Shawn Mullins - 9th Ward Pickin' Parlor
|
List Price: Our Price: $14.99 You Save: $2.99 (17%) Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Buy Used: from $4.00 (click here) Category: Music CD See more new music releases 
|
|---|
Buy this Music CD at online store in your country
Canadian Music Store
Canadian Music Store
Free Music Notes for 9th Ward Pickin' Parlor
Free Music Review: Best Mullins Ever
Hit: 5 Stars
I have been a fan of Shawn's since Soul's Core came out and that is the only CD of his that can compete with this one. It is so soul-full (as most of his stuff is) and rich. Every song sounds like a different person (a testimony to the range he has achieved with his spectacular voice). He seems to "explore" that more with this CD. It is a must have in my opinion!Free Music Review: Can't stop listening..........
Hit: 4 Stars
I bought this CD several days ago and have not yet stopped listening to it. I absolutely love the first 3 songs with "Cold Black Heart" being my absolute favorite on this CD. It has such a great upbeat tempo and the lyrics are classic for a ballad- to me, reminiscent of some of Richard Thompson's celtic influenced ballads. I am a die hard Shawn Mullins fan- have been for many years and really love the fact that he has such a wide range of styles. If you like Soul's Core, you'll like this CD as well.Free Music Review: Driving Further From the Heartache
Hit: 3 Stars
Many people will remember Shawn Mullins for being the only person who name dropped Bob Seger in a Lullaby. Or maybe you just remember the video for that song that featured an under aged Dominique Swain in a bikini. Either way, the gravely voiced singer seemed to slip back into obscurity just as fast as he escaped from it. But even though he has fallen of most people's radars, Mullins still continues to release music including the new album, 9th Ward Pickin' Parlor.
The album as a whole sounds as if it could have been recorded long before the advent of the CD, or cassettes and 8-trackd for that matter. Except for Beautiful wreck that sound like something that should have been included on Bo Bice's album, and that's not a good thing. The opener, Blue as You envisions sitting on a porch in a rocker with your guitar while watching the sunset. Lay Down Your Swords, Boy sound like a missing track from the Brother Where Art Thou? Soundtrack.
Sometime the old time music doesn't work out too well as in Cold Black Heart where Mullins utilizes a fiddle but still isn't able to pull off the country song. Find Love sounds like a poor attempt at a Hawaiian folk song and hearing a folk song about going to Alaska while playing the banjo just seems wrong on Talkin' Goin' to Alaska Blues. All Fall Down sounds as if Mullins was re-imagining Jeff Buckley as a bluesman. The album ends with an actual old song, a remake of the Animals House of the Rising Sun an obvious chose when the song is about a place in New Orleans and this album's title alludes to the area. Only the great thing about the original is the driving organ which is virtually gone from the new version and replaced by some soft acoustic strumming. The song, much like the album is a good idea that just doesn't hit all the right notes.
Free Music Review: Fantastic Album-
Hit: 5 Stars
I have never written a review before, but I saw that this one wasn't 5-stars and I just couldn't let it slide. This cd has all the acoustic sense of Big Blue Sky and the mature production sensibility of the last two albums. I was worried when Soul's Core first came out that Shawn's music would loose it's raw power in the more polished production. Boy was I wrong; he just keeps getting better and better. This album is more acoustic than the last two, but to say it has no emotional depth is crazy. There is not a "B" song on the whole thing. He achieves more depth of charater and varied textures with his voice than 99% of the acts out there get with their whole bands.
On top of that, I was lucky enough to meet him at Eddie's Attic a few months ago and there is not a more gracious, more down to earth artist anywhere.
Free Music Review: One of my new all-time favorites
Hit: 5 Stars
I love this CD! I can't believe that I almost didn't buy it because of some of the reviews here. I guess it's not for everyone. People have their own tastes. However, if you love the range of Mullins' voice and acoustic guitar, I think you'll really like this album. I especially like Alaska and Faith. It feels like an eclectic mix of stuff with some Celtic and maybe a bit of gospel influence. I think its variety is one of its strengths, contrary to what some others have said. Sample it and then buy it if you like good acoustic and music with heart and soul.