Dolly Parton: Better Day – review

Forty-four years as a recording artist have not diminished Parton's sass. From her folksy, half-spoken welcome on the bluesy "Better Day" ("You gotta keep the faith, 'cause I believe there's a better day") to the jaunty, if moralising, hoedown of "In the Meantime", studio album number 41 is turbo-powered by her trademark can-do spirit and feelgood key changes. The indomitable optimism can get a bit much – on "Together You and I" she actually exhorts the listener to "paint a pretty rainbow brushed with love across the sky". But because it's Dolly, she just about gets away with it.