reviews COUNTRY AMERICANA
The Duhks Doc Watson Cadillac Sky
Fast Paced World Americana Master Gravity’s Our Enemy
Sugar Hill
Series: Best Of The
Skaggs Family Records
SHCD4042
Sugar Hill Years
SKFR2109
ES
Sugar Hill
SHCD4044
ES
Since their last album, the Duhks have lost KS Cadillac Sky have realised a bluegrass band for
two of their original members, and for many the 21st century and while the basis of their
bands that would spell the beginning of the
You’ll be dazzled by Doc Watson’s talent on
music remains firmly traditional, the lyrics and
end. However, siblings Sarah and Christian
this wonderful CD. Every single track stands
arrangements are thoroughly modern.
Dugas have filled the vacancies seamlessly.
testament to his genius at bluegrass picking and
Sarah’s superb voice takes the lead– imagine
Their songs necessarily eschew the troubles
supreme musical arrangements. Whether he’s
Amy Winehouse meets KT Tunstall. Although
of rural/mountain life and focus modern and
performing a dazzling solo, is part of a band or
true to their country and folk roots, they are
universal themes – relationship break ups,
is partnering such luminaries as mandolinist
never afraid to transcend the restrictions of
drinking your troubles away and high school
Marty Stuart or his son Merle, he plays with such
music genres, as they mix and match their
bullying. That is not to say that this is an album
a virtuosic touch and presence, he makes other
foundations with blues, jazz, French, Irish and
full of doom and gloom, there are brighter
country pickers want to throw their guitars away.
rock influences.
songs, particularly Carousel, a gentle ballad
It’s mesmerizing stuff. Listen to the intricacies
celbrating the ride of life to the full.
The album gets underway with the traditional
involved in the 12 string playing on My Little
song Mighty Storm which instantly showcases
The impact track simply has to be Bible by the
Woman, You’re So Sweet or the interplay
the strength of Sarah’s soulful voice, but
Bed, the tale of an abusive husband and his
between Marty Stewart’s mandolin and Doc’s
most tracks are band originals, including the
wife’s attempts to forgive him – ‘She keeps a
vivid guitar work on the Bill Monroe tribute
melancholy This Fall and nicely contemporary
gun under her pillow and a Bible by the bed.’
Watson’s Blues. And what about that classy
Toujours Vouloir, sung beautifully and entirely
banjo picking on Dock Boggs’s Country Blues? Two instrumentals give the band the chance
in French.
to shine musically, and the vocals maintain
Doc Watson is without equal. Do yourself a
Also exceptionally talented musicians they
the traditional tight harmonies and glorious
favour - get this CD, marvel at the beauty of
romp through instrumental pieces, Ship in High
mountain cry that you would expect of any fine
his music and then pick up the rest of his
Transit, Adam’s 3-Step and New Rigged Ship.
bluegrass band.
recordings on Sugar Hill.
Overall this is the Duhks’ strongest album yet “Taking newgrass to a new level”
and the new line-up seems to be fit like a glove.
“Always a joy”
Maverick
Maverick
www.duhks.com
The John Henrys
Annabelle
Donna The
Chvostek
Buffalo
Sweet As The Grain
Resilience
Silverlined
9LB Records
Borealis
270088
BCD193
Sugar Hill
SHCD4047 CP
DK
JHS
The band name and organic-sounding title
Toronto-born Annabelle, who for a time was
track would seem to promise to sing us back
a member of the wonderful Wailin’ Jennys,
Hailing from Trumansburg, New York and
home, to a simpler, more rural way of life,
now resumes her solo career with Resilience,
celebrating twenty years together this latest
delivered in spades here. Mainstream Country’s
which shows her to be an impressive (if mildly
release from Donna The Buffalo contains an
traditional conservative image portrayed as
idiosyncratic) songwriter and performer in her
intoxicating mix of styles, from the reggae
much, whilst appealing to a honky-tonking male
own right: a brilliantly agile vocalist and multi-
flavoured opener Temporary Misery to the pure
demographic in love with truck-stop girls.
skilled musician.
country rock of Broken Record, with tabla and a
seemingly unaccredited brass section adding to
That audience base is still there but this
The aptly-named Resilience portrays a tough,
the exoticism.
Canadian 5-piece, formed in 2003, roll down
independent talent, capable of reflecting
the Gram Parsons-pioneered route of Cosmic
poignantly, often through the metaphor of
Guests on the album include David Hidalgo (Los
American music to also embrace R&B and
relationships, on how humankind survives and
Lobos), Amy Helm (Ollabelle) and Bela Fleck.
rootsy Folk influences for its 2nd album.
deals with its own foibles. This can result in
All 13 tracks were written by band members Jeb
Melding the low-key, and delicate Lost In
some determinedly crazy music (like the quirky
Puryear and Tara Nevins who also handle vocal
The Canyon with the rockier, bluesy material
junk-country of I Left My Brain), but for the most
duties as well as playing a mixture of guitar,
Thought Yourself Lucky the band coheres
part Annabelle overlays basic acoustic textures
pedal steel, fiddle, accordion and scrubboard.
around Rey Sabatin’s vocals.
with more subtle ornamentation, displaying
Jeb and Tara both have a wonderful vocal
delivery, Jeb having that much loved whiskey
Featuring band compositions entirely, a varied
influences from her earlier musical activities
soaked style shown perfectly on tracks such as
instrumental palette including mandolin, banjo,
(including electro-acoustic composition and,
The Call. Tara on the other hand has that crystal
with rock backline conjures an image of pickup
on The Sioux, old-time); guests include Bruce
clear country vocal that when combined on
truck rather than pink Cadillac and blue collar,
Molsky, Bruce Cockburn and Mary Gauthier.
the reggae influenced tracks make for a highly
blue jeans and wide blue hoizons. No bumpy
With its warm and enveloping sound and
original and thoroughly engaging listening
ride though, just an immensely enjoyable road-
clever variations of ambience, this fascinating
experience.
trip.
album really does live up to Annabelle’s own
www.donnathebuffalo.com
www.thejohnhenrys.com
description of “a big complicated hug”.
www.annabelle.org
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