Allison Moorer
Crows
Ryko
Allison Moorer has had her share of success. She was nominated for an Academy Award for “A Soft Place to Fall” from the movie The Horse Whisperer and she earned a Grammy nomination from her collaboration with husband Steve Earle in 2007. But mainstream success has eluded her. That should change with her latest stunning release, Crows.
On the opening track, “Abalone Sky” Moorer sounds a lot like Joan Osborne when she did a cover of Bob Dylan’s “Man in the Long Black Coat.”
“Just Another Fool” is the song that could break Moorer into the mainstream as her technically perfect, angelic voice takes what should be a mid-tempo bore of a song and makes it brilliant. Then she kicks it up a notch with “The Broken Girl.”
Moorer tests her range on “Should I Be Concerned” with jaw-dropping results. Vocally, the ace up her sleeve is her power, which she does not reveal often on this album, but when she does, she blows you away.
“The Stars & I (Mama’s Song)” is a sweetly beautiful track where she explores some of the better memories of her and her late mother.
Allison Moorer is the complete opposite of her sister Shelby Lynne. Where Lynne’s voice sounds weathered and is perfect for her alt-country sound, Moorer has a voice that sounds like she’s been professionally trained for decades. Her crystal-clear vocals and vibrato combine innocence with lyrics that provide gravity, all with the periodic lounge singer’s flirtatious undertones.
Allison Moorer: http://www.allisonmoorer.com
