Hallelujah,
by Leonard Cohen
anacronyms (Canada)
December 15, 2007
"Hallelujah, by Leonard Cohen. This song has
somehow become Crowe's signature, if a singer who defies description
as stubbornly as she does has a signature... Cohen's original
version is a spoken poem, all of the meaning contained in the words.
Crowe's version is a living thing, a meditation and a celebration
and a benediction."
Hallelujah!
YouTube hits keep indie musicians free
Adrian Chamberlain, Times Colonist (Canada)
September 22, 2007
"It's not hard to see why Crowe's
Hallelujah -- recorded in a single take -- is popular. It's one of
Leonard Cohen's most affecting songs, and the 26-year-old,
accompanying herself on piano, makes it her own with raw honesty and
formidable vocal power. It's simultaneously heart-breaking and
redemptive, and it has captured the imaginations of people around
the world."
It's #1: It's Top of the Pops
Martin Warminger, Music Obsessive (UK)
" 'Hallelujah' is a bit of a sacred cow of a
song and has been covered by artists too numerous to mention... I'll
go with John Cale's world weary take and Allison Crowe's powerhouse
of intensity as my yardsticks."
January 17, 2009
Hallelujah Chorus
Radio Free Stan (USA)
"But forget about Alexandra Burke's version and
listen to what Allison Crowe does with the song. Her voice couldn't
be more different from the stereotypical... Here is someone who
feels the music and communicates. Simply stunning - full of real
power and enormous feeling."
December 18, 2008
River:
Allison Crowe
Bob Muller, Joni Mitchell Discussion List (USA)
"One of my favorites; there is a pinch of
Shawn (Colvin) in Allison's voice, except imo Allison has more punch
and emotional bite in her vocals. She makes singing this song seem
easy, and anyone who's tried it will tell you it's not."
Joni Mitchell’s River
(Holiday Coverfolk, Part 1):
Allison Crowe
Cover Lay Down (USA)
"Allison Crowe’s solo piano version... may not sound so different
from the original at first, but listen again and the subtleties
stand out: Crowe’s majestic tonal read turns the song on its ear."
November 25, 2007
Covered In Folk: The Beatles, Part 1:
In My life - Allison Crowe
Cover Lay Down (USA)
"Songwriter and mistress of coversongs Allison
Crowe beat out Johnny Cash, Ben Lee, Chantal Kreviazuk and Shawn
Colvin covers of In My Life at the last minute. Buy or download all
Crowe’s albums via Rubenesque - her own label - and you’ll know why
this Canadian youngster is one to watch for the next half-century."
October 26th, 2007
Crowe for Christmas
Published: December 15 2006
by Martin Levin
It is customary among some at this
time of year, to begin to issue seasonal greeting by reference to
some song. Thus, to readers, I say, have yourself a Merry Little
Christmas, or, to paraphrase ecumenically, a Cheery Chanukah or a
Kolossal Kwanza.
To help you on your way, there is the
usual shower of Christmas albums. You might try CDs by Canadian
icons Sarah McLachlan (Wintersong) and the Barra MacNeils (The
Christmas Album II), or journey to the land of the green
Christmas (mostly) for James Taylor's At Christmas, while
the most unlikely source of peace and love is shock-rock heavy
metallers Twisted Sister, with A Twisted Christmas.
Somehow, I can't quite associate chestnuts roasting on an open fire
or sleigh bells jing-a-lingling with Dee Snider and crew...
But for me, the real revelation is an
CD from last year that I've only just listened to. I refer to that
other singer-pianist from Nanaimo, B.C., Allison Crowe. And if you
haven't heard of her or, better yet, heard her, you really should.
Her album is called Tidings (Rubenesque
Records) and they are glad indeed. Beginning with a brief but
stirring rendition of the carol It Came Upon a Midnight Clear,
Crowe launches into a 12-track CD that contains not a single turkey,
nor any stuffing. There are other carols (Silent Night, The
First Noel), but Crowe also pays tribute to the gods of rock
and roll, with charming readings of the Beatles' Let it Be and
In My Life, Joni Mitchell's River and the Rolling
Stones' Shine a Light, fittingly and thematically
concluding with Angel.
Crowe's warm, natural, passionate —
and need I add lovely? — voice are perhaps shown to best effect on
another glorious standard, Leonard Cohen's magnificent and deeply
spiritual quest for faith, Hallelujah. It's been sung
brilliantly before by the likes of Rufus Wainright and k.d. lang,
but Crowe easily holds her own in that august company. I expect much
more to be heard from her.
Mistletunes
(USA)
December 2006
Tidings, Allison Crowe (Rubenesque)
This Canadian singer is more of a
rock belter than her countrywoman Sarah McLachlan, and this 2005
album has more of a spontaneous feel to it, with only her piano,
bass and percussion for backing. There are no originals, and indeed
she even picks some non-holiday tunes for their complimentary tone,
so we get things like Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah," the
Stones' "Shine a Light," McLachlan's "Angel" and
the Beatles' "Let it Be" and "In My Life."
Regulars include Joni Mitchell's "River," "Silent
Night," "In the Bleak Midwinter," "First
Noel" and "O Holy Night." There's something to be
said for this unadorned approach -- for example, you might just feel
comfortable playing this all year round. Maple Music kindly threw in
a DVD of her playing live, but you have to be in the fan club to get
this.
Tidings: CD Review
Sophia Gurley, The Ectophiles' Guide to Good Music (USA)
August 2006
Ecto priority:
Highly recommended
Allison Crowe's powerhouse vocals are front and
centre in these holiday and cover songs, giving them a lot of life
and presence. In addition to the songs on the ep version, this
includes: an impressive cover of Joni
Mitchell's "River", two Beatles
covers, and three additional carols. Ectophiles will find this a
strong addition to their collection of seasonal albums. The
combination of traditional carols with carefully selected covers is
especially enjoyable.
Allison Crowe: Tidings
Cover Corner by Tom Weel: Beatles Unlimited (Netherlands)
May/June 2005 (BU 181)
Allison Crowe’s name appeared on Art
Monkey’s compilation “It Was 40 Years Ago Today” (BU177) and
here we have her own seasonal album, with some obvious traditionals
(Silent Night, The First Noel, a.o.) The other somewhat contrasting
half consists of two Leonard Cohen songs (including the fantastic
Hallelujah) and tracks written by Joni Mitchell, the Stones and
Beatles: In My Life and Let It Be, which also appeared in a slightly
different version on the above mentioned sampler. In an acoustic
setting, where she gently accompanies herself on piano (on only
three tracks she’s joined on bass and drums), her vocals are the
most intriguing aspect on every track. She easily flows from dark,
soulful and firm to an occasional high note (Mitchell’s River) or
long vocal draws (as proven in the final album track, a startling
version of Sarah McLachlan’s Angel). By giving Let It Be the
gospel flavour it deserves and with an emotionally sung In My Life,
the two Beatles songs fit very well in the album’s concept. This
all leads to only one conclusion: don’t play this during
Christmastime… play it the whole year through!
CD Reviews/Playlist: Dr. Christmas' Radio
Show
Dr. Gerry Grzyb, WRST-FM (USA)
Friday, December 24, 2004
**
RECORDING OF EXCEPTIONAL MERIT (the show’s highest ranking)
- Tidings
“Allison Crowe’s
‘Tidings’ showcases a powerful folk voice, opening with a
goosebump-inducing a cappella ‘It Came Upon A Midnight
Clear’.”
Chair of the
Sociology Department at the University of Wisconsin, Dr. Gerry Grzyb,
AKA Dr. Christmas, is cited as America's foremost authority on
Christmas music ~ with an ear to good music of all genres. Each year
since 1989 he's sifted through a mass of new seasonal releases,
searching for the gems, outside the mainstream, that make the cut to
be played on his radio show, an epic tradition broadcast on
Wisconsin’s WRST-FM.
Following his marathon
(six-day) radio program this holiday season, “Dr. Christmas”
wrote to say: “Of over 100 new Christmas CDs played on my show,
Allison's drew the most listener interest.”
Seasonal CD Reviews: Three
of this festive season’s offerings really stand out
Joseph Blake, The Times Colonist (Canada)
Sunday, December 19, 2004
What
would the Christmas season be without a new crop of recordings? The
bins are overflowing with seasonal CDs, but three of this year’s
output really stand out:
Young
Nanaimo pop diva Allison Crowe’s recently released Tidings
collects surprisingly moving versions of traditional Christmas
favourites such as Silent Night, In the Bleak Midwinter,
It Came Upon a Midnight Clear, The First Noel and O
Holy Night and truly transcendent versions of Joni Mitchell’s River
and Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah.
Crowe
not only makes these Canadian treasures her own, she does almost as
much with Lennon and McCartney’s In My Life and Let It
Be, the Stones’ Shine a Light and Sarah McLachlan’s Angel.
With each recording Crowe becomes a more
stunning vocalist. She's got a very big voice, and she's learning
how to use it to embody a song. This high concept seasonal sampler
is a triumph. Highly recommended.
The
Kitchener-Waterloo Record (Canada)
Arts, Saturday, December 18, 2004
NEW RECORDINGS
Robert Reid
RECORD STAFF
TIDINGS
Allison Crowe (Rubenesque
Records/Festival)
The
Yuletide find of the year goes to Nanaimo-based singer/songwriter
Allison Crowe for Tidings.
What
makes the album so wonderful is not only Crowe's powerfully soulful
vocals and accomplished piano playing, but the inspired repertoire
spanning traditional six carols and contemporary songs with a
spiritual dimensions.
Joining
such beloved carols as Silent Night and In the Bleak Winter are Joni
Mitchell's River, Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah, Lennon and McCartney's
Let It Be and In My Life, Jagger and Richard's Shine a Light and
Sarah McLachlan's Angel, all of which make for an absolutely
stunning seasonal album that can be enjoyed year-round.
In
keeping with the simplicity, elegance and intimacy of the season,
all but two tracks feature Crowe accompanying herself on piano, with
a bass and drums added on two tracks.
Following
so closely after Secrets, released on Crowe's own label a few months
ago, Tidings confirms the arrival of a recording artist who has what
it takes to climb to the highest echelons of Canadian, if not
international, pop music.
Hum for the holidays:
CD Reviews
Jane Stevenson, The Toronto Sun (Canada)
Sunday, December 19, 2004
ALLISON CROWE
Tidings
(Festival)
**** (four stars)
On this expanded version of a 2003 holiday EP of the same name, this
22-year-old Nanaimo, B.C., singer-pianist evokes a lot of emotion
with her strong, trembling voice that suits rock, gospel and blues.
Check out the opening a capella version of It Came Upon A Midnight
Clear. Otherwise, a mostly unadorned Crowe plays piano -- she's
joined by bass and drums on three tracks -- and expertly tackles
both Christmas classics and less traditional homegrown songs like
Joni Mitchell's River, Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah and Sarah
McLachlan's Angel and makes them her own.
(NB In its holiday CD round-up, The Toronto Sun gave four stars to
only two releases - Tidings from Allison Crowe, and The
Christmas Collection from Frank Sinatra. Other discs covered in
this same review included releases from such well-known acts as
Chris Isaak 3 1/2 stars, Vanessa Williams, Matt Dusk, and Barenaked
Ladies whose offerings each received 3 stars, Jessica Simpson - 1
star and William Hung 1/2 star.)
Tinsel Tunes
Robert Moyes, Monday Magazine (Canada)
Wednesday, December 15, 2004
It's that bittersweet time of year when
wishful music writers slip bright and shiny discs into the CD tray
in the hopes that bright and shiny seasonal tunes will emerge. But,
as always, the recordings under review range from naughty to nice.
And for the big finish, ringing out clear
as a Christmas bell, we have Nanaimo's sublime Allison Crowe, who
has reissued and redoubled last year's Tidings. This new version
jumps from six to 12 tunes, but still maintains stark production
values, with Allison providing voice and piano, while getting
minimal backup via bass and drums on just three cuts. There are a
few actual Christmas songs such as "O Holy Night" and
"The First Noel," but mostly Crowe selects apropos pop
songs (such as Joni Mitchell's "River," Leonard Cohen's
"Hallelujah," The Beatles' "Let It Be" and the
Jagger-Richards tune "Shine A Light") and presents them as
contemporary embodiments of spiritual yearning. Crowe has the
soaring, swooping vibrato of a dark angel and will give any music
lover a sultry blast of Christmas cheer.
It's beginning to sound a lot like
Christmas
Soundscapes:
Cool Yule Tunes
Stephen Cooke, The Halifax Herald (Canada)
Saturday, December 11, 2004
Barenaked
Ladies, Isaak, Crowe put out holiday discs
WITH A HEALTHY CROP of East Coast Christmas CDs this year - from
Terry Kelly, RyLee Madison, Louisa Manuel and Urban Surf Kings - one
would hope that national and international acts would be able to
match that quota, and darned if there aren't some fun and festive
recordings that make this one of the better years for holiday music
buffs.
B.C. singer-songwriter Allison Crowe also gets bonus points for
tackling Joni Mitchell's River on her CD Tidings (Rubenesque
Records), and adding her own flavour to it on this spectral
recording that is mostly just voice and piano, with bass and drums
on only a few tracks.
Besides traditional numbers like In the Bleak Midwinter and The
First Noel, Crowe goes beyond the Christmas canon to include Leonard
Cohen's Hallelujah and The Beatles' Let It Be as pop spirituals,
plus a gutsy Shine a Light from the greatest rock and roll album of
all time, The Rolling Stones' Exile on Main Street. It's
earned the stamp of approval from the Stones' official fan club,
which should bring some new listeners to this tremendous Nanaimo
talent.
Tidings:
Album Review
Gina Morris, E.O.M. (Evolution of Media - USA)
Friday, December 10, 2004
Allison
Crowe is a versatile singer/songwriter from Canada who has recorded
a fine Christmas album, Tidings. The possessor of a powerful voice
that evokes Eva Cassidy and Laura Nyro simultaneously, Allison sings
the hell out of this collection of traditional and non-traditional
yuletide classics.
What's
great about this album is that while some of the usual Christmas
song suspects are here--"Silent Night", "The First
Noel", "O Holy Night"--there are also some inspired
choices, like the Beatles' "Let It Be" and "In My
Life" and the Rolling Stones' "Shine A Light", that
aren't Christmas songs but fit the spiritual-ness of the occasion.
And with just her voice and skillful piano playing, Allison gets
right to the heart of these songs with a clarity lacking in many
singers today; although, she does give "Shine A Light" a
suitably rocking treatment and adds bass and drums to "O Holy
Night", it's the piano/voice combo that impresses.
With
Tidings, Allison Crowe proves that she is a singer worth keeping an
ear out for and, in addition, she has produced one of the least
sentimental, and highly listenable Christmas themed albums of recent
times. Oh, and her debut album of original songs, Secrets, is pretty
nifty too.
It's
a great holiday for your stereo
Tom Harrison, The Province (Canada)
Tuesday, December 7, 2004
Last
year, Nanaimo's Allison Crowe released a seasonal EP that she's now
extended to a full-length LP. Featuring her stirring singing and
piano accompaniment, Tidings (independent, B) is a marvelously
thoughtful album that includes a few traditional songs as well as
Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" and the Stones' "Shine a
Light".
Arts:
CD Review
Sarah Towle, The Martlet, Volume 57, Issue 16 (Canada)
Thursday, December 2 2004
Holiday
Tidings
I know what you're thinking: Christmas CDs are lame. But hear me
out. This one's different. Honest.
Nanaimo's singer/songwriter and pianist Allison Crowe provides a raw
and off-beat collection of Christmas songs that she makes her own.
The
CD begins with an a cappella version of "It Came Upon a
Midnight Clear," which shows off her vocal range and intense
vibrato. She pays tribute to many Canadian musicians with songs such
as Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah," Sarah McLachlan's
"Angel" and Joni Mitchell's "River."
As well, Crowe includes other
non-traditional, but still seasonal, songs such as the
Lennon-McCartney creations "Let it Be" and "In My
Life," and the Rolling Stones' "Shine A Light."
And, for good measure, a few traditional songs arranged by Crowe are
thrown into the mix: "Silent Night," "What Child Is
This," "The First Noel" and "O Holy Night."
Crowe's colourful voice, along with her fluid and polished piano
playing, makes each track unique. Plus, the simplistic combination
of voice, piano and the occasional tambourine proves a refreshing
change from cheesy back-up choirs and synthesizers
often heard in Christmas tunes.
Tidings
CD Review
Jennifer Patton, Delusions of Adequacy (USA)
November 29, 2004
Tis
the season for packed malls, angry shoppers, and Christmas music. It
seems anywhere you go from mid-November on, your ears will be
bombarded with techno-carols and muzak versions of traditional
pieces. It’s enough to make even those most filled with the joy of
the season feel overwhelmed - and let’s not even get started on
those of us who don’t celebrate Christmas at all. Like me.
Some
may think it’s odd to be a non-Christian writing about a Christmas
album, but I like Allison Crowe, and Tidings isn’t any old
holiday disc. On this release, Allison offers up a mix of
traditional hymns as well as a selection of covers all beautifully
enveloped in her unique style. There are no hokey gimmicks and no
cutesy kids’ songs. Best of all, there is enough of a blend of
styles that you won’t find yourself bored at any point or on
spiritual music overload.
The
album begins with an excellent a capella version of “It Came Upon
a Midnight Clear,” which immediately showcases her silky but
strong voice. This moves quickly into a version of Joni Mitchell’s
“River,” which is a hit just for being included, but Allison
approaches the song by accompanying herself on piano and with tons
of finesse. This is a simply beautiful track that fits just as
easily with a spiritual album as it would a folk record.
Crowe’s
other more modern covers include Leonard Cohen’s “Hallellujah,”
Sarah McLachlan’s “Angel,” the Rolling Stones’ “Shine a
Light,” and “Let it Be” and “In My Life,” both by the
Beatles. The Cohen and McLachlan tunes are starkly stunning pieces
that blend perfectly with the theme of Tidings. The Beatles
songs fit as well, but it’s important to note that Crowe really
makes these her own, whereas so many musicians come off like karaoke
singers when attempting to tackle anything from the Fab Five
catalog.
Allison’s
approach for the other hymns is one of sheer simplicity. She is
complemented on three tracks by David Baird (bass) and Kevin
Clevette (drums), but everything else is just her and a piano with a
little bit of tambourine. You will find the more familiar such as
“Silent Night” and “The First Noel” side by side with the
unusual “In the Bleak Midwinter” and “What Child is This?”
All are presented with such poise and exquisiteness that you can’t
help but feel inspired.
While
Tidings is definitely a Christmas album, there is clearly
quite a bit for most people to enjoy here. This would make a perfect
backdrop to any holiday party or even just for a quiet winter night
in front of a roaring fire. If you celebrate Christmas, this is one
release that should be in your stereo for many Decembers to come.
Tidings:
CD Review
Teri McIntyre, Empowerment4Women
(USA)
November/December 2004
If
you are looking for something a little different this year in terms
of a Christmas album, Tidings by Allison Crowe certainly fits
the bill. This e.p., composed of covers of traditional and modern
seasonal hymns, is a wonderful addition to the more obvious fare
people choose to play at that time of the year.
For
traditional tracks, Crowe begins with the classic "Silent
Night," rendering its delicate structure with a deep warmth and
spirit. The same goes for "O Holy Night." "In The
Bleak of Winter" sports a more pop arrangement that is equally
inviting.
For
modern tracks, Crowe creatively selected three imaginative tracks.
She wraps her impressive vocals around the Leonard Cohen favorite
"Hallelujah" to create a thunderously moving aural
experience. Next, Crowe tackles The Rolling Stones "Shine A
Light," a track from their Exile On Main Street album.
She brings forth a powerful sense of redemption from the lyrics that
is highly engaging. Rounding out the album is a "live off the
floor" rendition of Sarah McLachlan’s maudlin
"Angel." Crowe manages to give the song a refreshing,
blown-out emotional take that, for some, may surpass the original.
Crowe
may have intended the album to be a seasonal experience, but the
great arrangements and her memorable vocals make Tidings an
album worthy of repeated play all year round.
Tidings:
CD Review
Carol Swanson, ChristmasReviews.com
(USA)
Friday, October 22 2004
What
a find! Tidings is an exceptional holiday album, and Canadian
Allison Crowe is a stunningly talented performer. Her voice
celebrates the music with a bluesy rock-gospel intensity; her
controlled vibrato, silken rasp, and powerful projection rivet your
attention. This is no casual background music for your holiday
party; be prepared to be amazed.
For the most part, this album is all about Crowe's spectacular,
unique voice and her exceptional piano playing. Given her incredible
vocal power, the minimal production provides just the right
showcase. She easily fills the room with soulful energy all on her
own. On three tracks (#4, 10 & 11), Crowe gets some fine support
from two friends on bass (David Baird) and drums (Kevin Clevette).
The artist's vocal delivery is so intense, one wonders how Crowe
retains the energy to provide piano accompaniment. In fact, her
piano abilities are so natural--so personal--that the keyboard seems
to operate as an organic extension of her body, just another
"voice" emanating from her musical soul.
Somebody pinch me--the song selections here are outrageously fine--a
folk rocker's paradise! To start, there are six lovely pillars of
traditional holiday music ("Silent Night," It Came Upon a
Midnight Clear," etc.). Then things truly take off--Crowe
includes Joni Mitchell's "River," Leonard Cohen's
"Hallelujah," two songs by the Beatles (the John
Lennon/Paul McCartney tunes of "Let It Be" and "In My
Life"), one Rolling Stones number ("Shine a Light" by
Mick Jagger/Keith Richards), and Sarah McLachlan's
"Angel." Although these tracks stray from the holiday path
most commonly tread, each cut relates to spirituality on its own
terms, and the overall package works in grand fashion.
Interestingly, although Crowe is herself an acclaimed songwriter,
she has penned no holiday numbers here. Perhaps next year.
The artist opens with an unadorned, a cappella presentation of
"It Came Upon a Midnight Clear," then rolls cleanly into
an intensely moving rendition of "River," one of my
favorite holiday tunes. When the artist sings the crystalline,
sorrowful line "I made my baby cry," you can almost feel
the tears welling up inside. Crowe's wonderful
"Hallelujah" is an absolute show-stopper. To be honest,
this album is packed with highlights from stem to stern. Every song
radiates sincerity, creative flair, and emotional intensity.
No doubt about it--Tidings is one of the best holiday albums this
year. If you crave folk/rock music that speaks from the heart,
invite Allison Crowe into your home this Christmas season. She's
sensational!
Allison Crowe - pick
of the day/week
Record of the Day (UK)
August 3, 2004
In
August, 2004, the London, England-based music industry source, Record
of the Day, selected Allison Crowe's version of the Leonard
Cohen song "Hallelujah" as its record of the day and
week, telling its audience:
"Bet you thought you heard all the versions you need to hear of
this song, right? Think again, because Allison Crowe has a voice to
fall in love with. She is from Vancouver Island in Canada, descended
from Irish and Manx stock. She's exactly the sort of artist who can
make serious headway on her own label and that's just what she's
doing."
(Record of the Day is a prognosticator of musical talent, and
has tipped people early to such artists as Damien Rice, The
Darkness, Keane and The Black Eyed Peas.)
From Fragmentation to
Wholeness
Shirley Goldberg, Mo Magazine (Canada)
April 2004
In
the final number, Allison Crowe at the piano joined Crimson Coast's
Holly Bright for a radiant, rousing, celebratory rendition of
Leonard Cohen's lovely "Hallelujah," with Holly's
graceful, expansive movements providing the visual corollary for
Allison's full, vibrant voice, completing the circle, merging body
and spirit, body and mind.
Allison
Crowe: Artist Spotlight
New Songs for Peace Project (International)
March 2004
"Allison Crowe may not be well-known now but this young woman
has the voice and talent to be the next Alanis or Norah. The raw
emotions in her hauntingly beautiful rendition of 'Angel'
should convince you of her potential."
Tidings, 6 Songs+
Derrick Marr, Great White Noise (Canada)
Monday, February 9, 2004
6
Songs +
is as good an introduction to an artist as you are ever going to
get. Allison Crowe (vocals/piano), together with Dave Baird
(electric and acoustic bass) and Kevin Clevette (drums and
percussions) have recorded a CD rich with lyrical content in which
Allison has managed to merge writing skills with vocals that cover
every note on the scale, and probably some that aren’t. Musically,
the trio is as tight as any I have heard, each rendering a flawless
performance.
There will be the obvious comparisons to the songs styles of Sarah
McLachlan, and, in truth, there are similarities, but that in no way
should be taken as meaning there is any intentional formula
following. It is simply the case of two women with beautiful voices
sharing a passion for a somewhat laid back, jazz based style of pop
rock.
Born in Nanaimo B.C., also coincidently the hometown of Diana Krall,
Allison was exposed to music from a very young age. She quickly
developed a love of jazz music and by the age of 15 found herself
playing to audiences up and down Vancouver Island.
Tidings is a similar listening experience, this time wrapped
pleasantly in the guise of a Christmas CD. The songs selected and
recorded for this disc, however, ensure that it is far more than
simply something listened to once or twice a year. Combining
traditional Christmas classics such as Silent Night and O Holy
Night, with lesser known or thought of works such as Hallellujah, In
The Bleak Midwinter and Shine A Light, and even a version of the
non-Christmas, yet inspirational Sarah McLachlan hit Angel, Allison
has released a CD that is a pleasure to listen to both during the
Yule season and any other time of the year.
True “vocalists” are seldom stumbled across in this age of nu-metal,
hip-hop, rap, or any of the other multitude of genre fragments.
Sometimes it seems like the art of writing a good song is lost. In
the rush to get the next all-elusive hit, many talents have fallen
by the wayside and have perhaps forgotten what started them on this
path in the first place. To date it seems like Allison has held true
to her origins. Only time will tell if this remains the case, but
personally I’m thinking there are going to be many, many more
insightful and beautiful songs emerging from within the young lady
from Nanaimo.
Have Yourself a Merry
Diva Christmas...
Rick Dennis, At Large, Cowichan News Leader (Canada)
Wednesday, December 24, 2003
"Diva
Fest was a great time. I'm very impressed with the organizers and
the talent, writes artist manager Adrian du Plessis from his
Saltspring
Island office. "They're already talking about the next Diva
Fest, and
you can be sure they've learned a lot from producing this year's
show!"
I met Adrian and his star client, Allison Crowe, at the Nov. 22
Cowichan
Women Against Violence fundraiser at the Cowichan Theatre. Allison
was
one of the featured performers at the Saturday evening concert. By
now,
the 22-year-old Nanaimo singer/songwriter has earned enough rave
reviews
to wallpaper a rehearsal studio. Yet she is refreshingly free of
attitude, often punctuating her sentences with a girlish giggle.
Then
she sits down at the piano and begins to sing and you realize what
all
the fuss is about. Her voice is a force of nature: bright and warm,
refracting into a whole spectrum of tonal shadings like sunlight
through
a prism; bracing and cool, a torrent of emotion washing over the
listener like summer rain.
She has just completed a Christmas CD, Tidings: 6 Songs for the
Season
recorded live-off-the-floor, with bandmates David Baird on bass and
Kevin Clevette on drums for her own label, Rubenesque Records.
"I love music and I love Christmas, so it seemed natural to
make a
seasonal record," she says. "It was also fun to create
something that
wasn't completely traditional, and have a good mix of different
songs
and styles on a holiday album."
Soulful versions of Silent Night and Oh Holy Night
stand under the
mistletoe with the Stones album track Shine a Light (from Exile
on Main
Street) and Sarah McLachlan's Angel. Altogether, a very
cool Yule disc.
Nanaimo
News Bulletin
Monday, December 22, 2003 (Canada)
Tired of Top 40? Then consider...
Seasonal
Allison
Crowe Band,
Tidings,
6 Songs for the Season
Continuing
Allison Crowe’s love affair with six songs per CD, Tidings
takes a different approach to some traditional Christmas songs like O
Holy Night - and a few non-traditional ones, including Leonard
Cohen’s Hallelujah and Sarah McLachlan’s Angel.
Even fans of Sarah will appreciate Crowe’s version of the latter.
This may be the most unusual Christmas offering of the year, but
possibly the most interesting.
Sing
A Song of Christmas
Robert Moyes, Monday Magazine (Canada)
Thursday, December 11, 2003
Despite the best efforts of malls
everywhere to ruin the joy that people find in December's festive
music, there are always new recordings that try-and sometimes
succeed-in giving listeners that holly-jolly Christmas feeling.
Herewith is a brief tour of the very diverse sounds of the season.
If your significant other is of a certain age and uncertain taste-in
particular, has with religious zeal replaced vinyl recordings of
Aqualung and Thick as a Brick with CDs-then their Christmas jukebox
is no doubt crying out for The Jethro Tull Christmas Album.
Occasionally jazzy and even orchestral, Tull mostly follows in the
faux-medieval folk-rock idiom that characterized their early (and
best) albums. Unlikely to win over the uninitiated, Tull will still
gladden the hearts of those ever-faithful fans who still dance to
Ian Anderson's heavy metal flute.
And although the Medieval Bębes bear the same relation to Early
Music that a historical bodice-ripper does to Beowulf, they are
still an entertaining and talented octet of singers with
lung-revealing cleavage and a sound that evokes highly romantic
images of a French castle in the Middle Ages. Their Mistletoe &
Wine ranges from "The Holly & the Ivy" and "In
Dulce Jubilo" to mostly 13th- and 14th-century pieces or
medieval poems set to music by alpha Babe Katharine Blake. With
soaring vocal harmonies grounded by the funky music of zithers,
recorders, harmoniums and various percussion, these bodaceous Babes
are pleasing both to eye and ear (although Maddy Prior's A Tapestry
of Carols doth kick mightily their medieval butts).
The infelicitously-titled Frostbite by the ominously single-named
Pavlo is, in fact, likely to have great appeal to fans of the Gypsy
Kings and Ottmar Liebert. Very much in the nuevo flamenco school of
hot Latin licks, Frostbite is distinguished by spicy infusions
courtesy of Pavlo's bouzouki and the Ukrainian violin of Wasyl
Popaduik. The endlessly energetic Pavlo is very appealing live, but
his versions of classics such as "God Rest Ye Merry
Gentlemen" and "Little Drummer Boy" come off as
technically accomplished but something less than soulful.
They just know how to do Christmas in the country, and Cochrane,
Alberta-born superstar George Fox is in fine form on A George Fox
Christmas. With his sturdy, aw-shucks baritone he delivers a mix of
classics ("Silent Night," "Away in a Manger")
and a few novelty songs ("Six White Boomers," "Santa
Lost His Ho Ho Ho").
Meanwhile, Nanaimo's other musical muse, Allison Crowe, has
just released Tidings, a tasty and often-moving six-pack of
seasonal songs-and not just the usual suspects. After kicking off
with Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah," she calls on those
least-covered of Christmas carollers-Mick Jagger and Keith
Richards-via "Shine a Light," which here shines with
redemptive power. After "O Holy Night" and "In the
Bleak Midwinter" for traditionalists, there's more Can-Con via
Sarah McLachlan's "Angel." Simply arranged for trio and
recorded "live off the floor" with Crowe's bold voice
mixed way forward, this is an appealing and effective holiday
offering.
Crowe
on Christmas
Tom Harrison, The Province (Canada)
Tuesday, December 9, 2003
Nanaimo's Allison
Crowe has recorded a six-song Christmas CD called Tidings
. Crowe and her drummer and bassist do live-off-the-floor versions
of the traditional "Silent Night," "In the Bleak
Midwinter" and "O Holy Night" plus three other
appropriately but imaginatively selected songs, Leonard
Cohen 's "Hallelujah," The
Stones' "Shine a Light," and Sarah
McLachlan 's "Angel." It's Crowe's
best-recorded work so far, featuring soulful performances.
Allison Crowe: Tidings
Eliza Gardiner, Mind's Eye (Canada)
December 2003
Good news for Alley Crowe Band fans -
Crowe, bassist David Baird and drummer Kevin Clevette have released
a new CD just in time for the gift-giving season. The CD features
Crowe's powerful voice, this time filled with passion for peace and
giving and all things holy. Crowe's version of Leonard Cohen's
"Hallelujah" is courageous and puts the soundtrack of
Shrek to shame. Crowe's choice of tradtional songs are lovely, and
her cover of "Shine a Light" brightens further an already
vivid production. Even after Christmas is over, this CD will be an
inspirational listen.
Tidings CD Review
Amy Lotsberg, Collected Sounds (USA)
Saturday, November 29, 2003
Well, I've been looking forward to this
release since I heard about it. So when it arrived I immediately
popped it into the car stereo and within moments I was close to
tears. The opening track is Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah".
I've never heard Cohen's version, but I have heard Jeff Buckley's
and I have to say it's one of the most beautiful songs ever written.
I am happy to report that Allison Crowe does it justice and then
some. Her voice will give you chills. If it doesn't, check your
pulse, you may not be alive. It's incredibly moving.
The whole EP is beautiful. I'd never heard
"In the Bleak Midwinter" before but it's gorgeous. Crowe's
voice is extremely powerful and strong. I hear her and think 'how
does she do that?' She's a gifted young lady for sure.
Now if you've read my review of Sarah
McLachlan's "Afterglow" you know I am a self-proclaimed
Sarah Geek. But that doesn't mean I have a problem with other
artists covering her songs. Except when drunk girls sing them at
Karaoke.
Allison's version of McLachlan's
"Angel" is very powerful. Where Sarah is sweet and
pleading Allison is gutsy and forceful. The track is great... up
until the last few seconds when it becomes a bit of a
"Christina moment" (I'm a firm believer in 'Just because
you can, doesn't mean you should'.) The instrumentation stops and
it's just her voice, holding a note forever and then almost
scatting. I know some will love it, but it actually detracts from
the song, for me. But that's a minor issue in what is otherwise a
very quality EP.
If you're looking for a good stocking
stuffer for the pop piano lover on your list, this is perfect.
November 6, 2005
Review
in The Green Man Review
By Kelly Sedinger
For a link to the Green
Man Review site, click HERE
Allison Crowe, Tidings
(Rubenesque Records, 2004)
I'm not sure how to take this album. Upon my first perusal of the
track listing, I said, "Ah, a Christmas album." It has
traditional Christmas songs like "It Came Upon a Midnight
Clear," "Silent Night," "What Child Is
This," and "The First Noel". Then there's Joni
Mitchell's "River," which is also a Christmas-inspired
song, so that makes sense. But I'm not sure that Leonard Cohen's
"Hallelujah" is exactly a Christmas song; ditto "Let
It Be" and "In My Life" (by a songwriting duo named
Lennon and McCartney -- I should check these fellows out one of
these days). It's a pretty eclectic mixture, at first glance, but as
I listened to the album, it all made sense in the context of a
larger spiritual theme. This is a very meditative and reflective
album, the kind of thing you put in the stereo after you've lit a
few candles, turned out the electric lights, poured a bit of wine,
and curled up on the floor.
Allison Crowe is a singer-songwriter from Vancouver Island,
Canada, who performs her own accompaniments on the piano, which I
find refreshing after a fairly steady listening diet of
guitar-playing singers of late. According to Crowe's
Web site, she already has an impressive resume as both
a recording and a touring artist. Tidings, of
course, consists entirely of covered material, so I can't evaluate
Crowe's songwriting skills from listening to this.
But what of her performance? I must be honest here: I had to
listen to the disc several times before I became used to her voice,
or one specific facet of it. Crowe sings in a full-bodied alto with
a vibrato that, at first, I found distractingly thick on occasion,
almost to the point of being an actual "warble." While I
got used to this after the second or third listen to the CD, I still
find that on occasion Crowe's vibrato creates an unpleasant effect
when she hits a note that the disc brings into surprisingly sharp
focus. As this does not happen consistently, however, I suspect that
this is more an artifact of recording than a problem with Crowe's
actual delivery.
This is good news, as Crowe is able to sing these songs very
convincingly. In the case of the Lennon-McCartney songs, I've long
tended to prefer their songs when performed by anyone other than
themselves, and Crowe provides more evidence for this; I
particularly enjoyed her rendition of "In My Life," which
happens to be my favorite Beatles song. The other big highlights on Tidings,
for me, are "O Holy Night" and Cohen's
"Hallelujah" (although the latter seemed, to my ears, to
be recorded "louder" than the songs surrounding it, such
that I had to dial down the volume during the song and restore it to
its previous setting for "Silent Night"). Crowe's
self-accompaniments are always tasteful and confidently done.
For those who would like to hear a different manner of Christmas
album, I'd suggest Allison Crowe's Tidings. Once I
got past my initial impressions of her singing voice, I recognized Tidings
for the well-considered, thoughtful album that it is.
[Kelly
Sedinger]
Kelly Sedinger, Senior Writer, having already
spent years amassing enough books to stun a team of oxen in its
tracks, realized what his life mission must be when he read that
author Umberto Eco actually had to switch apartments because his old
home could no longer support the weight of all his books. Kelly
hasn't reached that point yet -- his wife, daughter, son and two
cats serve as brakes on his compulsive book-purchasing -- but he's
doing his best to get there. When not buying books in absurd
quantities, Kelly spends time writing, being amazed at the weird
things his kids do, watching DVDs, and wondering just where he's
going to put the tons of new CDs he buys when he can't find a book
he wants. Oh, and reading those books.
Kelly maintains a nearly three-year-old weblog called Byzantium's
Shores, as well as spending his non-literary days
working happily at a grocery store in Buffalo, NY. Other passions in
his life include American football (focusing on the Buffalo Bills);
classical, film and Celtic music; Star Wars; baked pasta
dishes; and more chocolate and coffee than can really be healthy.
Kelly can be reached by e-mail at jaquandor@aol.com.
Amazon.com
(buyer) reviews:
The Christmas album you need for 2007!, December
12, 2007
Reviewer: xlucent (USA) ***** (five stars)
If the latest crop of Christmas albums by singing cats and Snoop
Dogg somehow leave you shaking your head in dismay and wondering
what happened to Christmas, this is the album that will restore your
faith in the real beauty of the season. Allison Crowe's
interpretation of these classic carols cut through all the noise and
commercialism and remind us what all the fuss is really about. She
has an incredible voice and an even more incredible talent for
bringing out the beauty in whatever music she touches.
Unbelievable,
January 17, 2005
Reviewer: CJ Chambers
(Seattle, WA USA) - ***** (five stars)
Absolute perfection. She is one of the rare few who possess a voice
such
as this - not just technically moving, but there is no doubt that
it's
her soul singing. Thank you, Amazon, for introducing me to her
music.
Allison Crowe's voice not only gives me chills but leaves me
breathless
as well. It's a shame that talent such as this gets so little
attention
while at the same time we're inundated with singers who can't sing
and
other such crap. I can't wait for her next album.
Beautiful voice!, December 3, 2004
Reviewer: Holly
Harrington "sweethelena" (Frostburg, Maryland) -
***** (five stars)
This album is a wonderful addition to your CD collection if you have
a
love/hate relationship with seasonal music. The covers are good, but
the
holiday songs are where Crowe really shines. I discovered Crowe's
"O
Holy Night" purely by accident, and couldn't be more thrilled.
I play
this album at work, and people are constantly asking me who the
artist
is. I highly recommend it!
wonderful...everything, November 19, 2004
Reviewer: Dave Kim
(Philadelphia, PA USA) - **** (four stars)
wonderful album. pretty much her voice + a piano producing great
music.
throws a little pop/jazz into classics, yet she doesn't totally
profane
the music such as so many modern renditions of old favorites do. (i
mean, some of staci orrico's covers seem like they took the old
songs,
ripped em apart, set em to a bunch of synthesizers, drums, and
guitars.
not so with allison crowe) she has an incredibly powerful voice, and
the
piano parts are also well arranged. sometimes, however, she does
fall
into the pit of going overboard with the "remake" part of
remaking the
classics. anyway, it is a wonderful album, moving, peaceful,
sublime, a
fresh breath of good ol' christmas time air, and a should-be
classic.
