Customer Reviews

Halos & Horns

5 star:		(69)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

Dolly Parton has had a slew of creative success behind her past few albums, so its no surprise once again she's turned in a commanding performance on HALOS AND HORNS her newest offering. The album opens with the title track, which has excellent harmony vocals. The album has interesting concepts, for one she covers two well known songs: Bread's "If" and Led Zepplin's "Stairway to Heaven". As well two of her own past hits get retreatment, "What a Heartache" and "Shattered Image". The remaining 10 songs are all brand new, and some of her most inspired. "Hello God" recalls 9/11 and offers peace, "These Old Bones" has Dolly role playing, "I'm Gone" is a fun quirky leave-your-man kind of song. The album's first single and video is "Dagger Through the Heart", and Dolly does heartbreak well. Overall HALOS AND HORNS is another winner, so be sure to add it to your collection.

I must say this album blew me away. I listened to the first track "Halos and Horns" and had to play it again. I did that on every song, and thought I'm never going to get to the end of this album cause it's all so good. I think I played "Hello God" three times. When I finally finished the cd I was amazed at it's depth. It made me laugh on "These Old Bones" and "I'm Gone". I nearly cried on "Hello God" and "Not for Me". I got chills on "Raven Dove" and "Stairway to Heaven," which is a standout as "Shine" was on the awesome Little Sparrow released last year. If this project doesn't award her another grammy I will be shocked. Halos and Horns incorporates the splendor of Hungry Again, Heartsongs, The Grass is Blue and Little Sparrow all into one disc. Dolly's vocals are breathtaking as she soars over the bluegrass, gospel and traditional country numbers with ease. "Dagger Through the Heart" is Dolly at her vocal best. This disc far surpasses Oh Brother Where Art Thou and also tops her last two masterpieces. I've lisened to this cd so much in the last six days, and I love it even more now. This is the best country or bluegrass cd in a long time. I rank it as her best work and that is saying a lot as I have loved her since the early 80's.

"Haloes and Horns" continues where "Little Sparrow" left off. However, to Parton's credit, she doesn't retread the last CD. There's a bit more production going on here, and the tone is less spare than "Little Sparrow". Also, she successfully experiments with gospel flavors on several tracks, notably "Dear God", which sounds like it might have been written in response to 9/11.

As for the cover of "Stairway to Heaven", when I heard she'd done one I thought she must've flipped her lid. Didn't she learn anything from Madonna doing "American Pie"? Boy, was I wrong! Besides really claiming the song for bluegrass, she alters the lyrics a bit - as if just covering this classic weren't tempting fate enough - and 'makes you wonder' why you ever doubted her ability to make the song her own.

What she holds over from the last CD is her ability to cover the total emotional spectrum, from the depths of sorrow ("Not For Me") to take-this-relationship-and-shove-it bravado ("I'm Gone"). This is especially impressive this time out because Parton writes almost every song on this album and produces it all as well.

She's obviously been riding a creative high for a few years now and pumping out a top notch effort every year. If "Haloes and Horns" is any indication, she shows no sign of slowing down anytime soon.

Dolly Parton will always remain my favorite singer. I think she possesses unique qualities, her voice is so poignant and beautiful, and her style of songwriting is so endearing and beautiful. I was really impressed with HALOS AND HORNS. It's useless to compare this to LITTLE SPARROW or THE GRASS IS BLUE, this one stands on its own as they both also do. This is the first album that Dolly produced on the own. She wrote all the tracks, except the two tracks that she covered. This time she took the liberty of covering Bread's "If" and Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven". I think she offers a unique twist on these classics. As well she gives two of her past songs a new twist, "What A Heartache" and "Shattered Image" both get a revamped sound, very nice. Then we have 10 brand new tracks, or at least the first we've heard of them. The terribly sad "Not For Me" was actually written by Dolly about 35 years ago when she first arrived in Nashville, its a heart wrenching song, a definite highlight. "If Only" was originally going to be used for the Mae West movie she was going to star in, but they didn't want it, so she used it here, great track. The slated first single and video is planned to be "I'm Gone", a tongue in cheek song about a woman leaving her man. "John Daniel" and "These Old Bones" are classic country, done Dolly style. "These Old Bones" has Dolly singing in her mother's voice. Interesting twist. "Hello God" was a song written after 9/11, a beautiful song, one of the best on the CD. "Sugar Hill" was a song Dolly wrote after thinking of her record label's name. The musicians on this album come from Dolly's new road band. Overall HALOS AND HORNS is a great CD, classic Dolly all around. This is one CD to look out for this year, once again Dolly does not disapoint.

After 35 years in the business and over 50 albums to her credit, Dolly Parton comes up with one of the best albums of her career with her latest release, "HALOS AND HORNS". Not being a huge fan of bluegrass, I was totally blown away by this record. The haunting vocals, superior songwriting, and outstanding musical arrangements on this CD, combine to create on wicked CD! As the CD plays on, you totally forget that you are listening to bluegrass! Few artists are able to accomplish this feat.

Dolly really shows off her songwriting and vocal ability on the stand-out track "These Old Bones". What begins as a humorous novelty song, soon takes a tragic turn and Dolly delivers a powerhouse performance with some purpose. This story song is very reminicent of her earlier works like "Me And Little Andy", "Joshua", and "The Coat Of Many Colors".

Dolly also proves that she is not afraid to cover some of the most popular songs in pop culture, by tackling Led Zepplin's "Stairway To Heaven" and Bread's "If". Not only is Dolly fearless with these two tracks, she delivers versions that I find superior to the originals.

It doesn't take long for Dolly to show her horns and sense of humor on this particular CD. With the tracks "Sugar Hill" and "I'm Gone", you get vintage Dolly Parton, performing songs that will surely put a smile on your face!

Never failing to show her spiritual side, Ms. Parton rounds out this collection with the musically sound and lyricly beautiful tracks "Hello God" and "Raven Dove". If you've ever liked Dolly Parton and purchased one of her records, now is the time to re-discover her all over again. You will NOT be disappointed.

#1 HALOS AND HORNS- This Is A Very Nice Song good harmonies and instramintation 4.3/5
#2 SUGAR HILL- Now this song is fun with banjos and harmonicas
with funny lines like "Down in the mill pond swimming naked showing more than we should have showed" Then Halfway Through The Song Things Elevate And Has A Choir In The Background Wich Sounds Beautiful Then At The End The Song Speeds Up Pretty Fast Then Ends "Up On Sugar Hill" 5/5
#3 NOT FOR ME-This Is As Slow As It Gets although The Sound Clips Make It Sound Kind Of Boring but if you listen to the whole song it would probly change your mind about this song.
It is very beautiful and calm, it might not be your favorite but I LIKE IT 5/5
#4 HELLO GOD- This is the song that did the best on the charts, It Was not a Hit but it made it up to #60 on the country charts
Dolly Also made a music video for it from the CMA Awards in 2002.
Anyways The Song Starts Out Kind Of Quiet in The First Part Then Comes The Choir and More music. So If You Like Dollys More Recent CD FOR GOD AND COUNTRY You Would Like This One Like I Do 5/5
#5 IF -I Dont Have Much To Say About This Song, Dolly Could Have Exchanged this song for another one but its good I like the mandolin and banjo solos the most 3.6/5
#6 SHATTERD IMAGE- This Song Originaly appered on dollys ALL I CAN DO album back in 1970 or something and the updated version sounds better than ever with a new verse (The Old Version Had 3 Verse's and this one has 4 Verse's)4.3/5
#7 THESE OLD BONES- This song is very uniqe some people will like it some wont but when I listend to the song for then first time I was very suprised the other voice on here that dose not really sound like dolly. the sound clips only tell half the story
because dolly plays an old mountain woman on the chours and on a few verses. And Dolly's real voice on the rest of the verses, and on the final chorus dolly sings with her normal voice and her old mountain woman voice together, I guess you can say she dose a duet with herself. The Song is about 6 mins long and the lyrics in the booklet take up 2 pages. one her most creative songs 4.9/5
#8 WHAT A HEARTACHE- This is the third time dolly has recorded this song. It was on her rinstone album (soundtrack from the movie) Currently Unavalible, Then the next version on EAGLE WHEN SHE FLIES Album (Still Avalible in the ocasional music store)Is The Best Version, Now Its on HALOS AND HORNS and I think Dolly puts too much emotion in it And The Backgroung music sounds not very profeshional. 2.8/5
#9 IM GONE- Dolly is going to leave you with a whole bunch of stuff and you'll have alot of explaining to do (You Will Understand What I Mean If You Hear The Whole Song).
Dolly Has Made A Music Video For This Song and although it did not make it on to the charts the music video is quite funny it feartures dolly being attacked by an alien and UFO's.
If You Think The Song Sounds boring in the sound clip you will be happy to know that the song gets better as it goes on. 5/5
#10 RAVEN DOVE-Dolly Parton said that she wrote this song at about 2:00 am in the morning, Strange Huh?.This song is another song about peace and love However Her Voice sounds strained around the end of the song but if you take that out you have a beautiful song 3.7/5
#11 DAGGER THROUGH THE HEART-This Song Is Full Bluegrass No Choirs, No Drums, And No Electric Instraments. I think dollys voice is best on this song Same with the background singers.
This was the first single on the album and the first music video on the album 5/5
#12 IF ONLY-I Think this is the most sad song on the album but so beautiful and great at the same time. 5/5
#13 JOHN DANEIL-A GREAT SONG 5/5
#14 STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN- I Think This is the best cover of someone elses song in years I love it! The Sound Clips make it sound very slow and not exciting, DONT BE FOOLED LIKE I WAS!!!
Because the part you were listening to was the very begining of the song. Later on the song picks up a bit when dolly sings "OH! MAKES ME WONDER" Then comes the really nice harmonies then the drums come in and it sounds more uplifting. Dont forget the banjo solos then the song speeds up and the choir comes in and it sounds perfect! But then the magic ends when the song ends
"And She's Buying A Stairway to Heaven"
5/5 ALL THE WAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Overall this is a great album, its just a notch behind little sparrow and the grass is blue. And All Of The Songs Were Writen By Dolly Exept For Stairway To Heaven And If. At april 2003 Halos And Horns has sold over 230,000 copies not far from Little sparrow wich sold 270,000 copies so far. The Grass Is Blue Sold about 210,000 Copies or more.

If you choose or not choose to by this Great Album I Also Recommend LITTLE SPARROW (Avalible) THE GRASS IS BLUE (Avalible) and HUNGARY AGAIN (Used CD's may be Avalible) These Four CD's Are Dollys Best Work Yet!!!

Dolly Also Has 2 More Albums Out. One Is FOR GOD AND COUNTRY wich features Country and some bluegrass music. And the other CD is LIVE AND WELL

Many fans of both Dolly Parton and bluegrass music (I count myself in both camps, thank you) had long hoped for a bluegrassy, traditional recording from Dolly. We have been rewarded far beyond expectations with a moving, enchanting, stunning recording. Parton not only has perhaps the most distinctive female voice in the history of recorded American music, she is also one of our best songwriters. On Halos and Horns, she presents us with some gems from her earlier recordings as well as some wonderful new songs -- all of which rank among her very best work.

The one disappointment for me is the unnecessary cover of David Gates' "If". It was an innocuous and uninteresting ballad when first recorded, and alas, it still is, even in the hands of Dolly. But Dolly more than compensates for this with the cover "Stairway to Heaven", about which many have already commented. I will simply say that it works, and works marvelously. I am already planning to ask her to cover "Fool in the Rain" for her next album...

If you buy one traditional/bluegrass/Americana CD this year (and it has been a good year for our music) buy this one.

I've been a fan of Dolly for many years, but I am truly amazed by this CD. It is simply one great song after another. Its hard to pick a favorite song, but if I had to it would be "These Old Bones". What a brilliant song/work of art. Its a sweet and sad story told in a bold and beautiful fashion. I am moved to tears every time I hear it. You go Dolly!! Other favorites.. Halos and Horns, Sugar Hill, Hello God, Shattered Image, I'm Gone, Raven Dove, Dagger Through The Heart, If Only, John Daniel, and Stairway to Heaven. If you want a great collection of country music, then buy this CD at once! Its Dolly Parton at her very best. Pure "magic"

.....when I first heard it at a listening booth in New York. There was no hesitation in buying this CD. I read one review that said this CD is dreadful. Well, everyone's taste is not alike. This CD is fantastic! I really like the songwriting, as well as the vocal and instrumental arrangements; also Dolly Parton is singing her you-know-what off. My favorite tunes thus far is "Halos and Horns", "If Only", and "Raven Dove" (I think that is the title of the song). Yeah sure Dolly Parton has obtained superstar status, but when it comes down to it, she is a brilliant songwriter. I will also purchase "Grass is Blue" and "Jolene". I'm hooked on you Dolly!

I love Dolly Parton, and i'm only 13 years old. And when i got this cd (wow, it's the best!Dolly's vocal,snogwriting is amazng!!) but this cd you won't be sorry !!