Customer Reviews

Far From Enough

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

What we've got here is more glorious Heartland Jazz, right up there with the finest of Bill Frisell and Joel Harrison's spectacular Free Country.

Flawless interaction between dobro vet Jerry and Bill Frisell plying his usual trade of wacky and whacked-out acoustic and electric guitars. Sister Alison contributing mysterioso ambient vocals. That dusty, hardbitten South/Southwest sensibility. What more do you want?

If you're looking for pyrotechnics, this ain't the place. If you're after a mellow, bloozy, slightly off-kilter Midwest/Southern/Western vibe, this is your disc. Sorta like Ry Cooder's Mambo Sinuendo translated to the American Heartland.

Dig it.

This is another fine session involving guitarist Bill Frisell. He and Krauss made great music on the "Gone Just Like a Train" album, and this is something like a cross between that and "Nashville." The difference is that Krauss' compositions have a little more rigid form, and there are more up-tempo pieces. Those who look for the more esoteric material might come away disappointed. As expected, the interplay between Frisell and Jerry Douglas' dobro is exquisite; it echoes Frisell's great work with lap steel player Greg Leisz. Krauss plays very well throughout. I like that his writing fits somewhere in between jazz, instrumental rock, and bluegrass. Sister Allison Krauss adds fine vocals and some viola. As mentioned earlier, their cover of Robert Plant's "Big Log" is wonderful.

Most people are familiar with Viktor Krauss through his tenure as Lyle Lovett's bass player. He is also a well-known session player in the LA and Nashville circuit, which is what intrigued me to get this cd. This album is FAR different from any projects you associate him with. It is all instrumental, except for one track, which is a nicely done cover of Robert Plant's "Big Log", sung by his sister Alison Krauss. The rest of the album is very hard to describe. Very mellow and hypnotic tracks which seem to have a melting pot touch of Pink Floyd, Pat Metheny, blues, Zappa, and contemporary jazz. Very hard to classify. This album focuses on the compositions and the sound textures, and less on the Krauss' technical prowess (which is my only minor complaint). I would like to hear MORE of Krauss' bass chops, even though that was probably not the intent.

Found this record in the Bluegrass section (of all places) at our local J&R Music. Frankly I bought it because I liked the cover art and, at first, I didn't make the connection to big-star sister Alison. Expecting "edgy bluegrass" or "alt bluegrass" (e.g. Hackensaw Boys)I was blown away when I played it through. Bill Frisell's influence is clear throughout and Jerry Douglas is just so tasteful (as usual). All I can say is that this is a really fine album. Big canvas, broad wash of subtle colors underneath, fine details on top. It's a moody and reflective thing with a lot going on.

THE BAND: Viktor Krauss (all things bass, electric piano, guitar), Bill Frisell (electric & acoustic guitars), Jerry Douglas (guitars, dobro, lap steel guitar, Weissenborn), Steve Jordan (drums, percussion, conga), and Alison Krauss (backing atmospheric vocals).

THE DISC: (2004) Recorded at Sound Emporium and Brown Cloud in Nashville, TN. 12 songs clocking in at approximately 56 minutes. The disc comes with a 10-page booklet featuring songs (and the players on each song), song credits, band pictures and thank you's. Except for track 6 ("Big Log"), Krauss authored or co-authored all songs. Label - Nonesuch.

COMMENTS: Bluesy, Jazzy, New Age... hard to classify. With that being said, I found this disc in the "Country/Western" section of the store. Great background music. Cerebral, hypnotic, dreamy, eccentric. This disc gets better with age - perhaps as I get older (?)... and I bet the young audience simply won't connect with what their ears are hearing. Mood pieces such as "Overcast" and "Side Street", as well as elements of hard rock in "Grit Lap", "Here To Me" and "Tended". Viktor Krauss is a master on all makes of bass guitar... period. Krauss has been instrumental (as a session musician) in helping other feature artists make their records - including Lyle Lovett, Bill Frisell, Michael McDonald, Steve Forbert, Mary-Chapin Carpenter, Acoustic Alchemy, Jason White and sister Alison. It's about time he had his own release - and this one shines. "Far From Enough" is an instrumental album... containing only one gem-of-a-song with lyrics... a remake of Robert Plant's "Big Log" (Krauss is a big fan of Plant's and Led Zeppelin). He slows the "Big Log" down even more so and Allison's voice is simply devine here. Great disc. * Curious - my disc has a different photograph on the front cover... the same brown tinted black & white type photo, but it shows Krauss squatting down and leaning up against a garage... with an old VW Beetle on one side and a big bass in its case on the other (?).

Let me explain. This disc invokes images and moods, mostly shadows, sunsets, and lonesome highways. It stirs the emotions without overwhelming... conjures a spell reminiscent of those cast by older Fleetwood Mac instrumentals... and brings on the night as well as the sun going down in the desert or a cold beer in a smoky bar after work. It's as comfortable as your favorite slippers but as fresh as your clean skin after a shower. It's sad that Viktor isn't getting more exposure outside of his work as a studio musician, being Lyle Lovett's bassist, and having Alison as a sister. He's a talented musician and composer, and this disc has scarcely left my cd player since I bought it. My least favorite track is "Here To Be Me", although it is by no means bad... and my favorite is "Tended" (or is it "Overcast"?). Do yourself a favor: buy this disc, slip it into the cd player in your car and go for a long drive right at dusk - you won't regret it.

I highly recommend "Far From Enough." Combined with my love of guitarist Bill Frisell, I purchased the disc after hearing the National Public Radio review. While the album first sounded "watered down" compared to typical Frisell fare, it grew on me with time. It sounds most like the Americana of Bill Frisell's "Good Dog Happy Man" and "Nashville" meet the electricity of "Gone Like A Train." Jan P. Dennis poignantly described it as, "Sorta like Ry Cooder's Mambo Sinuendo translated to the American Heartland."

From dark to light and relaxed to rockin', the album has a good variety of music. While tracks like 'Overcast,' 'Side Street' and 'Sunday Afternoon Man' are very mellow, 'Git Lap' rips it up like 80's style coliseum rock. 'Here To Be Me' is an all out assault, armed with wah-wah and distortion pedals. 'Playground' is an abstract exercise in Frisell's atmospheric minimalism. Jerry Douglas does his best work in 'Tended,' an upbeat tune with a strong back beat. 'Philo' sounds like a bare-bones version of a tune off the "Bill Frisell Quartet" disc, an album of cinematic music. It took me awhile to appreciate Alison Krauss' contribution. While her atmospheric background vocals don't necessarily elevate the quality of the CD, they grew on me with time. The one ballad Viktor's sister actually sings is 'Big Log,' which melts from her sultry vocals.

Viktor Krauss did a fine job assembling quality musicians in conjunction with great songs. Whether as background music or as active listening, the disc works. As the debut Krauss album, I look forward to a follow-up. While "Far From Enough" initially seemed a bit watered down, it has come to take its place along side my favorite Frisell recordings.

Like the Miles Davis album "Kind of blue," this recording puts you in a mood that lasts the entire recording. Also, like kind of blue, I know this is a CD I will keep coming back to. Very nice work by Krauss and Frisell and Douglas are amazing together. Anytime you cross Frisell with such inspired compositions and a slide guitar - he comes thru shining. Frisell's playing is so patient - his timing truly unique, hence this wonderful album - lunch for your ears,,,

This CD is for everyone. I have recommended it to my Mom who likes to play jazz at dinner party's, my father who is a Robert Plant fan, and my sister in college who likes, well, Dave-Floyd-Phish-McLaughlinesque music. They have all been impressed. Personally, I listen to everything from metal to standards to opera. With such diverse taste, I truly appreciated this album since Krauss refuses to be typecast into one musical genre, and in doing so, creates a mood all his own. It is relaxing, without putting you to sleep. The melodies are complex without being busy. The musicianship is fantastic without being showy. I listen to it at work, at home, in the car, and even in my daughters nursery. My only complaint is that it is "far from enough"...Krauss should release more.

The compositions, the musicians, the production, all produce a release that should be award-winning and yet defies catagorization. The blend of roots/americana, jazz sensibility, and Nashville hot create a complete sound, all new yet seemingly familiar, almost traditional.

This is masterful, modern "fusion" that will appeal to both the musician who craves deep harmonic content and to the casual listener that just wants to relax and chill. The sum is greater than the parts and the parts (musicians) are incredible. Kind of like if you took the Paul Motian trio, the Nashville Cats, and Little Village and shook 'em all up in a box - but even better.