If you draw a blank at the name Matraca Berg, you probably know some of her songs. She wrote “Hey Cinderella” for Suzy Bogguss, “Wrong Side of Memphis” for Trisha Yearwood and “That Kind of Girl” for Patty Loveless.
But those country hits are just one side of Berg’s musical persona. If you catch Berg when she appears Thursday at Schubas, you’ll see a complete songwriter and a wonderfully emotive singer, whose songs on her new RCA Records album “The Speed of Grace” tilt more toward pop than country. It’s an album full of gems like “Guns in My Head” and “Slow Poison” that just call out for some exposure on radio.
Recorded in Los Angeles and coming several years after her more conventionally country debut album, “Lying to the Moon,” “Grace” follows several years of frustration for the Nashville native. What was to have been her second album was shelved by RCA Nashville head Joe Galante when country radio balked at the first single’s untraditional sound.
“RCA heard from radio how appalled they were at how far over the edge I’d gone,” said Berg. “And that was after we released the most country song on the album as the first single!”
At Galante’s suggestion, Berg was moved to RCA’s pop roster and asked to try again.
“I was pretty disillusioned at that point,” she said. “Making a record can be grueling work, and when you write most of your own songs like I do it can represent a couple of years worth of work. It wasn’t a very good feeling.”
Luckily, attempt No. 2 worked out a bit better, with the result being “The Speed of Grace,” which is getting airplay on adult alternative radio. Berg has been on some intensive promotional jaunts in recent weeks, visiting two or three cities a day to play live on radio and perform at press and retail “meet ‘n’ greets.” And while Berg’s songs are written from a very strong and confident personal perspective, she says she’s still adjusting to the “recording artist” mode.
“It’s taken me a couple of years to get used to the idea of being a recording artist and being out there in front of people,” she said. “It’s much easier to hide behind a song.”
Berg’s route to a recording artist deal was through her songwriting. She was only 18 when she co-wrote the T.G. Sheppard and Karen Brooks 1982 No. 1 duet “Faking Love” with Nashville songwriting legend Bobby Braddock. It was after she became an established songwriter to the stars that RCA’s Galante heard her singing on a demo she was pitching to Wynonna Judd.
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“He offered me a record deal and I told him, `I’ll think about it,’ ” Berg said. “He couldn’t believe I said that to him. It took a minute or two to realize what I’d done. After that he was determined to sign me. I guess if you want something too badly you don’t get it. For me it was just the opposite.”
At Schubas Berg will be backed by guitarist Tim Krekel and percussionist Tim Smith.
“It should be a cool, low-key, beatnik kind of thing,” she said.
Other concerts of note
Phish, Saturday at the UIC Pavilion: Phish’s new “Hoist” album may be an eye-opener for anyone who had previously dismissed them as just another neo-hippie jamming band. Sure, there are still some remaining Dead-isms in their music, but these days Phish has a more aggressive and varied sound, making full use of Trey Anastasio’s versatile lead vocals and potent guitar playing. Add to that the occasional musical curveball, such as the sci-fi country tune “Scent of a Mule,” and you have one tasty Phish fry.
Mike Henderson, Saturday at Schubas: If you like your country music with both a major twang factor and a keen sense of humor, Nashville studio guitarist turned solo artist Mike Henderson is your man. In addition to being one whale of a picker, Henderson is a fine singer and songwriter who both celebrates and tweaks the honky-tonk ethos on songs like “Hillbilly Jitters” and “Country Music Made Me Do It.” Not to be missed by those who bemoan the dearth of “real” country music today.
Mark Chesnutt, Saturday at the Rosemont Horizon: It’s pretty hard to find fault with Mark Chesnutt’s music, a potent blend of uptempo blue-collar country anthems like “It Sure Is Monday” and “Bubba Shot the Jukebox” and the occasional ballad that combine to underscore what a great vocalist he is. What Chesnutt isn’t, though, is a riveting live performer, and as he now begins to headline the big stages that might prove problematic. Opening is Charlie Floyd and Boy Howdy, the latter a promising L.A.-based group currently hitbound with the rousing single “They Don’t Make Them Like That Anymore.”
Jimmy Buffett and the Coral Reefer Band and the Iguanas, Saturday and Sunday at Poplar Creek: Buffett’s annual two-day encampment at Poplar is long-since sold out, as his Parrot Heads are pretty quick with their Visa Gold cards. Expect plenty of wild outfits and antics and boisterous singing-and that’s just the audience. Of special note are the Iguanas, who will be performing before Buffett on a separate second stage. The band records for Buffett’s Margaritaville Records and play an infectious blend of Gulf Coast R&B, roots rock and Latin music. You can also catch the New Orleans quintet later on Saturday at the Cubby Bear.
David Byrne, Tuesday at the Vic: David Byrne’s new self-titled album is probably his most accessible and direct post-Talking Heads album to date, as well as his most personal lyrically. Still, new songs like “Buck Naked” and “Angels” have enough quirks to satisfy fans of Byrne’s more out-of-the mainstream work. Backing Byrne at this sold-out show will be a stripped-down ensemble made up of vibist Mauro Refosco, bassist Paul Socolow and drummer Todd Turkisher.
Dionne Warwick and Burt Bacharach with the Ravinia Festival Orchestra, Tuesday at Ravinia: Dionne Warwick’s glorious vocals and Burt Bacharach and Hal David’s golden touch as songwriters helped define the sound of the ’60s with such pop masterpieces as “I Say a Little Prayer” and “Do You Know the Way to San Jose.” Both will perform solo sets backed by the Ravinia Festival Orchestra and then join together to reprise their hits together.
King Missile, Thursday at Metro: Who says there is no humor in so-called alternative rock? Witness King Missile, whose “Detachable Penis” was a college radio hit a couple of years ago. Band vocalist/lyricist John S. Hall is a definite oddball, and is also responsible for the band’s “Jesus Was Way Cool.” Opening are the Meices and Surgery.
Juster, Thursday at Crobar: Rapper Juvenile (John Saucedo) and guitarist/songwriter Dillinger (Jim Riggins) make up the South Side hip-hop duo Juster. On their new TVT Records EP, “I Remember That Night,” the two mix harrowing tales from the mean streets with thick slabs of slice ‘n’ dice metal guitar. Catch ’em live to see if their considerable attitude translates to the stage.