Joined : July 12, 2008
I agree with SaReGaMa... this is another beautiful album and I am fast becoming an admirer of yours. Yet you did not correct the first track (or a couple of less troublesome errors), and I don't understand why you would not take the time to do this, unless you consider your listeners on Jamendo to be unimportant... Your listeners will respect you and your obvious talent if you respect them also and provide them with your best work.
Some music worth listening to many times here. I'll download it once you've fixed the mistakes ;-)
For me, this track is a Sunday morning, enjoying a lazy breakfast in the sunshine. While personally I prefer the simplicity of his album, One Quiet Week, where the piano sound is pure and uncomplicated, I admire the versatility and inventiveness of this artist. I felt the rhythm was a little intrusive for my taste (could it have worked without?) but everything else about it was delightful. Sunny, relaxed and easy-going music - what's not to like!
A real treat for the ears, with a sound that is liquid, soothing and relaxing but never boring. It makes me think of a river, flowing from source to ocean, the water changing pace and adapting but never losing sight of what it is.
In places it reminds me of Einaudi (which is a compliment), particularly Small Short Waltz. The album is short, and I would have loved more, but it has variety and every track is strong and is quite different from the last but contributes to the whole.
I think this is a talented musician and composer, and I wish him every success - he clearly deserves it. (I also like the name both of the artist and of the album!) I wish I could understand what the text says, but the important thing is that no translation is required for his wonderful music.
Each time I listen to One Quiet Week I like it more and more. This is one I will listen to frequently! It is gentle and not intrusive, but is far more than 'background music' and is going to be a new favourite for me.
I am impressed by the maturity and sincerity that this artist brings to all of her music. On an initial listen, some tracks grab me more than others on This Little Bird, but Allison's voice remains beguiling throughout.
The rare quality that she brings to her songs is the honesty which is conveyed by the way she sings and plays as much as by the words themselves. It's like spending time with an old and dear friend as she shares her reflections on things happening in her life and tries to figure it all out. I am currently hearing some of these songs for the first time and while there is a clear stand-out track (Skeletons and Spirits), I think this album will continue to grow on me.
Truly beautiful music which takes the listener on a journey of emotions, ranging from introspective and melancholy, through stirring and joyful, drama and suspense, to a sense of deep peace. Each track paints a picture, and it's easy to imagine the film that would accompany such a visual score.
The variety means that at any one time some tracks will suit my mood more than others, whether the refinement and delicacy of the more reflective tracks which are so beautifully put together, or the gorgeous blend of percussion with strings to create a darker mood which is found in some tracks. It's this variety, though, that keeps the album interesting and which, I think, does call to mind a classic film. A more modern sound is introduced later in the album, but is combined to good effect with the more traditional sound of the orchestra, and makes an interesting twist in the tale of this collection.
The earlier tracks create moods and a strong sense of time, whereas the final tracks create for me a sense of place (as is perhaps intended, from their titles). What wonderful music for creating a scene in a computer game. My overall impression is that the artist has used a palette full of sounds to depict some very different scenes that complement and contrast to form an enchanting album.
Now to discover Aeon and Aeon 3. If they are as impressive as this, I will be happy indeed!
Allison Crowe is currently right there at the top of the front page of Jamendo, creating a great first impression for all of us who are discovering the site at this time. And rightly so, for she is a talented songwriter, who blends the best of other artists and yet creates something uniquely her own from those guiding influences.
This is intelligent songwriting, with lyrics that at times seem to lay bare her soul with courage and sincerity. I like the fact that Allison has risen above genre and refuses to be boxed into any one style. It would be hard to tire of such a versatile artist.
While part of the appeal of Jamendo for me is the 'discovery' of exciting new sounds from fresh and inventive artists, it's nonetheless encouraging to find an established talent sharing her work on Jamendo.
This is my first review on Jamendo, moved to write by this beautiful music - an inventive, but always elegant, blend of sounds. I love the emotional depth that characterises this album, from the reflective passages and moments of pure beauty that feel like being part of a sunrise or floating with the clouds, to sweeping grandeur, heart-racing urgency and the hint of menace which occasionally emerges from beneath the surface. Here can be found so many of life's emotions and experiences, not as caricatures but as complex and intense things, sometimes changing from moment to moment, often recurring. The music is surprising, moving, and impressive from start to finish.
I hope you will produce more music and wish you très grande chance in your musical career. There's no question of 'average quality', I too believe you have an amazing talent. Thank you for your generosity in sharing this with us, John.
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