Alison Krauss - "Windy City", Released February 17th, 2017 via Capitol Records - ALBUM REVIEW

Alison Krauss - "Windy City"
Released February 17th, 2017 via Capitol Records
Blue Grass or mainstream country ain’t really a style I have bought in when it comes to music but when Dani K, our chief editor, mentioned to me it was an album of covers I almost choked. Now... never say never and rise to the challenge I told myself.

A few things were going to make this easy I told myself. Alison Krauss is well known vocalist and has a great voice check, musicians and production crew are always associated with high quality check, I can pass the more country sound like tunes check 😊.

Now surprise surprise! It turns out, thanks to Alison, that I now like Willie Nelson, who would have bet on that one!!! Beautiful piano intro, soft and aerial guitar and a bit of accordion... and I am now ready to wear cow boy boots when I listen to I Never cared For You.

River in the Rain from Roger Miller, which admittedly I never heard of (I know I know :-) ), is my second best preferred title on this record and I have found myself going back to this ballad on a regular basis. I seriously think I am going to buy a cow boy hat over the next few days.

Gentle on My Mind Pop intro originally sang by Glen Campbell, a retired country star, is the prelude to a soft and nice musical road trip to Arkansas and I am now contemplating purchasing a wild horse for the urban cowboy that I am slowly becoming.

I am told that Brenda Lee was the first artist singing All Alone Am I. I don’t know if it was one of her signature tunes, but it is a poignant song about loss that Alison has clearly made hers and this in the most superb fashion that an artist can do I must say.

You Don’t Know Me from Eddy Arnold concludes this 10-track cover album Called "Windy City", not an album that I thought I would end up appreciating but you know what, cowboys have a soft and tender heart too. 😊

Overall: All right, all right, all right.
If I was to pick three only: I Never Cared For You, Gentle On My Mind, All Alone Am I
Live test: If my horse brings me there...

Album review by Pascal Derrien

Irish Songstress NAOISE ROO Covers Roy Orbison's "Crying" for Internat'l Women's Day

Dublin's Naoise Roo continues her effervescent streak with an a cappella version of Roy Orbison's sombre yet much loved hit "Crying". The track was recorded live in Dublin, Ireland last weekend by Gav Hennessy (The Co-Present) at a fundraising and awareness event hosted by Dublin Digital Radio to raise funds for Strike 4 Repeal. Roo's stunning vocals take this classic track to a new level of gripping intensity.

Set for release today, March 8, 2017, in honor of International Women's Day - a global event celebrating women's achievements in all aspects of society, culture, and politics to help promote gender equality, Naoise's spell-binding and hypnotic cover is mesmerizing in its stark retelling, injecting a fierceness and strength that recalls the intensity of both PJ Harvey and Siouxsie Sioux.

"'Crying' has been covered by so many artists, all touched by it's stark sense of loneliness and heartbreak," explains Naoise for the inspiration to cover the Orbison classic and release it on International Women's Day. "It's a song that means a lot to me and considering the various negative circumstances for women in Ireland and all over the world right now, I just felt compelled to sing it. It's an emotional outlet, which speaks for itself."


Naoise Roo has been making waves on the international music scene since the release of her debut album Lilith. Released last December, her third single "Whore" spawned a somewhat controversial yet tasteful video directed by acclaimed film maker Bob Gallagher (Girl Band) that provocatively twists the original seething feminine sensuality into heightened religious fervor. On her album Lilith, Naoise delivers a highly accomplished and enthralling insight into the emotional and musical range of the emerging songwriter. She deals with themes of heartbreak, desire, and female identity and stylistically ranges from powerfully emotional indie rock to delicate ambient electronic, visceral hard grunge to wryly flirtatious melodies - while still remaining strikingly unique.

Lilith was voted #1 Irish Album of the Year by both Unsigned and Independent and Remy's Music and Film Blog. It was produced by Elder Roche (Myles Manley) and Liam Mulvaney (Girl Band) and released on Little L Records.