Customer Reviews

Adieu False Heart

5 star:		(54)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Ronstadt does it again! This time she's made another duet album, and like the excellent one she made with Emmylou Harris, WESTERN WALL: THE TUCSON SESSIONS, it is a true collaboration, both partners sharing equally in the spotlight. As another reviewer here noted, these two voices blend so beautifully that it's hard to tell where one begins and the other takes over. Popping the disc into my changer for the first time, and a half minute into the title song, which comes on the heels of a brief instrumental intro., there were already goose bumps on my skin. Every tune here has its charms, but highlights include two lovely Richard Thompson covers, a fine bluegrass ballad by Bill Monroe, and an understated, gorgeous version of "Walk Away Renee." The John Jacob Niles song, "Go Away From My Window," which I had always associated with Joan Baez, gives Linda an occasion to hit some of those thrilling high notes she's capable of, but elsewhere on this CD, Ronstadt is unusually subdued. I don't mean this in a negative way at all, but it is very different from what one would expect, even from an artist who has done so much genre-jumping in her career. Ann Savoy was never a singer I knew much more about than what I learned upon seeing a couple of recent television interviews about this record with her and Linda together. She seemed like a charming individual, but their conversation did not prepare me for the surprise of this fine album. Guess she is yet another female singer I will want to catch up with, because she easily holds her own with superstar Ronstadt! Anyone who likes great acoustic music and flawless close harmony singing will love ADIEU FALSE HEART. Get it now; you won't be sorry!

I have been a fan of Linda Ronstadt's ever since I heard her first radio hit, "Different Drum" in 1967. What hooked me was the emotionally charged 1970 hit "Long, Long Time." For that recorded performance, Miss Ronstadt received her first of nearly 30 Grammy nominations with 11 wins to date. After hearing this new collection with Cajun singer Ann Savoy (Pronounced Sa-Vwah) it's almost easy to predict an even dozen for this multi-dimensional vocalist. Just when you thought she has covered every genre of music from country to bluegrass, rock, pop, Mexican, and opera, she conquers another musical field that most mainstream artists wouldn't dare go near. Not because the sound of this album isn't delightful, it's just not accessible unless you have a gift as grand as Ronstadt's. If you've ever heard Ronstadt perform with the extraordinarily gifted Emmylou Harris, this album may be a reminder of how well she harmonizes and blends with the best of them. For those who aren't familiar with Savoy's vocals, you will be pleasantly pleased with the understating warmth and beauty of her voice. This only enriches Ronstadt's vocal abilities and allows her to soften the belt a notch that is so familiar and allow her to do some of the best singing of her career. This is most apparent on the track "Go Away From My Window" when Ronstadt channels her soprano muscles and the results are superb. For those who are wary and not sure you're in a Cajun mood, I assure you, this is not a Cajun style album. As a matter of fact, of the sixteen tracks, only two fit that genre and it sounds as if this duo has been harmonizing together longer than the few weeks it took to record these tracks. Their vocals are simply exquisite. The other tracks include an amazing cover of the 1960's pop hit, "Walk Away Renee" that has been slowed down and sung with such passion, their version harks back for the longing heartbreak of the original, but the mood is darker and the harmonies brought chills to my body and tears to my eyes. Most of the album is a shared effort but Ronstadt does take the lead on such highlights as "I Can't Get Over You" and "King of Bohemia" while Savoy takes the reins on "Marie Mouri," "Burn's Supper," the title track and a magnificent take on "The One I Love Is Gone." If you're in the mood to just chill and absorb some of the most luscious vocals ever set down on wax, pick up this magnificent collection. It may be titled Adieu False Heart, but there's nothing false about the contents, it has plenty of heart, and I assure you, you won't ever want to bid it adieu.

This collection of songs is from many genres. There are a few cajun tunes, blue grass songs, and a pop song. Even though the background of the songs is varied, they are pulled together into a cohesive whole on this CD. The vocal harmonizing is lovely, and the selection of accompaniment is perfect. The people performing on this album are serious about their music, and it shows.

The songs are all very smooth and on the quiet side. I suppose as if one were floating down a long slow river in the hot sun. I highly recommend it.

While driving, I popped this cd in to pass the time. Within a few seconds, I felt myself listening very hard to the magical sounds of the first cut. I was so preoccupied with what I was hearing that I pulled into a parking lot and just sat there listening. Certain combinations of sounds and resonances of tone actually have a physical effect on me. I have this experience while playing old protestant hymns on the piano...some of those chords. It feels as if the sound is actually plucking the strings of your heart! My heart seemed to swell with emotion and I got tears in my eyes at the collaboration on Just Walk Away Renee....What is it about that song?

Miss Linda and Miss Ann have struck a true chord with me on this lovely album. You get the feeling that they revel in the creation as much as the listener does. That makes it a more profoundly enjoyable experience than many other "good" albums. They create magic in my opinion. What a lucky cooperative effort! Thank you two so much!

Rondstadt and I are about the same age. I have loved her music since Stone Poneys. I did not follow her in her later years. I listen to mostly indie rock these days (apart from jazz and blues) and to hear this album and her voice and talent, so strong and so mature is just tingling. Ann Savoy is a Cajun Folk Singer and her voice melds so well and equally with Ronstadt's. The Cajun violin is not the hot & peppy blue grass... but a haunting violin that chills your bones. Listen to the tracks Amazon has on here. The opening one will give you a accurate sense of what I mean by haunting violin. And just listen to the Amazon Bill Maher's Fishbowl video of Rondstadt and Savoy singing Walk Away Renee... not only is the sound quality really good but for those of you who remember the original, you won't believe how scintillating the song is when Rondstadt and Savoy sing it. As soon as I listened to that video stream, I ordered the album (I only buy maybe a dozen albums a year across all the genre I listen to.)

I bought "Adieu False Heart" on the strength of one cut, "Walk Away Renee," heard on the radio (WFUV). It does not disappoint. Linda Ronstadt previously has recorded with some of the most talented vocalists on earth, but Ann Savoy's voice is a superb, made-in-heaven match with Linda Ronstadt's. The result is timeless songs which will never grow old.

A surprising off-note is struck in the Amazon Fishbowl video clip, which contains live versions of "Walk Away Renee" and "Too Old To Die Young." No, there's nothing wrong with the music. In fact, the video provides great insight into the dynamics between Ronstadt, Savoy, and the musicians. The problem lies in the 5-minute interview segment between, hosted by Bill Maier. It is in stunningly bad taste. Maier lashes into Ronstadt from the get-go, archly implying that her previous music is "boring," and dismissing it as "Mexican, immigrant, Latino." Then he turns his acid tongue on Savoy, asking point-blank whether her Cajun songs are "good music, or do we feel sorry for them just because they had a flood"? To her credit, Savoy sidesteps the unprovoked calumny. But when Ronstadt mentions Savoy's previous recordings in French, Maier promptly brands her a "traitor." Just to make sure he didn't miss insulting anyone, Maier turns on Las Vegas (where Ronstadt had a singing gig), asserting that "everybody in Las Vegas is a whore."

I was left gape-mouthed in astonishment that Amazon would not merely tolerate, but actually sponsor, this scandalous trashing of two talented musicians. I am hereby reporting the "Amazon Fishbowl" video clip as an offensive and objectionable post, which needs to be cleaned up by deleting the hamhanded interview segment in its entirety. Is this any way to flog records? I bloody well think not!

Ronstadt certainly did some nice work as a solo artist, but then she started doing albums with other artists (Trio and Trio II with Emmylou Harris and Dolly Parton and Western Wall with Harris). While those were fine albums, the blending of Rondstadt's voice in this album with that of Ann Savoy is just about as good as it gets. You will swear they are blood sisters when your hear how well the voices blend together. Rondstadt has finally found her musical soul mate in Ann Savoy and this may be some of her best work ever. I never heard of Ann Savoy, but she sure sounds wonderful with Rondstadt.

One criticism of the album which almost knocked a star off in my rating. There are 16 tracks, which makes it look like you are getting 16 vocals. Four of the tracks (Opening, Closing and two Interludes) are instrumental pieces that don't even run that long (about 30 seconds to just over 1 minute for each). The remaining 12 songs run only about 40 minutes total in length, so this is not a very long album. The shortness of the album can be forgiven to some extent by the outstanding songs.

Note that a couple of the songs are in Cajun French, I think. Also note that this is NOT an album of fast, catchy, bouncy, loud songs. Instead, the songs are soft and slow, but very beautiful.

I've been a fan of Linda's for years. (And bless her soul for introducing me to the music of the late Rosie Clooney.)

I heard Linda and Ann do "Walk Away Renee" on Fishbowl and decided if every other track on the CD was just dead air, that one track was worth the purchase price.

What I got for my money has to be one of the most beautiful music CDs of all time.

Thank you Linda; thank you Ann!

jack

From the first strains of the instrumental opening the stage is set for this rich and evocative recording to unfold and take you on a rewarding musical journey. Together,the voices of Ronstadt and Savoy blend gracefully and weave together to create some breathtaking harmonies. The musicians accompanying them make every note matter and play with precision and passion. Julie Millers's tender country ballad "I Can't Get Over You" is handled with such care by Ronstadt and sung with such heart that the result is one of her most moving performances to date. Likewise, Ann Savoy's lead vocal on Richard Thompson's "Burn's Supper" is staggering. As if this weren't enough, there's a knockout version of "Walk Away Renee" to close the record. That's not to say that everything in between is any less than wonderful. The project is a work of art from beginning to end and the kind of timeless music that you will come back to again and again.

With uncomplicated beauty, Linda Ronstadt and Ann Savoy have given us an outstanding album of unusual music. Recorded at The Cypress House on Bayou Tesche in Parks, Louisiana, these songs could be described as Cajun Celtic Bluegrass. I love the toe-tapping Celtic bluegrass numbers mixed with Cajun ballads sung in French and the instrumental interludes consisting of dulcimers and resophonic violas. The harmonies are truly awesome. And these ladies give us a cover of Walk Away Renee that is stunningly beautiful. If you enjoying collecting rare flowers, this CD is for you.