Daybreak

Sierra Hull | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 8, 2011)
• Original Release Date: 2011
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Rounder
• ASIN: B004K7M6X8
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,626 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #26 in Music > Country > Bluegrass > General

Editorial Reviews

Rounder Records is pleased to announce the release of 19-year old mandolin prodigy, Sierra Hull's Daybreak. Produced by Union Station bassist Barry Bales, Daybreak is the much anticipated follow-up to her 2008 hit, Secrets, which The Associated Press described as follows: "Combine the angelic voice of Alison Krauss with the fiery mandolin picking of Rhonda Vincent and you have the sound of Sierra Hull on Secrets...It's dominated by her mandolin and vocal dynamics few artists of any age ever master."

Hull penned 7 of the 12 songs on Daybreak, a collection that stands up quite well next to the outside material. There's a pair of sprightly instrumentals, her first-ever western swing number and several songs that show her emotional sophistication. In songs that fall squarely in the bluegrass tradition, feelings are out in the open; during country-leaning compositions, she ponders relationships from more introspective angles, and the title track--a breathtaking pop ballad--is the most ruminative moment of all.

One of the most respected artists in the new school of bluegrass, Hull has received 5 IBMA (International Bluegrass Music Association) nominations in the past 3 years and is the first bluegrass musician to receive Berklee School of Music's prestigious Presidential Scholarship.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bright Days Ahead for Hull with 'Daybreak", March 9, 2011

By 

Timothy Yap "thy4568" (Sydney, NSW, Australia) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Daybreak (Audio CD)

Prime Cuts: Daybreak, Best Buy, Wouldn't Matter to Me

It would be criminal to ignore Hull's sophomore effort "Daybreak." This is an indispensable landmark disc as far as the genre of progressive bluegrass is concerned. While many of Hull's peers are entrenched in the latest beat and trends, the 19 year-old Hull has gone for the heart and her roots. As a result she has made bluegrass palatable, rejuvenating and youthful again. Comparisons with Alison Krauss are inevitable as both divalets are from the same recording imprint, the inexorable Rounder Records. Vocally both of them are close cousins with Hull having Krauss' crystalline clarity as well as her controlled modulation that brings a sparkling purity to these songs. Further, both of them have great veneration for tradition rooting the backings of their songs in the rustic riffs of the banjo, fiddles, steel and acoustic guitar. Just like Krauss, Hull has taken John Pennell's (a Krauss favourite writer) "Don't Pick Me Up" as well as contributing 7 songs of her own.

Relative to her debut "Secrets," Hull has grown in her song writing by leaps and bounds. Most evident is her poignant title track "Daybreak." Bathed in a tear stained delivery, this spiritual nod to God in the face of pain is one of the most beautiful ballads written by Hull ever. Though nothing can top the title cut "Daybreak," "Tell Me Tomorrow" a deprecating denial piece with Hull begging her no-good dud not to tell her about their impending break-up until tomorrow. And we all know how she wished tomorrow would not come. Such lyrical subtlety and maturity certainly belies Hull's youthfulness. Hull certainly stretches herself stylistically with the western swing "Best Buy." With nothing to do with the electronics store giant of the same name, "Best Buy" is a kiss off that is devilishly good.

Songwriter Kevin McClung gets two cuts here: both of them are equally superb. Lead single "Easy Come, Easy Go" (not the same song as George Strait's hit from a few years back) is a slow brooding blues-tinged acoustic piece that has a haunting quality to it calling to mind Krauss' "Ghost in this House." While is McClung's other composition is the plaintive "Wouldn't Matter to Me" which excels because of its picturesque lyrics that shows rather than tell the feelings of what heartbreak is. Just like Gospel music is an essential parcel of most bluegrass records, Hull has wisely chosen the lesser known Doyle Lawson and the Quicksilver's "Land of the Living." Backed by a heavenly four part harmony, "Land of the Living" has that old time Gospel feel to it lilted refreshingly by Hull's girlish vocals.

Two instrumentals "Chasing Skies" and "Bombshell" are interspersed in the disc. Both of them showcase Hull's tour de force skills on the mandolin. On the whole, if you are into bluegrass fusion where roots music meet elements of modern country, jazzy innovations and tuneful Western swings, "Daybreak" has it all. Showing more depth, a great portfolio of style and still retaining her angelic vocals, "Daybreak" is such a welcome addition of great music.

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Green Grass & Mandolins, March 14, 2011

By 

Cabir Marc Davis (Amazon) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Daybreak (Audio CD)

This sophomore disc by Sierra Hull is a vast improvement over her debut disc. Of course, with the amount of recognition shes getting this time around, a lot of listeners have mistakenly attributed this to be her first outing (which was actually 2008's "Secrets"). That album was six years in the making, recorded since Hull was 13, and the results - while interesting - were definitely not what would make one reach for the repeat button. Things take a turn for the better on "Daybreak", which should cement her position as a tour de force on the country/bluegrass music scene.

Initial impressions are that this is a fine mix between the sounds of Alison Krauss and Union Station, with a lot more mandolin thrown in. Indeed, Hull's voice has all the affectations of a younger Krauss, and has a honey-drenched sweetness about her that is hard not to find endearing. I first discovered Hull through Wildy's World, an online resource that made it a point to source out and review upcoming artists. When they gave "Daybreak" the unique tag of being one of the few 'desert island' discs in existence, one had to take note. And while it most certainly is perhaps one of the best country albums released in 2011, its classic status is debatable as (at the time of writing) it remains a relatively new release.

The interesting thing about this record is that even though its most obviously not a Christian or religious record, there are certain gospel elements here and there that actually work (without being too obvious about it). The instrumentation, vocalization, and some of the lyrics are subtle in what they imply - and this is a good thing as it opens the record up to very different audiences. "Daybreak" is unique in its own right, because its' very talented performer is evidently very hands-on with both the song composition and the background instruments - its this sort of obvious attention to detail that makes the album a winner.

Try to get a physical copy of the CD because the production on this one is especially stellar - its one of those 'reference discs' that you can test your home theater equipment on because the vocals and musical instruments are layered very well, and neither of them overwhelm the other - not to mention the vocal clarity here is a thing of wonder. Just my two cents.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars the prodigy evolves, March 16, 2011

By 

Paul S. Wilson "paul" (Highland Village, Texas USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Daybreak (Audio CD)

Very good stuff!

I really enjoyed every cut on the album.
Sierra's musicianship is unquestioned, and it shines endlessly.

But her vocals are improving with maturity, the fine harmonies notwithstanding.

The sky is absolutely the limit for this emerging artist. Who knows how high she can soar at the rate she is going.

While yes, this is bluegrass music, any number of the songs have a very contemporary feel to them and come off more modern than traditional, even though the instruments themselves are all traditional accoustic.

A fine effort, worth many hearings.