SECRETS REVIEWS
April 8, 2007
Review
in The Green Man
Review
By Kelly
Sedinger, April, 2007
For a link
to the Green Man Review site, click HERE
Allison Crowe, Secrets
(Rubenesque Records, 2004)
This is, apparently, the debut CD of Canadian
singer-songwriter Allison Crowe, whose
holiday-themed album Tidings impressed me a
few years back (after a bit of work on my
part). This album demonstrates roughly the same
approach to music-making that ultimately impressed
me before, with Crowe using her alto vocals to
hone in on the important parts of a lyric, while
her own tasteful and elegant piano playing backs
her up with a minimum of other instruments. The
best thing about "indie" music is that
at its best, it represents a clean and unfiltered
view of music performance in which the ideal is to
make you feel as though the performer in question
is sitting in the room with you, with no giant
bank of sophisticated electronica between you and
them, filtering the sound into something that,
while often impressive, is still part-industrial.
Of course, one has to look through a lot of
indie music to find a gem like this, but Allison
Crowe's Secrets is indeed just that: a gem.
(And remember, it's a debut album. From this
point, she had nowhere to go but up.)
One of the first things one sees on Crowe's
official Web
site is a quote she apparently likes to
give in interviews: "Why music? Why breathing?"
That response indicates a driving passion for her
music, and this passion is easily heard in her
work. What impresses me so much, on repeated
listening to Crowe's work, is the way she manages
to deliver the right emphasis to precisely the
part of a phrase or an entire song that needs it
most. She's not content to exist in a boring
musical world of "First
verse-to-chorus-to-second-verse-to-chorus-to-bridge-to-chorus
again." Each of the songs on this album --
nine of which, out of eleven, are her own
compositions -- stands alone as its own complete
artistic statement. That's an impressive
accomplishment for an artist making her debut
album. Heck, it's even impressive that she only
includes two covers here, especially
considering how well done those covers are. (They
are "Raining in Baltimore," originally
by Counting Crows, and "Joan of Arc," by
the great Leonard Cohen.)
The only real negative with this CD as a
package is, frankly, the booklet, which contains
just a list of performers, a few acknowledgments,
and that's about it. I would have liked to see
printed lyrics here, especially since Crowe writes
her own. Alas.
It took me a while to warm up to Allison
Crowe's voice the first time I heard it, but I'm
glad I spent the time. She is a considerable
talent.
Reprinted with permission from Green
Man Review.
Copyright by Green Man Review.
Secrets: CD Review
Sophia Gurley, The
Ectophiles' Guide to Good Music (USA)
August 2006
Ecto priority:
Highly recommended
One of my top indie discs of 2004. (
amy@ecalos.com)
A strong collection of powerfully performed songs, focusing on
Allison Crowe's vocals, with their upfront emotional expression.
Convincing, gutsy, artful. Highly recommended for ectophiles. (sophiagurley@hotmail.com)
Album
Review: Secrets
Colin Meeks, Indielaunchpad.com
(USA)
Friday, January 20 2006
If a voice could be a precious metal, then
Vancouver Island, BC native, Allison Crowe's would be 24 caret gold,
no doubt about it. There's a haunting purity that almost hypnotises
with its beauty. Even as I write this, I'm listening to the album,
trying to fight the desire to put down the pen, close my eyes and be
taken away to the heavens. Am I waxing lyrical? Yes I am, but for
good reason.
When an artist has such an amazing voice, it's easy to forget the
accompaniment, but credit where credit's due, for this too is
exceptional.
Any album that features a track from Leonard Cohen is certainly
heading in the right direction. But when it is covered so
beautifully, it makes you realise what an amazing lyricist Leonard
Cohen is. Joan of Arc is the Cohen song covered on this album and
it's certainly in my top 10 of Cohen covers. It's also my favorite
track on the album along with the Beatles classic, In My Life (on
Crowe's Tidings).
Conclusion : I'm hoping to
hear a lot more of Allison in the coming year. A truly excellent
album, that again can be downloaded for free, but please remember to
do the right thing and support this fantastic artist by purchasing
either a CD or downloaded version.
CD
Special: Secrets Review
Alan Cackett, Maverick
(UK)
September 2005
23 year-old Allison Crowe is another
Canadian, a multi-talented
singer-songwriter who shows on her first full length album, Secrets,
that she is a force to be reckoned with. Leaning more towards the
jazzier side of roots music, she accompanies herself on piano and
guitar
and is assisted by Del Crowe (guitar), Jo Lundstrom (accordion) and
Eric
Reiswig (uillean pipes). A professional since she was fifteen,
Allison
is a road-hardened musician and her lyrics and music belie her
years.
She moves effortlessly from the piano-driven Immersed to the
more
organic Sea of A Million Faces. A deep, highly listenable
collection.
Arts
& Culture: Music
Cindy Filipenko, Herizons
(Canada)
Winter 2005
Secrets,
the debut CD of 23-year-old singer-songwriter Allison Crowe,
showcases a performer who could, with the right management, unseat
Sarah McLachlan as the West Coast's premier siren. A fixture on the
Vancouver Island coffee house circuit since the age of 15, Crowe has
developed a style that sets her apart from her contemporaries.
Composed
on the piano, Crowe's songs are built on solid melodic foundation.
Her pop-perfect voice has a surprising amount of power that
complements her impassioned playing. With a voice that pulls
you into her emotional states, Crowe is reminiscent of Tori Amos -
but without the fragility.
The
lone cover song she includes on the CD is from one of her icons,
Leonard Cohen. She tackles his "Joan of Arc" and manages
to make it her own - not an easy task, considering the amazing
version Jennifer Warnes added to the canon with Famous Blue
Raincoat. That, at 23, Crowe should have the maturity to make her
interpretation of this complex song sound sincere and authentic is
truly impressive.
The
only complaint I have with Secrets is the minimal liner notes
that accompany the disc. I suspect there's probably more to the
music than to the lyrics, but hey - that's worked well for McLachlan.
Secrets:
CD Review
Teri McIntyre, Empowerment4Women
(USA)
November/December 2004
"Why
breathing?" comes the answer from Allison Crowe when
asked about her career, "Why music?" A pretty elementary
answer but it is well in step with the impassioned piano rock she
casts out on her latest release Secrets. Everything spills
forth in Crowe's music; she holds nothing back lyrically and lets
her intense voice carry that emotion to the heights and depths of
whatever environment in which it is unleashed.
The
album kicks off with the bluesy piano ballad "How Long,"
which traipses through the complexities of waiting for something,
anything to happen. "Whether I'm Wrong" is another
blues-edged song that is subtly political in tone. Crowe wrote the
song in New York about all the people she was seeing who don't
support the war in Iraq but felt they had no voice in the matter.
She decided to give them a voice, and does so starkly and with great
conviction.
Sedate
is the best word to describe "Philosophy" as it falls
around you with stirring introspection and wistfulness.
"Montreal" is all about love—falling in love, being in
love . . . It is most romantic and ladened with heartfelt emotion. A
favorite track is Crowe's stirring cover of Leonard Cohen's
"Joan of Arc." The arrangement is masterful, as Crowe gets
right into the lyrics and flips them out to give a vivid and highly
charged perspective that is missing underneath Cohen's own deadpan
delivery.
Crowe
also covers Counting Crow's hauntingly gorgeous "Raining in
Baltimore." I was trepidatious about listening to the track as
it is my third favorite CC song (yes, I have ranked all of their
songs). Unlike the woefulness that punctuates Adam Duritz's vocals
on the original, Crowe manages to elicit a great deal of hopefulness
from the melancholic lyrics that is unique and enjoyable (even to a
fanatic like me). A large reason why I enjoy this cover is that I
hear a little of Adam Duritz in the way she attacks and recedes from
the song in terms of tone and style.
Crowe's
vocal sound is really unlike any other artist I have ever heard. At
times, I hear the Duritz influence (check out "Shine A
Light" from Tidings
as an excellent example); other times, I hear Cher's deep throat
rolls or Tori Amos's breathy evocations. There is just such a
mixture of ranges and styles that it is almost impossible to
pinpoint the stunning power and strength of Crowe's voice when she
lays it on top of her stellar piano playing.
Secrets
is comprised of many different genres—from pop to folk to rock to
blues to jazz—without a misstep among the tracks. She even throws
in a hidden Celtic track for good measure. What is most appealing
about Crowe though is her confidence and comfortability with her
music. For someone so young to just grab onto the music and ride it
out wherever it may lead is remarkable and admirable.
Secrets:
CD Review
David McPherson, exclaim! (Canada)
October5, 2004
A confident,
powerful voice, infused with passion, propels the 11 tracks on this
debut. Allison Crowe crows with limitless range that surprises one
with its breadth from one song to the next. "Raining in
Baltimore" is a spirited, yet subdued, reworking of the
Counting Crows' piano ballad, while she also tackles Leonard Cohen's
"Joan of Arc" with haunting beauty. The ivories and
Crowe's powerful voice are the driving forces behind the music here,
with backing instruments taking a back seat. On "What About
You," the Uilleann pipes add another layer of sound, but still
it's only a whisper when paired with Crowe's spellbinding piano
prowess. With the soul of Janis Joplin and the tenderness of fellow
Canuck Sarah McLachlan, Crowe rocks with her own unique brand of
roots charm.
Secrets:
CD Review
Joseph Blake, The Times Colonist (Canada)
Sunday, September 26, 2004
Secrets
(Festival) is young Allison Crowe's debut CD, and it backs up the
hype that a series of local performances have produced. Whether
remaking the Counting Crows' Raining in Baltimore and Leonard
Cohen's Joan of Arc or unleashing her surprisingly mature original
songs, Secrets is a showcase for Crowe's big, emotive vocals.
Backing herself on piano with minimalist studio support including
Del Crowe's guitar, Jo Lundstrom's accordion, and Eric Reiswig's
uilleann pipes, Crowe offers a tremelo-spiced series of evocative
modern rock. There are echoes of Sarah McLachlan's vocal
pyrotechnics, but Crowe is forging her own darker, more soulful
style of pop singing that adds blues and jazz elements to the mix. A
great debut CD.
The
Kitchener-Waterloo Record (Canada)
Arts, Saturday,
September 4, 2004
ROOTS
MUSIC
ROBERT
REID
RECORD STAFF
ALLISON
CROWE
Secrets
(Rubenesque Records/Festival)
Canada
has no shortage of young female singer/songwriters who can belt out
a song.
Add
to the list Allison Crowe on the strength of her impressive solo CD
debut Secrets.
Crowe's
gifts as a songwriter, pianist and powerhouse vocalist will not be
secrets much longer -- word is spreading fast.
When
a new artist emerges, the tendency is to compare her to established
artists as a context for listeners. Crowe has already attracted a
long list of comparisons -- Tori Amos, Chantal Kreviazuk, Alanis
Morissette all seem to me to be valid, with the proviso that Crowe
is very much her own artist.
With
voice and piano in the foreground, Crowe performs with a soulful
poignancy, spanning pop, folk, blues and jazz. All but two of the
album's 11 tracks are original with the exception of Raining in
Baltimore and Leonard Cohen's Joan of Arc, both of which receive
inspired versions here.
Allison
Crowe has taken flight.
Allison
Crowe: Secrets
Tom Harrison, The Province (Canada)
Tuesday, August 17 2004
Ultrasound:
POP
Allison Crowe, Secrets (Independent)
The slight accompaniment highlights Crowe's voice -- and what a
great
voice it is. Secrets is overwhelmingly the sound of someone throwing
her
head back and singing. It's hard not to be moved by such emotion or
to
be impressed by someone deriving such joy. Crowe approaches Secrets
with
an earnestness of someone who is finding her identity through music.
These songs speak to her, tell her who she is, as much as they speak
to
her audience. "Midnight" might be as produced as Secrets
gets but its
lightness (some guitar, background vocals and "thumps")
suggest a way to
go in the future.
Allison
Crowe: Secrets
Sarah Towle, The Martlet, Volume 57, Issue 4 (Canada)
Thursday, August 18 2004
Crowe's
raw talent shines through
Offering an eclectic mix of blues, jazz, folk, and classical, indie
artist Allison Crowe transcends many different musical genres on her
latest CD, Secrets.
A native of Nanaimo, the 22-year-old singer, songwriter and pianist
has been featured by Jewel and shared the stage with Canada's jazz
icon Diana Krall. Crowe mixes the mellow and traditional jazz
styling of Norah Jones with the pop sounds of Sarah McLachlan. With
the addition of her own powerhouse vocals she creates a truly unique
sound.
Secrets
begins with "How Long," a rhythmic and soulful song
demonstrating her powerful vocal range, as well as her strength as a
songwriter. Next up, she covers the Counting Crows' "Raining in
Baltimore," adding a much softer and more subdued sound than on
Adam Duritz's raspy version. As well, Crowe re-arranges Leonard
Cohen's "Joan of Arc," which presents a dreary account of
the French heroine's death. She brightens up his drab and monotone
version with melodic vocals and a background accordion, making the
song her own.
However,
Crowe's real flair and dexterity as a musician shine through on the
final track, "Whether I'm Wrong." With every note sung
perfectly in tune and without one instrumental flaw, it is hard to
believe this song was recorded live at the New VI's TV special
"Inside Pandora's Box." Armed with her strong, bluesy
voice and her piano, Crowe delivers a stellar performance.
Despite
Crowe's obvious strong talent, the CD itself screams of low budget
production with weak back-up vocals and muffled instrumental sounds.
However, Crowe's raw talent on Secrets shows much promise and will
only flourish when she is signed to a major record company.
Allison
Crowe: Secrets
Jennifer Patton, Delusions of Adequacy (USA)
June 23, 2004
Allison
Crowe is a young, Canadian woman who has only just begun making
waves with her unique music. I first came across a bootleg of Crowe
performing an Ani DiFranco song and was impressed with her
distinctive interpretation since most DiFranco covers I hear are
performed seem to be as close as possible to the original.
Allison’s
piano-based songs are reminiscent of many female musicians who
gained popularity in the 1990s and beyond, including Tori Amos and
Sarah MacLachlan. Her music contains every ounce of emotion that
seems to exude from female singers who choose piano as their primary
instrument. However, there is something wholly different about this
woman’s approach that separates her from the bunch. Most of it is
subtle nuances in style and lyrical slant, but it is Allison’s
voice and her use of it that really packs the punch. She is soulful,
poignant, and always intense.
Secrets
is Allison Crowe’s first full-length album, although she has a few
EPs and other recordings under her belt. This effort is one of two
planned for release in 2004 - an ambitious project for even the most
seasoned musicians. Here she offers up 12 tracks that include a
hidden bonus and two cover songs. Allison plays with styles and
infuses bits of blues, folk, jazz, and more into each song, all
beautifully packaged around piano and limited use of guitar and
other instruments.
“How
Long,” the opening track, highlights all of Allison Crowe’s
strengths. This song is a piano ballad with such an intense chorus
that the listener can’t help but feel tapped right into Crowe’s
very being. The same is true of many of the other tracks here,
including the bluesy “Secrets (That Aren’t My Own).”
Allison’s cover of the Counting Crows’ “Raining in
Baltimore” is starkly gorgeous, and her voice infuses more hope
into the lyrics than the original. Apparently this is also the first
song Allison Crowe ever performed in front of an audience. The
hidden track - an a capella Celtic song - is absolutely stunning and
makes me wish that Allison will delve into this style a bit more in
the future.
Secrets
is a compelling album that fans of almost any female
singer/songwriter will love. Allison truly knows how to masterfully
blend different styles. Although I’d like to see her next
full-length contain only original tracks and maybe a bit more of the
Celtic influence, there’s absolutely nothing amiss here. Allison
Crowe is an artist I hope to follow for many years to come.
Secrets,
Rubenesque Records
Anna Maria
Stjärnell, Luna Kafé
(Europe)
06/03/04
Singer/pianist Allison Crowe may look
frail, but she has a powerful voice. On her debut she puts it to
good use. The cover of Counting Crows "Raining in
Baltimore" shows her at her best. The soulful voice soars and
the piano playing is gorgeous. She sings the melancholy words as if
they were her own. "Philosophy" is a sedate song with
fascinating lyrics. Crowe's singing is stirring here even if she
holds back a little.
"Immersed" is like a early Tori
Amos song, confessional, strong songwriting. "I
will cause you sorrow" states Crowe. The bluesy
"Secrets (that aren't my own)" deals with the complexities
of relationships. Crowe uses her remarkable voice to emote and it
works well. "Maybe I'm
the court jester." She sings. "Maybe
I'm the life of the party" while hinting at the darkness
behind the happy smiles.
"Sea of a Million Faces" is a
sweet song with an intricate melody. Her version of Leonard Cohen's
"Joan of Arc" is marvelous. She puts her own stamp on the
great song. Secrets is a great album and Crowe is a brilliant
artist.
Secrets
CD Review
Amy Lotsberg, Collected
Sounds
(USA)
May 14, 2004
Well, I've been an admirer and supporter of Allison Crowe since I
reviewed her first EP, "6 Songs" in October of 2002. I was
stunned then,
as I am now. This incredible chill-inducing voice coming out of a
young
person is such a rare treat in the age of Britneys, Hilarys and so
on.
This girl's the real deal.
This release showcases Crowe's beautiful strong, gutsy voice, as
well as
her piano playing and songwriting that seem way past her young
years.
She has actually matured on this CD in comparison to her previous
releases.
Though she doesn't really sound like either of these two, fans of
Sarah
McLachlan and Vienna Teng should take notice.
Allison Crowe is an amazing talent and the music world would be
doing
itself a huge favor if it paid her the attention she deserves.
Another
(more "rock") album, "Alive and Breathing", is
also slated for release
late 2004. One of these CDs ought to bring Allison Crowe to the
forefront of today's music. Get her CDs now, and you can say you
knew
her "when".
Stand out songs: Well, I adore them all, but my favorites are
"Raining
in Baltimore", "Montreal" and title track
"Secrets".
Amazon.com
(buyer) reviews:
a voice that sends
chills down your spine, April 23, 2005
Reviewer: Britten Nakano
(New York, NY) - ***** (five stars)
Allison Crowe is one of the best female artists I have heard in so
many
years and her music gives me hope for the years to come.
With her creative lyrics and haunting voice I find myself listening
to
her music all the time. And as a lover of Montreal, I would have to
say
that is my favorite song on the album, bringing back personal waves
of
nostalgia. However, "Whether I'm Wrong" is another song I
play
constantly. Her pacifist anti-war position is one I admire, and her
cover of John Lennon's "Imagine" is nothing short of
magical.
Absolutely outstanding. Chilling raw talent., September 27,
2004
Reviewer: E. Boutcher
(Halifax, Nova Scotia) - ***** (five stars)
I first saw Allison sing at a taping for BT here on Canada's East
Coast.
After hearing just one song I immediately scoured downtown looking
for a
copy of her CD. I haven't heard such amazing talent in a long time.
A
breathtaking artist with an outstanding set of vocal cords,
standards,
and genuine raw talent. She's just as good, if not better, live than
on
CD. This is a must-have for your collection. She's currently on
tour. If
she's in your area, I'd check her out live, too.
You won't regret this purchase, that's for sure., August 3,
2004
Reviewer: Amy
(Minneapolis, USA) - ***** (five stars)
Well, I've been an admirer and supporter of Allison Crowe since I
reviewed her first EP, "6 Songs" in October of 2002. I was
stunned then,
as I am now. This incredible chill-inducing voice coming out of a
young
person is such a rare treat in the age of Britneys, Hilarys and so
on.
This girl's the real deal. This release showcases Crowe's beautiful
strong, gutsy voice, as well as her piano playing and songwriting
that
seem way past her young years. She has actually matured on this CD
in
comparison to her previous releases.
Fabulous, July 31, 2004
Reviewer: Lillith "victoriousprettyflower"
(New York, NY) - ***** (five stars)
This is obviously a first release with some technical problems but
the
music is amazing, her voice is fantastic, and it's one of the best
albums I've heard in a long time. I listened to all of the downloads
on
the amazon website and loved them so much I had to buy the cd. The
other
songs are just as good if not even better. I would recommend this cd
for
people who like strong voices and music that stirs your soul.
