Customer Reviews

New Day

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4 star:		(1)
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It's been six years since Claire's last original album. It's easy to forget why her voice is held in such high esteem by so many. NEW DAY will remind all her fans and likely convert many new ones. Her singing is just glorious. The arrangements strike an almost miraculous balance among the amazingly adept instrumentalists, Claire's front and center vocalizing and the someone unusual but entirely welcome prominence given to her harmony singers. One can hardly find better playing than that of David Harvey on mandolin, Jim Hurst on guitar, the ubiquitous Stuart Duncan and Andrea Zonn on fiddles, Rob Ickes on dobro, Alison Brown and Charlie Cushman on banjos, and Missy Raines on bass. Jim Hurst, Claire herself and others form a chorus on almost every song-a bit unusual, as I've said, given that too often in other recordings the harmony singers are buried so deep as to be nearly inaudible. Not so here. Soaring above the instrumentalists and the choristers is Claire singing so subtly and beautifully.

Patty Loveless, Alison Krauss, and Claire Lynch-my, we are lucky to have them all! Such voices and recordings balance out the dreck which passes for country music on radio.

Every song is fine, quite a few spectacular. Claire shows her writing chops as writer or cowriter of the splendid "Long After I'm Gone" (with Pat Alger), "River of Dreams" (with Jess Leary), and "I Believe in Forever." The covers chosen couldn't be better: "Fallin' in Love" (Henry Hipkens) is the best of several fine swing numbers and so ingratiating it must bring a smile to even the darkest spirit; a beautiful version of Mac McAnally's "Only Passing Through;" and a superb opening number-"Be Ready to Sail" (Pat Alger and Austin Cunningham). But, this listener's favorite is the goosebump-inducing "Down in the Valley" (Jess Leary and others). The whole world should hear a song this fine, intricate, and moving with Claire working wonders with her voice. Enjoy.

Playing Time - 42:06 -- Claire Lynch has carved out her own niche in the bluegrass and acoustic music field. The New York native, who relocated to Alabama at age 12, emerged on the bluegrass scene in 1974 when The Front Porch String Band (originally called "Hickory Wind") was formed in Birmingham. That was her beginning. She and her husband Larry, an accountant, disbanded the group in 1980 to start a family.

Another "new day" occurred when a reorganized Front Porch String Band toured again from 1990 to 1997, the year that Claire won the IBMA Female Vocalist of the Year Award. Claire's vocal presence is also noteworthy on various others' albums from such artists as John Starling, Dolly Parton, Kathy Mattea, Emmy Lou Harris, Linda Ronstadt, Pam Tillis and Patty Loveless. The mature and soulful singer keeps good company.

"New Day" is Claire's sixth solo album and represents another refreshing new journey for the petite woman with big voice. She now surrounds herself with some folks who are far from everyday average pickers. Lynch's hypnotic voice seems perfectly balanced with the praiseworthy support of Jim Hurst (guitar, vocals), David Harvey (mandolin, vocals) and Missy Raines (bass). Depending on the song selection that ranges from blues to ballads and bluegrass to swing, we also hear the able assistance of Charlie Cushman or Alison Brown on banjo, Stuart Duncan or Andrea Zonn on fiddle, Rob Ickes on dobro, and Larry Atamanuik on drums. Their buoyant groove makes for a pleasant ride.

Their repertoire comes from a variety of sources but always accentuating accessible melodies and bright lyricism. The opener, "Be Ready To Sail," reveals much emotional depth. "Train Long Gone" is a very catchy ditty. The funky beat of "Up This Hill and Down" conveys strength. A sensual midtempo swing number, "Fallin' in Love," is breezily romantic. A message of hope and inspiration is key to one of her Claire's own collaborations with Pat Alger called "Long After You're Gone." A savy uptempo bluegrass number, "Leavin' on that Evening Train," comes from the pen of Scott McAleer, a songwriter whose material is getting recognition as a result of being featured on recent albums from The Greasy Beans. Claire Lynch boasts an impressive track record, and she closes this album with a song, "I Believe in Forever," that epitomizes the spiritual glow that radiates from her entire performance. (Joe Ross, staff writer, Bluegrass Now)

Prime Cuts: Long After I'm Gone, Be Ready to Sail, I Believe in Forever

Ever since the success of Alison Krauss, many artists have tried to abridge the gulf between the bluegrass and contemporary country. Lynch, who has a silvery soprano not dissimilar to Krauss', has just the right vocal vehicle to do it. Exhibiting an even handedness in reflecting those swinging vocal inflections indigenous to bluegrass and the impassionate tincture indispensable to the vestiges of country ballads, Lynch tackles such a musical crossover with honors. However, the only regress is that it has taken Lynch six years to follow up her 2000 "Lovelight." For fans that have waited avariciously, "New Day" resplendently exudes a warm glow with songs that continue to bring depth and dimensions to Lynch's already bountiful canon.

During her time in between albums, Lynch has been no slouch. Rather, she has fined tune her craft of producing, single-handedly helming this album by herself. Creating a sympathetic underpinning of keening fiddles, moaning dobro and relentless steel, this is good news to those who like their country uncluttered. But the cynosure is definitely Lynch's voice: Listen to the verve behind her diction on the livid sounding Austin Cunningham and Pat Alger's "Be Ready to Sail." Alger who has been known for penning hit songs for Trisha Yearwood, Kathy Mattea and Garth Brooks, returns with "Long After I'm Gone" this time co-penning with Lynch herself. An inspirational homily to making the most of life a la Lee Ann Womack's "I Hope You Dance," "Long After I'm Gone" is refreshingly powerful with a message that ought to lift the spiritually lugubrious.

Lynch's mettle as a songwriter gets an added boost with the album closer "I Believe in Forever," a gentle Gospel-ballad that truly brings out an angelic quality to this New York-born chanteuse. Among the covers, Dennis Linde's "Train Long Gone," a surging blues ditty first recorded by Randy Travis, has undergone a metamorphosis. Performed with a spirited vim, Lynch turns "Train Long Gone" into a bluegrass extravagant. More pensive is MacMcAnally's "Only Passing Through." Lynch's more or less faithful read is no match for McAnally's original rendition, but this musical testament to the transient nature of our material world deserves an audience.

With most songs clocking below 4 minutes, Lynch knows that brevity is the soul of wit. And there's no added fat here. Every note is conspicuously sung and coupled with Lynch's engaging vocals, "New Day" has a low diet in monotony. Of all the many bluegrass cum country CDs, "New Day" dawns with a freshness making every moment of this Lynch created epoch count.

If this lady is not the "Patsy Cline of Bluegrass" I don't know who is. While Alison Krauss and Rhonda Vincent may be considered the "standards" for today's Progressive Bluegrass sound, nobody, and I mean nobody, can do more with a voice than Claire Lynch. She is amazing with her range flexibility and the tonal quality of her voice is haunting. Practically every cut on this new CD is great, although I'm not particularly drawn to "Western Swing", which she has included in the last couple of CD's .... the track on this one is "Fallin in Love". The rest are fantastic .... "Be Ready to Sail", the driving "White Train" and my favorite "I Believe in Forever". She's actually topped herself on this one. Buy it ... you'll see.

I will just add that in addition to the other fine songs on 'New Day' already mentioned, Claire breathes new life into "White Train" - an excellent and somewhat obscure song by the 80's rock band The dB's. It was later recorded by the country duo Foster & Lloyd, and REM also did a live version. All fine versions, but Claire and the band really soar on this. It also shows that in addition to her wonderful voice, Claire has a great eye (ear) for tunes that others might not deem good choices for a bluegrass band.

Claire was gone from the scene for a few years, and I kept looking for her new record. This is it and it's wonderful. Claire has a warm and vocally commanding presence. Another reviewer compared her to Alison Krauss, but I don't think that's quite right. Claire has a rounder (no pun intended) vocal tone and the perfect complement to the great accompaniment she always chooses. Where Alison Krauss has an almost brittle timbre, Claire's is rich and somehow sexy.

I like all the songs on this new CD. The songs are well chosen and diverse. If you have other Claire Lynch CDs and are wondering about this new one, you can buy with confidence. It's great.

While driving to the Outer Banks, NC, listening to the Bluegrass Junction on XM, I was pleasantly entertained by a 'live' performance by Claire Lynch and her band. I had never heard of her, but it didn't take long to realize this was a very talented young lady. After listening to several songs from "New Day", I decided to buy it. After all, the selections I heard on XM that day were great; if the rest of the cd was disappointing, oh well. But, that was not the case; far from it! The entire cd is full of invigorating, engaging songs, the kind you find yourself humming days after you've listened. Her message on "Be Ready to Sail" is uplifting;"Long After I'm Gone" is touching; and "I Believe in Forever" will having your heart singing. The tune "White Train" shows the versatility and talent this fine group possesses. 'Lord have mercy!'. You really need to try it!

Claire Lynch and her trio of musicians are a breath of fresh air.
My wife and grandchildren enjoy the music too.

My wife and I love Claire Lynch and have followed her career since her debut. We have all of her albums and she has yet to turn out anything short of perfection. Every holiday season, we purchase Claire Lynch albums to give as gifts. What I wonder is, why does New Day cost so much more than the others?