Customer Reviews

Amen Corner

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This roots/Americana band has done it again. If you're familiar with their previous albums or their live shows, this will be something new and exciting for you. Starting with the first track, "Been Down this Road," the entire album has a wonderful homey feel to it. It's as if the members of the band are comfortable with each other, as they should be after so many years. From the track "Right in Tune":
"I got no worries, I got no doubts
'Cause I know we got it all worked out
You know your part and I know mine
And we're right in tune, me and you."
As on their older albums, each song has a strong feel of optimism. Master songwriter Todd Sheaffer has written some of his best songs to date for this album. With the addition of RRE's classic ability to masterfully orchestrate their songs (the driving sax on "Hard Livin'", the fabulously understated vocal harmony on "Been Down This Road", the floating lyricism of the mandolin on "Lonecroft Ramble"), the songs gain unparalleled life and emotion.
That said, some songs are better than others. "All Alone", while a great song, is sung with an undeniable channeling of Jerry Garcia. Some people might enjoy hearing a new Jerry tune, but it seems to betray RRE's ability to go in their own direction.
Still, when considering the album as a whole, this is the band's best work yet. It's sure to satisfy anyone that enjoys acoustic music or wants to hear some great musicianship.

I had to smile when I read Microborg's review, because I agree with it just about 100 percent, but one of my few differences of opinion concerns exactly where Todd seems to be channeling Jerry. Micro believes it's on "All Alone," which I think has Jeff Tweedy and Wilco written all over it! Great song, regardless. But when I first heard "You Never Know," I had to re-read the liner notes to make sure that RRE hadn't coaxed Garcia back for one last vocal encore! I STILL hear Jerry singing everytime I listen to that song. But, then again, I've believed that these boys have a definite Grateful Dead vibe from the first time I heard them, and every show I've gone to has only confirmed that.

There are no songs anything less than brilliant on this record, but two of them stand out for me. "Forecast" has an incredible instrumental hook, and I can't wait to hear where (and how far) they take this tune when they play it live.

"Little Bit O' Me" just blew me away from the get-go. I received a review copy of "Amen Corner" about 2 weeks before my daughter's graduation from college. I popped it in the CD player for my drive home from work, and by the time "Little Bit" was over, I literally was sitting in traffic with a smile on my face and tears rolling down my cheeks. It brought back all those memories and emotions a father feels during those milestone events in his children's lives. Twenty-two years of special moments just came flooding back. I still well up a little bit when I hear that song. I know Todd was inspired by the recent birth of his own child, and I hope he knows how universal his sentiments are, and how special that song is for all dads out here! Thanks, Todd!

And thanks, Microborg! :-)

All I can say about this album and this band is that they give me goosebumps every single time I hear something new from them.

In my opinion, Railroad Earth is quite simply the most underappreciated band in music today. They are creating music, both live and on album, that rivals anything I've heard from any of my favorite decades of music.

As a person who grew up listening to Neil Young, Bob Dylan, The Band and The Rolling Stones in my earliest years, and then U2, REM, Pearl Jam and many more in my twenties, I think Railroad Earth's music lives comfortably within this level of musical artistry.

Amen Corner is just another example of what Railroad Earth has to offer to the music world. I feel blessed to have this band in my life!

I'll have to agree with Microborg...they have definitely done it again!! I can't stop listening, and while I've only had it a few days - it has gone to work, in the car, and back home & I'm still listenin' and lovin' it. I have a sudden urge to drop everything and follow the band through their tour of the U.S. But alas, I will have to wait till they come closer to home in September. If you like their other albums and/or have seen them live, this will get you all hyped up to see them again. Buy it!!You won't be disappointed. =)

Without getting into a song by song analysis of this new CD by RRE I'd like to offer a few thoughts. This is a well written enjoyable recording executed with perfect musicianship. I disagree about this being a major departure from what they've done before but more of a good thing ain't a bad thing. There seems to have been a concerted effort not to "show off" instrumentaly and let the songcraft shine. I've seen these guys in concert and any one of them can explode into breathtaking solos(this is particulary true of fiddle player Tim Carbone).
So my recommendation is buy the CD, AND try to see them LIVE

Railroad Earth's most recent release (June 10), Amen Corner, was recorded in a 300-year-old farmhouse in the boonies of New Jersey (yes, they have farms in New Jersey), and is possibly their best effort yet beginning to end.

Amen Corner is one of those albums that takes a while to percolate. On first listen, nothing really stood out from the rest other than the fast-paced "Crossing the Gap," which not only is solid musically, but the lyrics hit home as well (a song about coming home from a long journey and looking across the Gap to Jersey). But after a few listens, I grew to love this album and haven't taken it out of rotation for several reasons.

First, it seems (to me at least) that this album is more mandolin-driven, which is a huge positive. Mandolin player John Skehan has always been very talented, but his picking shines through in this album more so than any previous album (to me, previous albums were more fiddle-driven). I love me some fiddle, and RRE's Tim Carbone is one of the best, but it's good to break it up once in a while. Skehan especially shines on the sole instrumental track on Amen Corner: "Lonecroft Ramble."

Second, lead vocalist Todd Sheaffer's songwriting is as good as ever. He's a master at crafting catchy, upbeat songs, and his opening lyrics on the album's first track "Been Down This Road" set the welcoming tone for the rest of the album: "Come around Amen Corner and there she's standing in the door/Staring in the eyes of my poor soul." "Right in Tune," Little Bit O' Me,"and "Lovin' You" are also standouts lyrically.

Third, Railroad Earth seems to incorporate much of their older roots on more traditional bluegrass anthems "Waggin' the Dog," "Bringin' My Baby Back Home," and "Crossing the Gap" (I just noticed that four of the songs include words with a dropped "g"). But RRE also experiments with new avenues, including the double saxophone on "Hard Livin.'" "The Forecast" has potential to be an epic live song, with mellow harmonies yet a driving rhythm that lends itself to a marathon jam.

Finally, the musical similarities between Sheaffer and the late Jerry Garcia are much more pronounced on this album, especially on two of the last three tracks: "All Alone" and "You Never Know." On "All Alone" Sheaffer's ethereal voice hearkens back to some of Garcia's slower ballads, and even the guitar effects are eerily similar to those on the Grateful Dead's Terrapin Station album. I don't see this as a bad thing, but it definitely begs the comparison.

This album isn't flawless, however, with some of the weak spots being the repetitive nature of "Bringin' My Baby Back Home" and "Waggin' the Dog." Also, while the album as a whole is quite solid (perhaps more so than any of their previous albums), there is no standout "goosebumps" song like on previous albums (i.e. crowd favourite "Long Way to Go").

I'm thoroughly enjoying Amen Corner so far, and am looking forward to seeing Railroad Earth live again in the future. They've shown that they have grown and matured musically, and this album is one of their best yet, and arguably one of the year's best album releases to date. I recommend it for seasoned bluegrass fans as well as music fans unfamiliar with the genre. It's a widely accessible album while still being complex and beautiful.

This is the stuff. These guys went into the studio (or farm house, rather) and came out with a collection of wonderful, finely-crafted tunes. I love RRE's live shows but I also love this CD which further explores the band's songwriting and arranging. If you like rock and bluegrass (not even that, necessarily), you will love Railroad Earth and "Amen Corner". Todd Sheaffer is becoming remindful of Jerry Garcia in his melodies and soulful singing, as on "Little Bit O' Me" and "All Alone", and that is about the highest compliment I can give. Get the "Elko" CD, too, for the live sound.

This is a wonderful recording. There's less glitz and more craft on the familiar Railroad Earth styles, with a beautiful layering of instruments, like multi-layered fabric across Todd Sheaffer's simple-yet-elegant lyrics. And there are some brash new sounds added to ever widening definition of the Railroad Earth "sound". The themes that run through Amen Corner are love (of course), birth and hope/fears for the future (The future becomes very much in your forethought for new parents!).

There are many changes of pace both in musical styles, and a diversity of moods on this CD. After starting with a folksy Been Down This Road, an almost hip-hoppy Hard Livin' comes crashin' in with it's multiple sax chorus, and electric guitar added to the normal RRE complement. As the album continues to zig and zag through different styles, I find that the remarkable thing is that the quality remains equally high from cut to cut. It might leave one with the feeling that there is no "star" cut. In truth, they are ALL shining stars that will grow inside you and pop into your mind at almost any given time.

This CD harkens me back to GD's American Beauty in its' consistency from piece to piece. And like American Beauty, decades down the road you will be listening to and enjoying Amen Corner on some marvelous, unimagined new playback device. Through those decades, you (and your children) will still be able to relate to the musical messages that this band left for us here in 2008.

Railroad Earth goes down smoothly. They wrap their words and instrumentation around every inch of my soul and squeeze it until it tingles all over. This album, aside from being long waited, has become a favorite of mine. I was hesitant, at first, to buy Amen Corner. The reason behind this was that it is a studio recorded CD....and no offense to studio works, but a lot of the time(largely a band with the live rep that RRE has)studio CD's are not up to the standards fans hold them to. This is not the case for Railroad Earth's Amen Corner. Every single song could be played on repeat for eons to come, and I wouldn't complain. Knockout album. Buy it and you WILL be calling me in the morning!

Another great album from these guys, showing off their songwriting ability and instrumental skills. This IS a studio album, so there is less down and dirty picking than live shows, and it is a bit of a creative departure from Elko. Go in without any preconceptions however, and let this album grow on you a bit...you will not be dissapointed!