After capturing her lead vocals, piano and guitar for most of the album's songs in Newfoundland, Allison flew 6000 km. west to British Columbia's Vancouver Island last month for a trio of concerts (which were each very unique, and all a blast!), and to make some more music for the record.

The music for the album was completed just before this past, Labour Day, weekend! There's now artwork and the CD manufacturing steps ahead. The official release date is pegged as
October 9, 2006 (John Lennon's birthday, for one.)

It's a difficult collection of songs to preview, as, really, each song is individual, but, the album itself is an whole experience. (Which is not to say that you need sync it up to the start of "The Wizard of Oz" movie, and listen in that sort of context. It does, however, pose a real challenge in selecting any less than the entire 12 songs to play.) Still, it's been said, it's good to start at the beginning...

Here are links to the first two songs on the upcoming album ~ Effortless, + Skeletons and Spirits. With her much-increased travel schedule this year, Allison Crowe has been carrying with her a guitar on planes and trains and automobiles, and it's become, at times, a handier instrument for song-writing than her piano; this is reflected in the new album - as three of the songs of "This Little Bird" feature Allison playing guitar as her lead. Here's one of those songs, Now, followed by a live take of Alley performing I Never Loved a Man, a song that helped Aretha Franklin break out in 1967:

Effortless

Skeletons and Spirits

Now

I Never Loved A Man (The Way I Love You)

You can hear how, with Effortless and Skeletons and Spirits, formerly heard solo, the sound now includes bass, percussion and more. Allison's long-time band-mate, David Baird, of Nanaimo, B.C., plays the acoustic and electric bass on the album. Laurent Boucher, a tremendously skilled and sympathetic percussionist, based on Salt Spring Island, B.C.,
contributes beats and bells.

Here's the full track-listing for "This Little Bird":

      1 Effortless  (Allison Crowe ~ Sambuca Music) 4:42
      2 Skeletons and Spirits  (Allison Crowe ~ Sambuca Music)  3:19
      3 A Case of You  (Joni Mitchell ~ Joni Mitchell Publishing Corp.)  4:57
      4 Alive and Breathing  (Allison Crowe ~ Sambuca Music) 4:33
      5 There Is  (Allison Crowe ~ Sambuca Music) 3:27
      6 Now  (Allison Crowe ~ Sambuca Music) 4:55
      7 Silence  (Allison Crowe ~ Sambuca Music) 5:57
      8 Circular Reasoning  (Allison Crowe ~ Sambuca Music) 3:26
      9 Darling Be Home Soon  (John Sebastian ~ Beechwood Music Corporation)  5:20
      10 Phoenix  (Allison Crowe ~ Sambuca Music)  4:32
      11 I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)  (Ronnie Shannon ~
Fourteenth Hour Music Inc. Springtime Music Inc., Pronto Music Inc.)  3:52
      12 This Little Bird  (Allison Crowe ~ Sambuca Music)  3:39

Working with a recording set-up that is extremely simple by today's standards, Allison has created a true recording. Alley engineered and produced the album. She's
really busting out creatively. Enjoy ( :

 

 

 

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