Alison Krauss, Union Station - New Favorite
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Free Music Notes for New Favorite
Free Music Review: Stunning, sonically rich, a must have!!
Hit: 5 Stars
This disc was my first full introduction to Allison Krauss and I am hooked.I first saw Allison and band on both the PBS Bluegrass special w/Ricky Skaggs as well as Austin City Limits. While her peformances on both of those were good (good enough to get me to buy the disc) those performances did not both singer and band justice.
This album is on the border of bluegrass and neo-folk. The ballads that Allison sings (that's pretty much all "she" sings) are poinant and thoughtful. The first track "Let me touch you for a while" will absolutely make you wish you were the subject of the song, sitting in the bar, staring into your whiskey with heartbreak on your mind.
Dan Tyminski is the other singer on this disc and his tunes are all bluegrass. Allison occassionally will back him up with some nice harmonies but that is about the extent of their vocal interaction. "The Boy Who Couldn't Hoe Corn" has some marvelous dobro action on it -- slow and languid that builds up into a full bore blues-grass outing.
I am a big fan of songwriting and unfortunately the band only pens 3 or 4 of the tunes on the disc: the bluegrass ones. It appears that the producers of this project spent their money buying great songs for Allison to sing while leaving the band to pick their way through their own songs with some "interesting" forced rhymes and odd phrasing.
All this said, I really really like this disc. The depth of its overall sound (the mixing is great), Allison's stunning vocals, Dan's great bluegrass sound, nice intrumentation from Union Station make this a significant "package". I like this so much, I mailed a couple of copies to friends.
This may not be quintessential Allison Krauss and Union Station but it is a downright awesome CD none-the-less.
Free Music Review: "bluegrass shining beacon, is the remarkable...Alison"
Hit: 5 Stars
How can you keep getting better and better, well whatever the formula...Alison Krauss and Union Station have found it...the result is pure entertainment through good ole bluegrass. This 30 year old artist, who signed with the Rounder label when she was 14, is without a doubt, the shining beacon on the bluegrass scene...plus the Union Station gang ~ Barry Bales (acoustic bass), Ron Block (banjo/guitar), Jerry Douglas (dobro/lap steel guitar) and Dan Tyminski (guitar/mandolin) with lead and backup make for a "CHOCTAW HAYRIDE", just pickin' and a grinnin' with the Illinois State Fiddle Champion, Alison Krauss, won at a very early age...gotta love it!
Friends, as you play this CD over and over again, your favorite song changes or one more is added, can't say enough about the talent on this particular album, a must have...want to leave Rounder Records a tip, keep up the good work, need more of the same...when you say "O Brother Where Art Thou", it's here...now that I've found you, you're my NEW FAVORITE!
You might try other Rounder releases with Alison Krauss, all worthy of a good listen ~ "Forget About It" (116-610-465)..."So Long So Wrong" (116-610-365)..."Now That I've found You:A Collection" (116-610-325)..."Every Time You Say Goodbye" (116-610-285)...please check my reviews on amazon.com/music.
Total Time: 45:07 on 13 Tracks ~ Rounder Records 11661-0495-2 ~ (2001)
Free Music Review: Can't stop playing "New Favorite"
Hit: 5 Stars
This CD has been in my car's CD player for about 2 weeks straight. I bought it after hearing the single "Lucky One" on country music radio (where they don't play it nearly often enough. songs like "beer run" and "where I come from" could really stand to get a little less airtime, in my opinion). This is better than the kind of stuff on top 40 country stations. Its the real thing: bluegrass with great harmonies and talented musicians.Krauss's voice has this gorgeous richness like Karen Carpenter had (though Krauss's voice is a bit higher, and Krauss is much hipper). Its so soothing that it might take a few listens to the songs to hear that they'll break your heart (i.e. "let me touch you for a while", "the lucky one", "new favorite").
I'm glad there are some real ramblin' uptempo numbers on this album, too. It helps balance the whole LP and give it some edge. Of these, my favorites are "Momma Cried' and "Bright Sunny South"(Dan Tyminski on vocals in both cases) and "Take Me For Longing" (Krauss singing)
I've been searching for albums in country music for a year or two that really spoke to me, that I could listen to over and over, that had a musical and emotional range that I could really sink my teeth into. So far I've found Steve Earle, John Hiatt and now this that meet those lofty goals. This is an excellent album.
Free Music Review: The Best Just Got Better
Hit: 5 Stars
Alison Krauss & Union Station continues its remarkable run with the release of "New Favorite." As if Ms. Krauss, singer/guitarist Dan ("The Voice of George Clooney") Tyninski, banjo/guitar whiz Ron Block, and rock-solid bassist Barry Bailes did not already present a formidable team, AKUS adds resophonic guitar genius Jerry Douglas to the lineup as (at least for the time being) a full-time member. In addition to contributing a teriffic instumental ("Choctaw Hayride"), Douglas's presence gives the band a darker, blusier sound, which carries into Alison's less "grassy" efforts and makes the transition to those songs less jarring than on previous AKUS recordings. Alison delivery of the title song is as haunting a vocal as you'll ever hear, and Dan Tyninski continues to show himself to be one of the greatest current bluegrass singers - his duet with Douglas' dobro on "The Boy Who Wouldn't Hoe Corn" is soul-grabbing.
This CD reaffirms my faith in Alison's commitment to bluegrass - now my biggest fear is how she'll be able to keep this talented troup together. With his appeal broadening as Clooney's singing voice in "O Brother, Where Art Thou" (as well as winning several CMA awards), Dan Tyninski could be ready for stardom of his own.
But for now, it's good to have this incarnation of AKUS operating at full bore.
Free Music Review: New Favorite
Hit: 5 Stars
By no means am I a fan of country or bluegrass but this album really took me by surprised. I always thought of bluegrass as being tediously slow and dull but with the stunning pop vocals of the ever gentle Alison Krauss interwined with the banjo and fiddle playing of the mandolin and acoustic bassed Union Station, bluegrass has never sounded so rejuvinating. The instruments sound fresh yet ancient (as in timeless) with melodies that are sure to grip you until you're fast asleep. And even though my favorite songs happen to be the more somber pop tunes with Alison Krauss in them (such as New Favorite and Stars) I do enjoy the upbeat "Bright Sunny South" with Dan Tyminski on vocals. I actually saw Alison Krauss and Union Station at their California stop on the Down From The Mountain tour and, though I thought that most of the acts were boring, I did enjoy the minimal numbers they performed for us. What I really thought to be beautiful was how the theatre was set outside with the mountains and trees soaring above and around the audience, which seemed to fit the bluegrass experince perfectly with an esssence of nature. My favorite song, however, would have to be "Daylight". It's an uplifting song about not forgetting who you are and to always keep the kid in you alive.To me that is beautiful and true...
This is highly recommended.