Customer Reviews

Simple Path

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4 star:		(2)
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This is the real deal! I suspect that the sound of this CD is a little too tinged with Bluegrass to make it big on country radio. That is too bad. Buy it and experience something others may miss!!

Irene Kelley is a co-writer on all of the songs, and you can tell they come from her soul not just her diaphram. The sound is clean and simple. It brings to my mind simple crystal wine glasss.

I have owned it about a week and I can't stop playing it.

This album is traditional, but at the same time very original. Good writing, well-played. A fresh sound. Her voice reminds me a bit of Kelly Willis. The first song, "A Little Bluer Than That" is a wonderful country heart-break song. "Tonight if you turn your radio on, you might hear a sad, sad song. About someone who lost everything they had. It may sound like me, but I'm a little bluer than that." Great bluegrass players on the CD: Claire Lynch, Viktor Krauss, and Aubrey Haynie among them. If you're a fan of real country music, you'll like this one.

Songwriter Irene Kelley struck gold when her song, "A Little Bluer Than That," was recorded by Top 40 hard-country hero Alan Jackson, on his album "Drive." That song, which opens this album as well, is a welcome throwback to the heartfelt simplicity of 'Fifties-style country heartsongs -- a good lyrical premise, a strong, simple, irresistible melody and nice, clean pickin' to back it up. She has some roots set down in the bluegrass scene as well; picker ssuch as Aubrie Haynie and Viktor Krauss pitch in, and there are also a couple of songs co-written with Claire Lynch, one of the best trad-grassers around. Kelley's voice and her musical choices bring to mind alt.country female icons such as Iris DeMent, Nanci Griffith and Kelly Willis, although I'd hazard to guess that Kelley sees herself working more in a commercial, Top 40 vein, more as a composer than as a headliner act. Other songs on this album are more self-consciously and ostentatiously crafted, more in line with the overdoing-things style that's all the rage in Nashville; the other standout track is "Pilgrim In The Rain," a bouncy, anthemic upbeat number co-written with Kim Richey. I wouldn't say that the whole album bowled me over the same way "Bluer Than That" does, but she's certainly a strong performer and a songsmith to be reckoned with... Keep your eyes on this gal!

I had the pleasure of seeing and meeting Irene Kelley at the Midnight Jamboree when she guest appeared with David Frizzell earlier this year. I have always been a major fan of David's and thought his choice of Irene being a guest was incredible! I have had this CD for a few months and can not begin to tell you how many times it's been played ... Thank goodness it's not an LP, it would already be worn out.
Irene writes and sings with such great emotion and from the heart ... She is a new favorite of mine!!

I first heard "A little Bluer Than That" on the radiop and it just blew me away. After listening to the rest of the CD, I keep wondering why I do not hear any more of her songs on the radio. A lot of people just don't know what they are missing. I hope the next CD is on the way real soon.

I'm another one of those folks that has had the pleasure of both hearing and meeting this inspired woman;in fact I had the honor of opening for her in my home town a couple of years ago.We had a storm that night,and about half way through my set the electricity went out.After that,Irene took over and did the rest of the show REALLY UN-PLUGGED!Unfortunately,no one had a battery-operated video or audio device on hand,or we would have had some kind of record of a truly memorable event.I am looking forward to her next batch of tunes! -- Bill Regensburger,Syracuse,N.Y.

Wonderful voice! Expressive, emotional. Very good songwriter. I never tire of listening to this CD.

Simple Path
I probably own well over 600 albums and CDs and this is absolutely one of my favorites. Irene Kelley has an absolutely beautiful voice and is a straight-forward songwriter who has learned her craft well. I wish the so-called country stars heard on the radio these days had half the talent this woman possesses.

Irene Kelley's voice is clear and expressive, and she performs the kind of straightforward country that is just a little too traditional for most mainstream radio stations. Fans of Jennie Stearns, Laura Cantrell, Kasey Chambers, and Kelly Willis will enjoy this album immensely. Kelley co-writes her own songs and the lyrics are intelligent and interesting, if a bit too conventional at times. The opening song, "A Little Bluer Than That," should be a classic.

I heard Irene Kelley on the car radio on a trip to Boston and I pulled over just to make sure I got the name and album title. The music is somewhere between country and Americana -- probably more tilted toward the country end of the spectrum, but her voice is crystal clear and the arrangements are spare and clean. She reminds me of the early Linda Ronstadt, there's a little bit of that Western feeling to it.

I can't recommend this CD enough.