Customer Reviews

For the Beauty of Wynona

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Although Beauty Of Wynona is an excellent album judged on its own merits, inevitably it will be compared with the singular masterpiece Acadie. Lacking that one's wealth of enthralling songs, it nevertheless impresses with its own gems like Still Learning How To Crawl, Sleeping In The Devil's Bed and The Unbreakable Chain. The folky song with snatches of French here is The Collection of Marie Claire while Unbreakable Chain, the moving story of a mother and son's reunion, has that same French feel. Another touching song is Lotta Love with its chiming guitars, a tale of addiction and redemption. Indian has Native American drumming and reminds me slightly of Joni Mitchell's Lakota on Chalk Mark In A Rainstorm. The production is magical, as to be expected from Lanois: atmospheric instrumentation - including evocative synths - backing his soulful voice. This is a very good album offering much in the way of stirring, memorable music and Lanois remains true to his vision.

This is one of the all time great rock albums. Lanois has created his own niche that will inevitably not be filled by others. It is too personal and distinctive the combination of its strong imagery and totally controlled (but sometimes wild) sound. The imagery in Rocky World can proudly stand next to that of any song. "Jenny has religion, she sinks in her chair / She's made a decision to color her hair / the black man cut the sugar cane / she watches the rain / in a building away from the rocky world." Unbelievable. Lanois' other album, Acadie, is the natural precursor to this one.

If you only can afford, have room for or wish to own one cd, it better be this one. No single collection of songs, no other style of music or overwhelming feel-good-philosophy can compete with Daniel Lanois gift to mankind. Play it for a year, let it rest for a couple, return to the Beauty of Wynona....
I have, and I always will.

I hope my cd player is solar powered so I can listen to my favorite disc for eternity on my desert island paradise! Daniel has written & produced the soundtrack for my SOUL! I love every nuance of his production on both his & all the artists he has worked with. I feel he has taken Dylan & P. Gabriel to euphoric heights. I hear something fresh upon every spin. It is artists like Daniel that keep me afloat in this "Rocky World". I have purchased at least 15 copies of this masterpiece over the years and blessed many with it's grace & awesome beauty.

As a resident of Miami Beach I had never heard of this guy until my little brother in San Diego brought him to my attention. We both play guitar, and just last week I heard it in Poway for the first time.

I managed to buy it tonight in South Beach after a rather difficult search in Valentine's Day traffic. It was worth it. My brother and I both play guitar and I usually listen to New Orleans guitar music or Austin or Chicago/Lincoln Avenue.

What makes it reach that level of "brilliance" is the desire to experiment with African-style percussion. Danny seems like a kid who in a few years will be the Jay McInerny of the rock and roll market.

I received this CD as a gift from my ex-boyfriend brought it back for me from the New Orleans Jazz festival a few years ago. When I first listened to it, the sound sort of threw me off and I didn't think I liked it. A few weeks later we went to see him live. Lanois was mesmerising-magical. Unfortunately I had already traded the CD back to my boyfriend for some cheezy German rap CD I had purchased for him. What a mistake! I ended up rebuying Winona and listening to it enormously. It's remarkable. I think the only reason I didn't appreciate it right off was based on the dilution of bad music exposure which resulted in a confused reaction to true brilliance. Just like Vermeer is an artist's artist I understand why Lanois produces for U2. This record is phenomenal.

Give Daniel Lanois his due...this guy has been making others sound great then he humbly applies his talents to his own music and look what happens. This album is truly a work of art. It has something for everyone and everything for some. DL uses innovation likes its found at the corner store and yet he is able to strike again and again at our inner chord that makes music so precious. This will be in my ready to listen selection for as long as I have ears. Interpret it yourself, Wynona is meant to be discovered...over and over again.

I "discovered" this one a few years ago while I was working as a DJ at my college radio station. I loved it-- I loved it so much, in fact, that I "appropriated" it from the station (something I normally don't do)... Of course, the station asked me to return it and I was forced to buy my own copy. There's my Daniel Lanois story. This one is more complex, musically and lyrically, than "Acadie" and shows that, in addition to being superproducer to the superstars (U2, Peter Gabriel, and, recently, Bob Dylan), Lanois has spent a great deal of time honing his own talent. Still, his own music is very much like the work he produces for others-- it's not about the latest fad, it's about stimulating, challenging music that will stand the test of time. If you're ready for a surreal ride, this one's for you. But, please, buy a copy--don't steal it from someone.

An excellent album. Loved it for years. But what the hell is "American Edition" (besides a means of messing up the cover)? "Acadie" is also a must-hear. Canadian Edition.

This is one of my favorite top 15 albums of all time. I like it even better than I like Acadie. Daniel Lanois does not get the credit he deserves for both his producing and for his own music.