Customer Reviews

Going Driftless: An Artist's Tribute to Greg Brown

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I had never heard of Greg Brown before I recieved this CD as a gift. I love roots music, and am a fan of several of the artists on this CD, so I thought it would be a good collection. It turned out to be a great collection. Each artist featured has her own definitive style, but the common thread of Brown's songwriting knits this diverse group of talents into a cohesive, dynamic whole. I was particularly pleased to see Ferron included. Her style is so unique, so different, so... well, harsh in places, that she gives the entire CD a baseline or a foundation. Coming right after Ani DeFranco's rendition of "The Poet Game", "Where's Maria" sets up a true "roots" feeling for the rest of the CD. Speaking of Ani, well, her song on this collection is worth buying the CD for all by itself. Beautiful, intense, daring in some ways... it is a great cut.

I enjoy this CD. I love Brown's daughters' "Ella Mae" and the wonderful strains of Mary Chapin Carpenter's voice... reminiscent of her masterful "10,000 Miles" of several years ago... in short, "Going Driftless" is a great piece of mood music.

At first listen I was very disappointed. I ordered from the catalog and in the waiting had conjured up thoughts of what this recording would offer. There are probably a lot of G. Brown fans that fall into this same category but don't let that first listen fool you. This is not a cover album, it is each artist's personal interpretation and it is a remarkable project. Read the liner notes to get a feel for each performer. Most of you probably know these artist's for their own work and this comes through on this C.D.. This is great music done by a collection of great performers, including a very sweet and touching take on "Ella Mae" by Greg's three daughters. On top of all this the proceeds go to a worthwhile cause. You can't go wrong. It's a keeper, but catch and release to your friends.

After several weeks of constant play, "Driftless" wins my appreciation for both its celebration of Greg Brown's work and for its craftmanship. This well-chosen selection of expertly rendered songs shows a depth of appreciation and tribute to a fine singer-songwriter who has influenced a whole generation of contemporary folk musicians. Each woman on this disk reinterprets Brown in her own heartfelt way, some (of course) subjectively better than others -- I do think the Colvin piece is strong; I especially like Ani's "Poet Game," Karen Savoca's excellent piece, Kaplansky, Welch, Gilkyson, and of course Brown's daughter's "Ella May." But I like all the songs on this album. Unlike the vast majority of tribute albums out there, we can feel the love of the song in each performance, making for an album with no true weak spots.

The overall effect is a disk which offers excellent performances, each an intimate introduction or reintroduction to some fine songs, and, through these, a celebration of the poet who crafted them. It's sure to please fans of Greg Brown and the artists represented, and bring joy to those of us who love both. For myself, the more I listen to and enjoy this disk, the more I appreciate the genius of Greg Brown himself -- if that isn't the mark of a great tribute album, I don't know what is.

I am a loyal Greg Brown fan and when I first heard of this album, my reaction was,"How dare they!" But I went ahead and bought it anyway. It's funny how different all the reviews are as to favorites. The whole CD is a precious gem. I can't choose a favorite. I'm a librarian and have been playing it in the library all week. The overwhelming opinion is "magical".

Stellar, stellar! Across the board great interpretations of some very beautiful music. Ani DeFranco's "The Poet Game" is eerily gorgeous. If you don't know Greg Brown's music, this is a great introduction. If you do, this is an affirmation.

I saw Greg Brown perform a few years ago at a folk festival. Came across this CD while browsing and bought it because it was a way to get a sampling of a lot of artists I was interested in. I think it's a great record and now I am interested in finding out more about Greg Brown. I have not heard the originals of most of these songs, but think they're great on their own merit. A great surprise was hearing Karen Savoca on the same disc with so many accomplished artists - right where she belongs! Most people I talk to have never heard of Greg Brown (unless they're folkies). I hope this disc gets his music out to a wider audience.

I had never heard of Greg Brown before purchasing this cd. I was attracted to it by the Artists playing tribute on it like Ani,Gillian and Lucinda. I enjoyed the songs - especially Ani's version of The Poet Game, and Gillian's rendition of Summer Evening. After listening , I knew I had to check out the guy that all these wonderful artists were paying tribute to. Thanks to THIS cd, I have since become a Greg Brown fan, and saw him and his daughter Pieta in concert last night. Simply Brilliant!

I have eclectic musical tastes and hundreds of CDs, but Greg Brown is in a class by himself, maybe my favorite artist of all time. Having said that, his voice has limitations. What a treat to hear these stellar women's voices singing Greg's beautiful melodies and lyrics. My favorite song by far is Pieta, Constie and Zoe harmonizing sweetly on "Ella Mae" about their great-grandmother - a performance for the ages. All the rest of the tracks on this CD are merely superb. I can't recommend it highly enough. I would give it 10 stars if I could.

Great stuff, It's one of those albums you can't take off the turntable the first week. Lucy Kaplansky creeps in to your dreams with Small Dark Movie. And Robin Lee Berry steals
your heart on Hey Baby Hey.

Expressive lyrics sung by memorable voices that will soothe you. If you're a big fan of Greg Brown or a fan of one of those on this CD then BUY IT! Great recordings with an added bonus of the proceeds of this CD going to a charity.