Adrienne Young & Little Sadie - The Art of Virtue
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Free Music Notes for The Art of Virtue
Free Music Review: Socially literate bluegrass-country-folk
Hit: 4 Stars
Young may be the only songwriter working who's heavily influenced by the writings of Benjamin Franklin. Her 2004 release "Plow to the End of the Row" began an exploration of Franklin's works, discovering a link between her own family's farming history and the founding father's viewpoints. More fully, she found the philosophy that grew out of Franklin's agrarian society to be an element missing from her modern day life. In addition to her music, Young actively promotes local food production, echoing the modern ideals of restaurateur Alice Waters.
This follow-up CD digs further into Franklin's world, going so far as to include a miniature version of his "The Thirteen Virtues" as part of the deluxe packaging. The virtue of locality - both physical and spiritual - remains a central theme of her work, with considerations of personal action that translates into more global value, and self-realizations that can make one a better person.
For all the New Age-y press that surrounds Young, her music is surprisingly accessible, both musically and lyrically. Her band plays bluegrass-inflected string-band country-folk, with gospel and zydeco turns. On the surface her songs cover familiar territory of home, family, love, loss, fidelity and so on, but her themes are tied together by the larger concern of how one lives a good life in modern times. The result is a multilayered project that can be heard as a collection of songs, or as the elucidation of a coherent philosophical stand. [©2005 hyperbolium dot com]
Free Music Review: Profound, Beautiful, Joyful
Hit: 5 Stars
Yes, in answer to the frightened repsonse that called Adrienne "a New Age flake," Adrienne is for real. And I'm so glad she is! She's destined for great things. Not in my lifetime of 52 years have a witnessed such a heartful, pure and profoundly talented musician take hold with the masses. Thank God she believes in what she does and puts it in her music. It gives one great hope.
One of the things I like about this CD is that it's NOT a superficial rant. It's got all the stuff of good drama -- murders and love affairs....pre-martial sex and fidelity....war and peace. Philosophically, she's akin to Emerson and Thoreau, more so than any modern day gurus and sages.
This record is a thrill and it feels very healthy at the same time. What an accomplishment.
Free Music Review: Bonafide Bluegrass
Hit: 5 Stars
Once again, Adrienne Young brings her youthful spirit to some old music , in addition to new music she wrote that just sounds old. Her first cd included a pack of seeds; this one has a small copy of Benjamin Franklin's Thirteen Virtues. Adrienne Young creates genuine bluegrass; she even wrote a ballad about a true crime told to her by her banjo playing ex- police chief grandpa. If you are a fan of true, virtuous bluegrass, you'll love this music.Free Music Review: SUPERB MUSIC
Hit: 5 Stars
Rich sound, great arrangements, wonderful lyrics -- I can and have been listening to "The Art of Virtue" over and overagain (added to my ipod to listen to on airplanes) along with Adrienne Young's first album(s) -- I have the original cd of "Plow to the End of the Row" that I bought after seeing her live in Nashville during Americana Music Festival, and also the reissue by Adrienne Young and Little Sadie. I can't wait for the next album!Free Music Review: The Sweetest Gift
Hit: 5 Stars
The Amazon reviewer above is right on the money about Adrienne's wonderful new project, THE ART OF VIRTUE. Her two recordings have truly been "projects"-in the best sense of the most creative performance artists. Everything about the cd packaging speaks of Adrienne's care, compassion, diverse interests and artistic sensibility. The album case quotes Tagore and Ghandi, includes old-time drawings, a request to do justice to farmers and a brochure on Benjamin Franklin's "Thirteen Virtues." This beautiful cd "gift wrapping" has even more - a album sticker for decoration and a "ticket" for a free download of an additional performance ("Greensleeves"). None of these physical attributes would matter if the album they adorned weren't so successful.
Loosely organized around Franklin's take on how to cultivate virtues, THE ART OF VIRTUE exemplifies Young's seamless blend of the traditional and the modern. Her 21st century perspective on "old time" concerns (the farm, the land, families, the connections between generations, stories from the past, bringing out the best in people, etc.) makes for a very fetching combination-beautifully clear in her songwriting, her vocal delivery, and her arrangements of the acoustic instruments surrounding her.
The players with Adrienne are sensational and always in sync-Adrienne's and Will Kimbrough's banjos, several terrific fiddle players (Eric Merrill, Meagan Gregory, and Clayton Campbell), and superb work on guitar, pedal steel and dobro/resonator (Kimbrough, Tim Stafford, Tyler Grant, Fats Kaplan, Flynn Cohen, Chris Eldridge, Andy Hall and Adrienne). It's like an acoustic instrument party-several cuts have that spontaneous "jamming" feel.
The singing, too, is first-rate. Although not having a hugely distinctive voice, Adrienne's moving vocals speak sweetly-as the whole project does-of compassion, tenderness, respect and fun. Will Kimbrough's vocal harmonies are perfect (as in the great duet, "It's All the Same"). Several voices combine to great effect on "Farther Along/Billy in the Low Ground" and "Don't Get Weary Children."
There is so much here to savor. Everyone will have their favorites among the new songs Adrienne has written, the traditional songs she's made new, and a couple of well-chosen covers. I felt the goose bumps rising with "Hills and Hollers," "Jump the Broom," The Grateful Dead's "Brokedown Palace" and especially "My Love Will Keep." Thanks, Adrienne for this musical gift.
I LOVE YOU IN THE WINTER WHEN THE ROOTS GROW DEEP
LOVE YOU IN THE SPRING WHEN THE LEAVES TURN GREEN
I LOVE YOU IN THE SUMMER WHEN THE TREES GROW TALL
I LOVE YOU IN THE FALL OF THE YEAR WHEN THE LEAVES TURN BROWN
WHEN THEY COVER THE GROUND
DOWN WHERE THE ROOTS GROW DEEP
MY LOVE WILL KEEP