Crooked Still has brought back the sound
K. Grest | Vienna, Austria | 06/08/2010
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I have been a Crooked Still fan from the beginning. I really liked their album "Shaken By a Low Sound" and was hoping that the group would return to that kind of sound. After a few line-up changes I feel like they have really brought it for "Some Strange Country". They continue to develop a characteristic sound and their albums have constant rotation in my listening queue. I recommend this album and any of their others to fans of bands such as The Be Good Tanyas, Mumford and Sons, and also to the fans of the more mainstream sounds of Alison Krauss."
Beautiful playing, haunting vocals, and surprising arrangeme
J. K. Barry | TX | 05/18/2010
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Coming just a year after the aptly-named limited release live album Live, Some Strange Country is just what I craved - a combination of the incredible songs from Live with the studio mastering of Crooked Still's last studio album Still Crooked. Lead singer Aoife O'Donovan croons her hauntingly beautiful vocals amidst the inspired playing of Tristan Clarridge (cello), Corey DiMario (upright bass), Gregory Liszt (banjo), and Brittany Haas (violin) and shows that young musicians can, indeed, have old souls.
To current fans: Some Strange Country is another album that will need a permanent residence in your album queue.
To newcomers: Take a listen to a few of the tracks and I'm sure it won't be long before you, too, are a fan."
Three Standing Ovations ....
P. Jensen | Central NH | 05/22/2010
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Saw this five piece ensemble for the first time last night, Friday, May 21st, 2010, at Carol Noonan's "Stone Mountain Arts Center" in Brownfield Maine (The Water is Wide: Inspired By the Stone Mountain Arts Center). What an enchanting evening! These musicians clearly love playing together - they also clearly love it when they have an audience to share their fun with. They were joined during several pieces by Sarah Jarosz (Song Up in Her Head) who is traveling with them as the front act for many performances. Their music was a delight to hear - a unique artistic beauty embedded in each composition - superb technical mastery from each instrument - and exceptional delivery in the performance. After such a great show I just had to see if they could somehow capture the magic of a great performance in a collection of recordings. I've downloaded the MP3 album and am listening as I write. This set of recordings delivers the same excitement and perfection they displayed on stage - their show last night earned them Three Standing Ovations from a packed house - the "Some Strange Country" sessions show the listener why. Get a copy of Some Strange Country - you'll be a fan in very short order."