, peppered in with hits from Waylon, Cash, Tammy, Loretta, Buck, and Haggard. Needless to say, it was a great night and I couldn't recommend her show enough.

All in all, Sarah Gayle Meech is right: A heartache does make a damn good song! I thank whoever had the nerve to break this girls heart and in return inspire all this amazing music. Keep it up Sarah! Everyone, go buy One Good Thing!!! You won't regret it!!!!

Saving Country Music
Lower Broadway in Nashville has a new songstress haunting the streets, and she’s a good one. Sarah Gayle Meech, originally from the sticks of Washington State, showed up in town via LA and is doing what she can to make sure the once epicenter of the underground of country music doesn’t become just a row of corporate bars and crappy music.

If you want to know how to put out one badass independent/underground country album in Nashville, you could use One Good Thing as a template. First you line up the greatest renegade studio owner in town, one Andy Gibson, maybe more famous for being Hank Williams III’s steel and dobro player, but the man who tweaked the knobs on such legendary albums as Hank III’s Straight to Hell, .357 String Band‘s Fire & Hail, and every piece of recorded music Bob Wayne has ever released.

Then you line up the best superpickers in town, namely the superlative “Cousin” Kenny Vaughan (Marty Stuart, many others), and the legendary Chris Scruggs (BR549, many others). Just with these assets, if underground country were an arms race, Sarah Gayle Meech would have just announced herself a superpower.

But none of these dude’s names are on the cover, and none of them wrote these songs. Sarah and her songwriting are the center of attention here, and with impeccable country taste and instincts, Sarah assembles 12 original and authentic honky-tonk hard country songs for your listening enjoyment.

Don’t let the sleeves of tattoos scare you, this is country and country only. There’s no screams coming out of those red lips, or goat horns concealed under that raven black hair. Sarah Gayle Meech and One Good Thing are country through and through, piercing the breastplate of honky tonk with an adrenaline shot right to its heart.

Lying, cheating, heartache, and one night stands are the colors Sarah swirls together on her palette and then paints on to the canvas with a strong voice and a stellar band. I’ve seen Sarah live (at Muddy Roots) and can vouch One Good Thing isn’t just a product of studio magic, that live the material might even be more engaging, as in many instances honky-tonk-style country is. Sarah has set up residency at Lower Broadway’s famed Bluegrass Inn, and plays Robert’s Western World next door as well. She boasts a professional band and attitude, and her dedication, heart, and willingness to sacrifice to do it right is woven into the fabric of this album.

One Good Thing is a great debut album from Sarah, but what I want to see from here is how she develops and figures out a way to separate herself sonically from the overwhelming crowd of traditional bands and artists playing honky tonk music these days. She’s cut her teeth now, proven her country cred and how the modes and love of true country music coarse through her veins. But all the greats in the genre brought something unique to the table. They added something, or took something away, or reached deep down inside themselves to find a way to separate themselves from the herd.

I won’t say the material and music on One Good Thing is cliche, but the lyrics and licks are common enough that I’m afraid it will sound like “just another traditional country album” to some. This is a common issue for honky tonk artists, even for folks like Dale Watson.

Sarah Gayle Meech gives new blood to old music, and with a bold style and a professional attitude, she should be keeping Lower Broadway true to itself and hopefully expanding to parts beyond in the years to come.

HoustonNightlife.com
If anything in this world ever made sense, all cloning research would be done in Nashville. The current Nashville cloning projects involve repeating one of two formulas, at least for females: You need to be either another Taylor Swift/Carrie Underwood (really, what's the difference?) or another Miranda Lambert, a swaggering, drinkin', cussin', whip-your-sorry-**** looker with just a little more wildass than brains.

Enter Sarah Gayle Meech, who plays a special, short-notice show at Under the Volcano tonight. With her tattooed arms and long, coarse, jet-black hair, Meech is on the Miranda Lambert trail, the one where the ladies aren't necessarily so lady-like, where they're as liable to have a fifth of whiskey, and a gun in the car as an umbrella and an air freshener.

But make no mistake, Meech has talent, both as a songwriter and singer. Most of the tracks on her debut "One Good Thing" are cut from old-school honky tonk cloth, although she amps it up with a few rockers a la Lambert. Counter to 99% of the songs pouring out of the writing factories on Music Row today, many of Meech's tunes deal with drinking and other old-school tonker topics. Vocally, she's got just enough to twang to keep it real. The new record seems to have gained her some push from a few Nashville players, enough of one to get her out on tour to places like Madison, Wisconsin, Austin, and Houston. And let's face it: Anyone who can fill a dance floor in Madison, Wisconsin has gotta have something going on.This is Meech's first time in Houston. Her scheduled gig at Armadillo Palace was cancelled when the venue was bought out for a private party, so she's moved the gig to the intimate confines of the terrific Rice Village drinkery, Under the Volcano. So let the boot-scootin' begin -- before the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo comes to town and we never hear real country music again.

- William Michael Smith

Austin Chronicle
“One good thing about heartache, it makes one hell of a song.” With that, Sarah Gayle Meech masters one of the most important principles of country music. Her alcohol-fueled songwriting and down-home band make her a welcome Nashville import. On a short Austin tour, the honky-tonk angel hits the Continental Club twice, sitting in for collaborator Dale Watson on Monday. Meech also soundtracks Ginny’s Chicken **** Bingo on Sunday – an ample introduction to Austin. – Abby Johnston