Recent Articles

Recent Articles by Chris Parker

National Features >

  • Broward-Palm Beach New Times

    Sexual Healing

    For Florida's sole remaining sex surrogate, love is a many splintered thing.

    By Michael J. Mooney

  • City Pages

    Your Friendly Neighborhood War Profiteer

    It's not just giant companies cashing in on America's defense industry.

    By Jeff Severns Guntzel

  • The Pitch

    Supersizing Sonic

    How a throwaway idea at the Barkley ad agency became the "Sonic Guys."

    By Justin Kendall

  • Houston Press

    Temples of Tex-Mex

    A diner's guide to Texas's oldest Mexican restaurants.

    By Robb Walsh

Tift Merritt

Another Country (Lost Highway)

By Chris Parker

Published on March 12, 2008

What is it about introspective female singer-songwriters that's so appealing to the folks who are in charge of choosing music for Grey's Anatomy? Merritt's third album was inspired by months of playing solo piano gigs in Paris. And while Another Country doesn't exactly push aside Merritt's dusty Americana, she's now sharing Starbucks space with Ingrid Michaelson, Tristan Prettyman, and Regina Spektor. Merritt's supple, expressive voice separates her enough from this group, but the album's tone is inconsistent at best. But mostly it's downright muddled. The disc's highlight, "Broken," is a gently lilting pop tune about dislocation and confusion. Perfect for hunky TV docs to get all gooey over.