Little
Light is the newest singer-songwriter collection from Allison
Crowe. It opens with a rustically shimmering version of "Northern
Lights" - a song Allison performed 'specially for the John
Lennon Northern Lights Festival in Durness, Scotland. "Angels"
is recorded live at St. Andrew's United Church, Christmas-time, in
Allison's birthplace, Nanaimo, Canada. She's backed here by bassist
Dave Baird and percussionist Laurent Boucher. "Disease", a
song of social commentary, has, through years of live performance,
become epic - channeling Beethoven, grunge and more. Here 't'is captured in its
raging glory by Larry Anschell (on International Women's Day 2008,
the same night celebrating the 20th Anniversary of Engineer and
Producer Anschell's Turtle
Recording Studios - this live track co-engineered by Brad Graham). Title
track "Little Light" is among a set of guitar songs
that reveal a different sort of Allison Crowe's writerly reflections
in music. "Happy People", like such earlier songs
as Crowe's own, "Skeletons and Spirits", a bright
melody coats more acid observations. Strong and gentle poetics of
"Hold Back" warm us by a fire kindled in the '70s
by Joni Mitchell. "Choose to Be" bridges the piano
sound of Allison's "This Little Bird" songs with
her new tunes. Bob Dylan's ramblin' shoes lead to a less restless
farewell, as the album closes with "Wedding Song" -
Crowe's sweetest, rootsiest, love song to date.
The interpretations on this collection are: "Time After Time" - originally a hit for that most unusual girl, Cyndi Lauper - Allison, a child of the '80s gives her impassioned take, live (Scott LittleJohn recording this, the same night as "Angels"); "Running for Home", is a cover of the Matthew Good Band, and one of the songs Allison has performed since her teens; and, by way of the Righteous Babe, Ani DiFranco, comes Allison's vocal-guitar nod to the great peace-loving bard, Phil Ochs - "When I'm Gone". "Can't be singing louder than the guns when I'm gone, so I guess I'll have to do it while I'm here."
Allison Crowe's newest album, Little Light - on sale soon! ****REVIEWS****
This
Little Bird contains everything to love about
the music of Allison Crowe. Adding titles of engineer and producer
to her vocal, piano and guitar credits, Crowe is joined on most of
the album's tracks by an ideal rhythm section ~ Dave Baird (bass)
and Laurent Boucher (percussion). Nine new originals map emotional
and spiritual territory with fresh sounds, encompassing: the elegiac
"Phoenix"; the ramble tamble "Alive and
Breathing"; gorgeous songs of love and hope, "Effortless"
and "There Is"; the jaunty dark humor of "Skeletons
and Spirits"; the redemptive grace of "Now";
the raucous celebration of the title track; a joy of simplicity in
"Circular Reasoning"; and "Silence",
a song that stirs with gypsy romance.
Acclaimed not only as an exciting songwriter and live performer,
but, also, as a supreme song interpreter, for her freshly definitive
takes, Allison Crowe delivers a trio of remarkable covers on "This
Little Bird" - giving her singular voice to "A Case
of You" (Joni Mitchell's knowing paen to heart and
homeland), "Darling Be Home Soon" (John Sebastian's
lovin' spoonful of longing) and "I Never Loved A Man (The
Way I Love You)" (Ronnie Shannon's soulful song best-known
as Aretha Franklin's break-out tune in 1967).
Allison Crowe's soaring album, This Little Bird ****REVIEWS****
ALL of Allison's music can be found at Thistledown/Gitanos' in Corner Brook, NL and in St. John's, Newfoundland at:
This Little Bird is also available at Coast Books in Gibsons, B.C.
This Little Bird is distributed to shops across Canada by Festival Distribution (1-800-633-8282) Across the USA and throughout the world, retail music stores can order Allison Crowe CDs through the catalogue of Super D One-Stop. (For more details on specific store locations nearest you, please contact management@allisoncrowe.com ).
Live
at Wood Hall is an exciting journey through
Allison Crowe's concert repertoire, recorded with a simple clarity
in the converted chapel of Victoria (B.C.)'s Conservatory of Music.
Alongside more than an album's worth of original songs of love and
hope to social and political commentary, Allison covers cherished
favourites - including Ani DiFranco ("Independence Day"),
Counting Crows ("A Murder of One"), Tori Amos
("Playboy Mommy"), Janis Joplin ("Me and
Bobby McGee"), and John Lennon ("Imagine").
Colours in the artist's musical palette range from roots &
blues, through folk, pop/rock, jazz and Broadway. There's even a
tradtional Irish aire, "Believe Me If All (Those Endearing
Young Charms)", sung acapella. Once again, Larry Anschell
(Turtle Studios) captures the music on tape and Alix Whitmire
designs the beautiful artwork/CD cover. " 'Music, man, that's
where it's at'/ it is a religious line/ outside, the chimes rung/ an
they/ are still ringin." ****REVIEWS****
Live at Wood Hall is available in Nanaimo, B.C at Fascinating Rhythm 250-716-9997, Lobelia's Lair 250-753-5440, HMV, FutureShop and other fine stores. On Mayne Island, hop to Tree Frog Gallery. In Victoria, B.C. come to Lyle's Place, HMV+.
Live at Wood Hall is distributed to shops across Canada by Festival Distribution (1-800-633-8282) Across the USA and throughout the world, retail music stores can order Allison Crowe CDs through the catalogue of Super D One-Stop. (For more details on specific store locations nearest you, please contact management@allisoncrowe.com ).
"Music for the season and all time"
Tidings brings together traditional carols, and not-so-traditional songs, all interpreted, even redefined, through the vocal and piano artistry of Allison Crowe. It's a much-loved collection tagged "the Yule-tide find of the year" by one music critic. "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... be prepared to be amazed," says another reviewer. Tidings is popular year-round - not just during the Christmas season when it's a natural. The album's songs are recorded, live-off-the-floor, on Winter's eve in Canada by Engineer & Producer Larry Anschell, (Pearl Jam, Sarah McLachlan, k-os), who captures the magic at his Turtle Recording studio by the shore in White Rock, British Columbia.
Tidings' track-listing: It Came Upon a Midnight Clear (Traditional); River (Joni Mitchell); Hallelujah (Leonard Cohen); Silent Night (Traditional); In the Bleak Midwinter (Traditional); What Child Is This - Greensleeves (Traditional); Let It Be (The Beatles); The First Noel (Traditional); In My Life (The Beatles); O Holy Night (Traditional); Shine a Light (Mick Jagger/Keith Richards); Angel (Sarah McLachlan). ****REVIEWS****
Peace on Earth ~ goodwill toward all.
Tidings is available at the following fine merchants (among others):
St. John's, NL ~ fred's
records
Chemainus, B.C. ~ Toad Hall Emporium
Duncan, B.C. ~ Zoya's
Ladysmith, B.C. ~ Salamander Books, 535 First Ave. 250-245-4726
Mayne Island, B.C. ~ Tree Frog Gallery 250-539-3551
Nanaimo, B.C. ~ Andrea Bertram Studio, Fascinating Rhythm 250-716-9997,
Lobelia's Lair
250-753-5440, Music World, HMV
Salt Spring Island, B.C. ~ Acoustic Planet Music, salt
spring sound
Sechelt, B.C. ~ Wind Song Gallery
Sidney, B.C. ~ Mainly Music
Ucluelet, B.C. ~ Words End Book Sellers
Vancouver, B.C. ~ Delicados (W. Hastings & Richards), High Life (Commercial
Drive), Red Cat Records (Main & 26th),
Zulu Records
(1972 W. Fourth Ave., 604-738-3232), HMV, Virgin
Records+
Victoria, B.C. ~ Lyle's Place, HMV+
And, of course, all stores across Canada can stock "Tidings" by ordering through Festival Distribution (1-800-633-8282) Across the USA and throughout the world, retail music stores can order Allison Crowe CDs through the catalogue of Super D One-Stop. (For more details on specific store locations nearest you, please contact management@allisoncrowe.com ).
Secrets
Allison Crowe recorded this solo, singer-songwriter, album in 2004.
First setting up a home studio, Allison engineered and assisted with
production (alongside Rainer Willeke of Canadian r'n'b combo, Soul
Station). Allison performs all vocals (lead and harmonies),
plays piano, guitar, keyboards and added percussive 'thumps' to the
collection. Secrets contains a mix of tunes from Allison's
"band days" (some of which are radically redefined),
freshly-penned songs, and a couple of choice picks from other
artists: Counting
Crows' brooding "Raining in Baltimore" ~ the
first song Allison performed when she launched her career as a
singer-songwriter; and "Joan of Arc", a shining
exemplar of Leonard
Cohen's poetic brilliance. Guest artists contributing to Secrets
are: Del Crowe (guitar); Jo Lundstrom (accordion); Eric
Reiswig (Uilleann pipes); and Rainer Willeke (tambourine).
****REVIEWS****
Merchants: Nanaimo, B.C. - Andrea Bertram Studios, Fascinating Rhythm 250-716-9997, Music World, Lobelia's Lair 250-753-5440, HMV, Future Shop; Gibsons, B.C. ~ Coast Books; Mayne Island, B.C. - Tree Frog Gallery 250-539-3551; Ucluelet, B,C. - Words End Book Sellers; Victoria, B.C. - Lyle's Place, HMV+; Sidney, B.C. - Mainly Music; Salt Spring Island - Acoustic Planet, salt spring sound, & Waterfront Gallery; Vancouver, B.C. - Zulu Records (West Fourth), Red Cat Records (Main & 26th), Virgin Records, HMV; St. John's, NL - fred's records (198 Duckworth).
Secrets is distributed to shops across Canada by Festival Distribution (1-800-633-8282) Across the USA and throughout the world, retail music stores can order Allison Crowe CDs through the catalogue of Super D One-Stop. (For more details on specific store locations nearest you, please contact management@allisoncrowe.com ).
Lisa's
Song+ 6 Songs The first track on this disc was
recorded live-off-the-floor, in April 2003, by Rick Erickson of Seacoast
Sound in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. The six songs that
follow "Lisa's Song" were recorded
live-off-the-floor one afternoon on analog tape by Engineer and
Producer Larry Anschell (Pearl Jam, Sarah McLachlan, Soundgarden+),
at his Turtle Studios in White Rock, B.C. Allison Crowe and
bandmates, Dave Baird (bass), Kevin Clevette (drums), stopped into
Turtle while on their way to perform in Seattle, Washington, USA for
"Jammers" - fans of Pearl Jam converging from all across
America and the world. The essential truth of the trio's July 2001
session is captured in these live, raw, grooves. ****REVIEWS****
Please visit Lisa's Page to learn about Lisa Marie Young, the inspiration for the title song.
Lisa's Song + 6 Songs EP is available at the following retail outlets in Canada:
St. John's, NL ~ fred's
records
Chilliwack, B.C. ~ Bozzini's
Nanaimo, B.C. ~ Fascinating Rhythm 250-716-9997, Lobelia's
Lair 250-753-5440
Vancouver, B.C. ~ Zulu Records
Victoria, B.C. ~ Lyle's Place
Kelowna, B.C. ~ The Verve
Across the USA and throughout the world, retail music stores can order Lisa's Song + 6 Songs CDs through the catalogue of Super D One-Stop. (For more details on specific store locations nearest you, please contact management@allisoncrowe.com ).
Allison's "6 Songs+"
CD (containing Fade Away, two versions of Midnight, Crayon & Ink,
Dark Blue, Scared, Philosophy, & Midnight - Version 2002) is available
through Canadian HMV outlets and:
Mayne Island, B.C. ~ Treefrog Gallery & Natural Clothing
Nanaimo, B.C. ~ Fascinating Rhythm250-716-9997 ****REVIEWS****
Nationally & Internationally "6 Songs+" is available through:
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+ Locally
Lantzville, B.C.
Lyle's Place ~ 711 Goldstream, 250-478-9272
Nanaimo, B.C.
Fascinating Rhythm ~ 51 Commercial Street, 250-716-9997;
Lobelia's Lair
#8 - 321 Wesley St., 250-753-5440
Sudbury, Ontario
Records on Wheels ~ 56 Elm Street, 705-675-6617
Toronto, Ontario
Dragonfly Music ~ 808 York Mills Road (& Leslie Street), 416-443-1530
-- Orders: 1-800-761-6048
Vancouver, B.C.
Red Cat Records ~ 4305 Main Street , 604-708-9422
Victoria, B.C.
Lyle's Place ~ 770 Yates Street, 250-382-8422
