I have listened to this from track 1 to 15 over and over. Her voice is solid the backup instruments great and the songs just good to listen to. It's turned me on to a whole new genre of music. Worth every penny.
on Prairie Home Companion and thought it was the bomb. As you may know, I have a thing with Leslies, but in any case, my late partner, who totally admitted she had a tin ear and rarely commented on music that she hasn't heard many times, thought Adrienne's singing was genuine and moving. I agree and my ear, while furry, is Marvelously tuned to the sounds of humans: I love Ms. Young's voice. When will she play at Hardly Strictly this year???!!! (I missed Strawberry -in fact I've never been; no "pets" are allowed. I'm not a pet, I'm a DOG!)
Young takes traditional material and makes it sound fresh, and vice versa. I like the entire album except "Rastus Russell", but "Walls of Jericho" stands out as my favorite.
Not sure why the other reviewer said Adrienne would be compared to AK. They are NOTHING alike. First, AY plays guitar and banjo, not fiddle. She is a skinny blonde, not a chunky brunette. She is an alto, not a soprano. She is certified tree hugger, not a singer of Christian songs. She has a tentative stage presence, and is not the seasoned performer that is AK. That being said, this album is a lot of fun, with some tremendous songs on it. She is best when she is not preaching. Unfortunately she preaches too often. She tries to be a thinker (Art of Virtue), but is mostly a muddled "girlie hippie" at best ("It's All the Same" has a GREAT melody, but is very mushy new age pop-philosophical babble). Her Dead cover is as long as as boring as the original. Art of Virtue, Hills and Hollers, Jump the Broom are all a blast.
As a singer/songwriter trying to expand the expressive potential of bluegrass music, Ms. Young will inevitably be compared to Alison Krauss. But while Young's voice may lack Krauss's haunting intensity it's more workpersonlike and incisive. She's also a terrific songwriter. Highlights here are "Jump The Broom", the title tune, "Don't Get Weary" and her cover of the Grateful Dead's "Brokedown Palace". This album, btw, is much better than "Plow To The End Of The Row".
