Customer Reviews

No Angel Knows

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Slaid Cleaves , according to the photos in the liners of his two CDs (this one & "Broke Down"), might have had a brilliant career as a golf pro, a magazine editor or could have been gobbled up and spit out by corporate Nashville, but noooo! Instead, he became a FOLK SINGER and I'm sure there were winter nights up in Maine when his parents -- Craiger & Jenny (really, check his website) -- must have sat at their kitchen table consoling each other, that, well, they acknowledge that their son has high intelligence, COULD be a brain surgeon or rocket scientist...but he really DOES have talent, yes?, and it seems to make him happy...

He has talent, yes, and he makes me, a listener unknown to him or his family, happy. This is the "boy" (OK, he's 35) whom we old country-folkies, old enough to be his folks, had hoped would come along to lead the next generation of musical storytellers.

Now a resident of Austin, and a professional drug-taken for a pharmacy company there, Slaid's way of writing and singing a song is a Godsend to those of us who can't quite get behind urban folk in the way we wish we could. His voice is direct, gentle and a little country, sincere and clear. The production on his CDs is wonderful. His songs are honest and descriptive. He reminds me a bit of Tom Dundee and a bit of Greg Brown but he's not like either of them. He's bright and sensitive and not particularly angst-ridden, as far as I can tell, and that's _OK_, and I recommend him very, very hightly to you.

I just recently met Slaid Cleaves, at the Blackthorne Tavern in MA, where he played for an audience of about twenty people. About one year prior to this, exactly one year actually I had gotten this very album. In due time this heartfelt work took up near constant rotation in my CD player. The songs he writes are not the happiest things, but they're very deep, and beautifully crafted. If you have a somber side, or have ever lost someone you cared about, these songs echo those feelings. Highly recommended.

I met Slaid at the Kerrville Folk Festival a few years ago. Slaid won the New Folk songwriting contest that year, and for good reason. In my 10 years working staff at the folk festival this is one of the best artists I heard. Slaid mixes country, folk and blues influences, writes beautiful tunes and heart-wrenching lyrics. Buy this CD. You won't regret it.

When I was in college, my parents saw Slaid in concert in Ripton, VT and they bought this album. If a CD could turn white from overplay, my family's copy would long ago. It took me two years to be able to see him myself, upon his return to Ripton and it was well worth it. Now, nothing beats seeing Slaid live, but his albums are great. I still cry at "Lyddie" (on "Broke Down") and "Don't Tell Me" is one of my top ten favorite songs of all time. If I had to be stranded on a desert island with only ten CDs, this would be one of them.

Slaid Cleaves' music makes you realize why we love music in the first place. He has hard, true lyrics with a voice to match.

Another great album from one of the really nice guys making music. Slaid is a fantastic songwriter and singer, not to mention his performances. His songs touch your every heart string and, simply put, you will never be the same after listening to his music. The combination of toe-tapping melody and great vocals make this CD a great addition to any collection and places Slaid in the category of Best of the Unknown on the folk scene. Thanks for the music, Slaid, and keep it up.

"No Angel Knows" is such a good album filled with wonderful songwriting. Slaid Cleaves has a voice reminiscent of Hank Williams,Sr. I highly recommend this album to anyone who appreciates sounds of the past, like The Louvin Brothers, Hank Williams,Sr. and Woody Guthrie.

Slaid Cleaves is awesome. This is another artist that makes me want to make sure I own everything he has done. It is all good. Great song writing and excellent music all around. You can't go wrong with Slaid.

But i was not all that impressed...