Customer Reviews

Now That I've Found You: Collection

5 star:		(117)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Alison Krauss is definately a classy lady. I think this compilation is a well rounded effort which shows the multidimensional artist that is Alison Krauss. Whether she's on a tribute album, with Union Station, solo, producing, there always seems to be magic in the studio. NOW THAT I FOUND YOU: A COLLECTION gives listeners 3 new songs, 4 songs from tribute albums, and the rest from her past albums. First new song is "Now That I Found You", featuring as usual stunning vocals and beautiful instrumentation. We also have "Oh, Atlanta" and "Broadway" which are also new, and great songs. Probably one of her best known tribute songs was for the Keith Whitley tribute album, her and Union Station's cover of "When You Say Nothing At All". Keith would be proud. Elsewhere on this cd we have "I Don't Believe You've Met My Baby", "Tonight I'll Be Lonely Too", "Every Time You Say Goodbye", "Sleep On", "I Will", and many more. Overall this compilation should satisfy the biggest fans, and the ones who are just introducing themselves to Alison's music.

If you're just now reading a review of this six-year-old album you're probably a non-bluegrass fan like me who has just stumbled on Alison Krauss' amazing voice (thank you Coen brothers). So you're clicking through reviews to get a feel for an album that might appeal to you, well stop here - this is the one you're after.
As the title says this is a collection. It's perfectly paced from song to song and gives a full view of the range of AK's talent. There's bluegrass and standards and even gospel. For me the highlight of the album is the relatively obscure and simple Beatles song "I Will", AK's treatment of this just breaks your heart. The title song never sounded better anywhere, in fact I never cared for it until I heard it here. And Alison's classic "Every time you say Goodbye" makes bluegrass fans out of us non-believers. It's hard to leave a song out of the review, I find myself humming the pure bluegrass "Teardrops Will Kiss the Morning Dew" as I type.
Not a dull moment on this CD, not a song not to like. Alison's confident yet sweet soprano puts life and warmth in every song and she's backed on most songs by the talented Union Station and by her own incredible fiddle.
So you can stop sifting through the reviews, this is the Alison Krauss ablum you're looking for. This album may help you, like it has me, discover a delightful slice of American music you've been missing.

Alison Krauss, along with her band Union Station, is probably the best-known bluegrass artist currently recording. "Now That I Found You: A Collection" is a compilation of Alison's early work along with some new music. Even though she was only 23 when she released this CD in 1995, Alison had been recording since she was 16. Her pure voice shines through, and the songs are consistently excellent; however, three of them are real standouts.

"Baby, Now That I've Found You" is my favorite selection and simply one of the catchiest songs I've ever heard. Whenever I hear it, the tune gets imbedded into my mind and plays on a continuous loop for days. The song was originally a #11 pop hit in 1968 for the Foundations, who are perhaps better known for "Build Me Up Buttercup." It was only a minor country hit for Alison (#49 in 1995), although it netted her a Grammy for Best Country & Western Vocal Performance - Female. "When You Say Nothing At All" is Alison's biggest country hit, having peaked at #3 in 1995. What makes its success all the more amazing is that it was a #1 hit just seven years earlier for Keith Whitley. It's clearly become one of Alison's signature songs. The final standout for me is "I Will" written by those great bluegrass artists - Lennon and McCartney! Only a tremendous talent like Alison could make a Beatles song into a bluegrass masterpiece.

This CD was an unexpected hit - selling more than 2 million copies. It also helped Alison win 3 major Country Music Association Awards in 1995 - Horizon (best new artist), Female Vocalist, and Single of the Year for "When You Say Nothing At All." I'm by no means an expert on bluegrass, and I admit that most of the bluegrass CDs I own feature Alison Krauss. However, I certainly recognize quality music when I hear it, and "Now That I Found You: A Collection" is outstanding contemporary bluegrass. Most highly recommended.

Even though I tend towards classic rock as my main musical interest I had heard comments about Alison and her lovely voice and finally decided to check out this album, thinking it was a "greatest hits" album. It isn't: it's a retrospective of her career with a few wonderful new songs added as well. It demonstrates her development as an artist and the wide range of her musical abilities. Most of all, it is a truly enjoyable album.

This album has sold over two million copies and went to the top 15 of the pop music charts and number 2 on the country charts--which demonstrates that her music has wide appeal yet is hard to pigeonhole into one category. Alison and her band Union Station have won a total of nine Grammy awards (so far) in at least three categories (country, bluegrass, and gospel)--and they're still going strong. Yet, putting her into just those three categories still doesn't adequately describe her music: she is truly a unique perform! er.

Part of her uniqueness is that she's achieved her success just by being herself and doing it her way--rather than the usual commercialized way. She is so down to earth in concert you feel like you are listening to her in a park with some friends or could ask her out for coffee afterwards without reservations. She has not bought into the hype and commercialism of the modern music scene; I almost think she wouldn't care about the money, as long as she could still make the music she enjoys--and does SO well.

She has the most angelic, passionate, and achingly lovely voice I've ever heard. I frequently suffer from deep major depression, and Alison's singing is one of the few things that can still touch me in the midst of that. Sometimes I will just play this album or a few special songs over and over and over again when I'm really down in the pit of despair and let Alison remind me there IS still beauty and joy in this world.

This is an album I have giv! en many times as a gift, and it's always been well apprecia! ted. One friend wrote, "I just received nine other CDs from BMG, but "Now That I've Found You" is the one I play all the time." Another friend wrote a thank you note saying, "...I don't think I've ever received a birthday gift that I have enjoyed more. I mean it."

Alison's music is wonderful, and I know of no better album to start sampling it than "Now That I've Found You".

I can't describe how wonderful this recording is, but I'll try. Whether you like bluegrass or not, if you appreciate good singing, good playing, and wonderful melodies, this CD is for you. Many people have talked about how relaxing, soothing and peaceful (not to mention fun!) this collection is. It's that and more. These are songs that you will find yourself singing, humming, and thinking about after just a few listens. Alison does a wide range of covers, including the title track from the Foundations, a song by Bad Company ("Oh Atlanta"), and a wonderful version of the Beatles' "I Will." Now about Alison Krauss...

You can read here and in many other places about the enormous talent Alison has been blessed with. That is obvious in the initial hearing of the CD. I appreciate the talent, but even more I appreciate the love that she has for music. I've seen and heard many performers in several different genres of music, but it is becoming a true rarity to encounter artists who really, truly love what they do. You can tell that Alison Krauss (and Union Station) has a geniune joy in doing what she does. It comes across in the music. That joy of singing, performing, communicating with an audience is sadly lacking with most artists today. Too many artists (some who once had this joy and lost it somewhere along the way) are in music for all the wrong reasons...money, fame, you name it. Krauss will have none of it. She still records for Rounder Records, a relatively small label, even though she's had offers from the big labels. She refuses to perform in big arena concerts because she would lose the close connection she has with her audience. I admire her for her decisions and for her love of her craft. Take one listen to this CD and I think you'll agree.

Another review questioned whether this was truly bluegrass and I agree as this album has elements of old and new country, gospel, folk, and even a little rock and roll as well as bluegrass. I haven't heard her other albums, but I wouldn't say this collection is 'bluegrass.' But whatever genre of music this album falls into, it is one of the best albums I own. Alison's voice is absolutely amazing and very versatile, ranging from pure country twang to a Jewel-like sound. Her singing is never pretentious or overpowering. The band is also top notch as well as the entire collection of songs. You may have heard the song "When You Say Nothing At All" often played on country music stations. I wonder why that song and a genuine talent like Alison isn't topping the charts instead of the Celine Dions of the world. This album sits on my shelf along with everything from Rage Against the Machine, Nick Drake, Miles Davis, and Beastie Boys and I regard this is one of my favorite albums, not just one of my favorite country albums.

Alison Krauss has perhaps one of the purest voices of all time. Soothing, smooth, and slightly haunting all at once. I can't say any more about the music here that hasn't been said already, but I will repeat that she took a great 60's pop tune (the title track) and turned it into a 100% totally different and hauntingly beautiful song that was and is all her own.

Nothing but greatness here.

I admit, I'm not a huge country fan or bluegrass fan...but, Her voice! It's so clear and perfect. I get chills each time I listen Alison Krauss. A few of my favorites on the album are "Baby, Now That I've Found You", "Sleep On", "In The Palm of Your Hand", and of course "When You Say Nothing At All." Yes, I'm a casual fan, but there is absolutely nothing casual about her voice...its pure perfection!

I love Alison Krauss and Union Station-they are simply the greatest, alongside Ricky Skaggs and Bill Monroe in the Bluegrass genre. She is also a very sweet human being who lives what she believes and has remained humble throughout her musical career! Owning this cd has brought me years of pleasure and joy.

It took a few albums for the rest of the world to discover what the Bluegrass community already knew about the phenomenal Alison Krauss - her voice is a once-in-a-lifetime gift.

She had recorded about 4 albums when independent label Rounder and Alison came up with the idea of a "Greatest Hits" collection for an artist in a genre that pretty much never HAS a "hit". Now That I've Found You opens with three new tracks - each one of them became a hit - then is filled in with another nine tracks from the previous albums, plus a few gems she recorded as a guest vocalist on other's CDs, such as "I Will" from Tony Furtado's "Within Reach" and "I Don't Believe You've Met My Baby" on Jerry Douglas' "Slide Rule"(a wonderful old Louvin Brother's song that received another wonderful treatment in the recent Louvin Brother's tribute album - check THAT one out too!) Suddenly the young woman had a platinum album, selling millions and zillions of copies in a Genre that no one outside of Bluegrass listened to.

What was going ON?

Bluegrass had a FEW hits in the Rock and Roll era:

Flatt and Scruggs "Foggy Mountain Breakdown" - the music used as the musical theme to "Bonnie and Clyde".
Flatt and Scruggs "The Ballad of Jed Clampett" - the theme to "Beverly Hillbillies"
"Dueling Banjos" - from the soundtrack to "Deliverance"
"Rocky Top" - by the Osborne Brothers
"Fox on the Run" - by the Country Gentlemen

But it was pretty much unheard of for a Bluegrass recording or artist to get much notice outside of the Bluegrass die-hards, unless there was a movie or television tie-in.

Then along came Alison Krauss, with her stunning crystalline voice that caught the attention of the Bluegrass community while she was still a teenager.

This CD really IS just a "sampler" of Alison Krauss' voice - but it's a good starter disc for someone who wants to hear the kind of voice that only comes along once a generation....