Emily Wolfe

Director's Notes

Independent

I don’t do as many reviews as I did at one time, mainly because I have decided to only review albums that impress me or move me in some way so that I’m motivated to do a review on it in the first place. With that in mind, here is a review on the latest release from Emily Wolfe.

Artists that enter into the world of writing and recording their songs in today’s atmosphere are faced with a daunting challenge. What can you do or say that hasn’t already been done or said in a way that separates you from the crowd and draws people to your material? While it is a major challenge, it can still be done and has been done on this album. “Director’s Notes” is filled with numerous gems that get your attention and hold it through the entire album.

Shawn Nelson

San Juan Street

Fonky Tonk Records 

After  listening to Shawn Nelson’s new album  San Juan Street, I realized that I felt the same way I have in the past when I was standing at the edge of a vast open space in New Mexico just before sunset when all you could hear was the sound of the wind blowing across the sand and you could feel an almost overwhelming sense of loneliness mixed with a huge feeling of appreciation that I got to see the stark beauty of it.

A prolific writer, Nelson manages to keep the message of his songs always out front, never buried by over production and random instrumentation. Great songs are usually deceptive, sounding very simple while at the same time resonating a complex measure of human emotion that’s always in the center with a great production that balances the song perfectly.

Meagan Tubb and Shady People

Cast Your Shadow

Independent

Meagan Tubb is what you would call a “trifecta”. First, the statuesque brunette with eyes the color of polar ice could very easily step into the lead role on the next vampire trilogy. She has that mysterious; “looking through your soul” thing going that Hollywood would kill for. Second, is the voice. Reminiscent of something you would hear wafting through the magnolia laden breezes of New Orleans on Bourbon Street in the late 40’s, it is rock solid blues one minute and velvet soft ballad the next. Very unpredictable.

Third, is the guitar work she does. It’s not very often that you see a female artist pick up a Les Paul guitar and start ripping off slide runs and riffs that make your eyes water. She blends every note she plays with the roller coaster ability she has with her vocals to perfection, never over playing or trying to jam too much into the song, always complimentary to what she’s singing. All this together is featured on her new album “Cast Your Shadow”, a fine piece of work.

Pale Imperfect Diamond
Cedar Hill Refugees
Effigy Records

After listening to Pale Imperfect Diamond for the fifth time, I think I finally heard everything there was to hear, though I couldn't swear to it. This is an amazing cd, much like an epic novel, broad, expansive, mysterious, bizarre, and magnificent. The project was undertaken by John Carter Cash and Jack Clift as part of an experiment to marry two very different musical styles, that of American folk ballads and the eastern music of Uzbekistan resulting in one of the most intriguing albums ever released. Besides the two superstar producers, there is a virtual list of who's who involved in the production of this album and to name them all would take more room than I am allowed but some of the musicians and singers include Marty Stuart, Dr. Ralph Stanley, John Cowan, Randy Scruggs, The Peasall Sisters, Ron McCoury and Laura Cash, just to name a few and that's just a sampling of the total from both sides of the world and the total of this group is called the Cedar Hill Refugees. There are some fantastic musicians on this session from the country of Uzbekistan that absolutely rip this thing up. Jaw dropping transitions from the traditional to the not so traditional are what make this project so great.

Out of the thirteen tracks, seven are roots standards dating back to the twentieth century and beyond, the other six are originals written specifically for the project including the title track penned by Jack Clift, Jack Propps and John Carter Cash.  One example is the standard 'Wildwood Flower', beautifully sung by the Peasall Sisters and with the finest of arrangements that gracefully and flawlessly morphs into an Eastern jam that lasts over four minutes, then, as if it were a dream sequence, gradually eases back to the original format and the Sisters close it out with their ethereal harmonies, a work of art in and of itself. Cash and Clift have not only managed to globalize this project and make it one of the most interesting releases to come out in quite some time, they have also raised the bar on production values and techniques to an all time high.

I'll be completely shocked if this album doesn't garner numerous Grammy nominations and others as well, a project like this just cannot be ignored. For more information and to listen to samples of the album, go to www.myspace.com/cedarhillrefugees and prepare to do some musical 'traveling'.

Greg Roberts
austinmusiccity.com