Customer Reviews

Northeast Kingdom

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This CD (which I think dates from early 1998) is an absolute classic of alt-country, one which stands up to and repays repeated listening. The songs run a gamut of different styles, from faux Child Ballad ("Dar Glasgow"), to Replacements-style power pop ("Rose in the Vine", "Black-Eyed Susan"), to Western swing ("White Lies"), to mandolin-laced folk ("All Blue"), to arena-rock ("Deadman's Curve", to straight-on country weeper ("Crawling"), with not a weak song, or even a mediocre, song in the bunch. What binds them together is Knight's affecting alto voice, the sustained excellence of Steve Earle's production, and the consistent interest of Knight's lyrics. She takes what she knows - rural life, commercial flower farming, creeping maturity - and fashions compelling fictions. The title number is among the most poetic pop songs ever, a Faulknerian portrait of repression and sensuality in three verses and a chorus. The musicians, including Will Rigby, Earle, Emmylou Harris, and Knight on bass, are wonderful, too. A desert-island disc.

No depression here, and I'm eager for her next release. The Twang Trust provide rich production values to accompany genre-crossing rock and roll. In the 70's I was a big fan of the overlooked singer-songwriters; this CD reminds me of those overlooked gems. Why didn't Cheri sing more with the Blood Oranges? This CD fits well between Lucinda William's "Car Wheels on a Gravel Road" and Steve Earle's "Transcendental Blues". Her lyrics are almost nonsensical if you examine them closely, but you don't mind because her phrasing and vocal style is mesmerizing. If you are bored with overrated country rock bands, swallow your skepticism and buy this album!

Cheri Knight was a member of the obscure but influential alternative country-rock outfit, the Blood Oranges. Her Blood Oranges compositions were the hardest rocking and least overtly country songs on their albums, in my opinion. The Northeast Kingdom has her branching out into some Celtic folk sounds, too, with Dar Glasgow. Black-eyed Susie really rocks out in a grungy greasy Southern rock way. I was pleasantly surprised at the diversity. Cheri has some powerful pipes, but even on the quieter songs her low purr is resonant and distinctive. This is a rich and accomplished recording from a genuine talent with a distinctive and lovely voice. This can take repeated playing without losing its luster.

lucinda williams is the southern cheri knight. and that's selling cheri short.

I must be missing something -- why haven't we seen more Cheri Knight? The Northeast Kingdom has it all -- thoughtful lyrics with that interesting New England twist, humor and ... does it rock! Cheri, you make me believe in female rockers! There is not a bummer on this whole album. The only bummer is: why haven't we seen anything else since? Buy this album!

From droning, Celtic-influenced folk to hard-edged country twang, Knight (ex-Blood Oranges) sings with the directness of Kelly Willis and the pop sensibilities of Matthew Sweet. But where Willis' extra-Country excursions can sound contrived, and Sweet's penchant for 70s jamming can get tiresome, Knight's production team of Steve Earle and Ray Kennedy ably follow her musical twists and turns, keeping everything on track.

The album is full of exhilarating songs and segues. The mandolin of "All Blue" that emerges from the distortion of "Dead Man's Curve" grabs the listener's attention with its simplicity and purity, while the chiming guitar and harmonies of "Rose In The Vine" lift the listener up, deepening the plunge into the country fiddle and blue mood of "If Wishes Were Horses."

Earle plays all manner of stringed instruments, ex-dB Will Rigby provides punchy drumming, and guest harmonies from Emmylou Harris and Siobhan Kennedy supply a finishing touch.

Without reservation I rated this disc the best of the 90's. I like it even more every time I listen to it. Her vocals are by far the strongest feature, but her facility with a variety of musical styles is amazing as well.

The previous reviewer nailed this album. A Neil Young/Crazy Horse comparison induced me to buy it, and while that comparison is valid over only a few cuts, the album stands on its own. It is amazing.

This may be the best album I've heard in years. The songs are catchy, they stay with you. I try to avoid the temptation of wearing it out. Keep it in the car for those hour long trips or put it somewhere to listen to after the kids are asleep and listen to it start to finish. The production and imagery are incredible.

The Northeast Kingdom was my favorite album of 1998, outstripping such justly-celebrated artists as Lucinda Williams, Billy Bragg/Wilco, PJ Harvey, and Lauryn Hill. The genre is probably alt-country, but the range on these songs is amazing - from the first song, Dar Glasgow, which could have been a Child Ballad if there had been feminists to write them, to country swing (White Lies), to arena rock (Deadman's Curve), to psychedelic art rock (The Northeast Kingdom), to full-bore cry-in-your-beer steel-guitar heartbreak (Crawling). And the quality is consistently amazing. To my mind, there are maybe two weak tracks on the CD, and they are both totally infectious; they would be standouts on most other albums. I have owned this for 14 months; it has never been out of heavy rotation on my CD player, and my favorite song changes weekly. The lyrics are uniformly strong, whether she's writing in a pseudo-traditional mode or more complex arty stuff. They are poetic but not heavy-handed, and capable of sustained attention by adults. The production by Steve Earle and Ray Kennedy is perfect - easily a match for their work on Earle's own records and Lucinda Williams - as are the harmony vocals from Emmylou Harris. Knight's vibratoless alto voice is a bit of an acquired taste, but far from unlovely. If Knight had a slightly better voice (or got someone else to do her singing) and more promotion, she would be a superstar.

This is a '98 release and an incredible recording. For some reason Amazon has deleted their contemporary review of the album and earlier customer comments. This music and Cheri Knight deserves all the attention they can get. Here is their "Best of" review: Amazon.com's Best of 1998 Former Blood Orange Cheri Knight has hit her highest marks with Northeast Kingdom. The mix of rootsy rock and folky textures gives Knight's tunes an upfront urgency and a surrounding sponginess that quickly draws listeners into these pithy dramas. Roomy production from the TwangTrust (Steve Earle and Ray Kennedy) allows Knight's heavyhearted lyrics to unfurl with a full range of colors, putting Northeast Kingdom leaps ahead of many 1998 releases.