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 ****REVIEWS****
$16.99 CAD (includes S/H)
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****
$16.99 CAD (includes S/H)
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****
$19.99 CAD (includes S/H)
"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.
$16.99 CAD (includes S/H)
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****
$16.99 CAD (includes S/H)
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.
$9.99 CAD (includes S/H)
Designed by rock poster art legend Bob Masse. Visit Bob's website and check out all his beautiful posters ~ of Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin, Cream, Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, The Grateful Dead, Tori Amos and more. This Allison Crowe concert poster is 13.5" X 22.5" in modern psychedelic hues. $14.99 CAD (includes S/H).
NB Artist Bob Masse has located a small cache of this poster in his collection - making it once again available after years of being sold-out.
