Customer Reviews

So Long So Wrong

5 star:		(48)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Ever since Elvis began his famed recording career with a Rockabilly cover of Bluegrass Bossman Bill Monroe's signature "Blue Moon of Kentucky" Bluegrass has been regarded by *some* as the poor barefoot hayseed step-child of Country Music. Acoustic Guitars and Banjos and Fiddles were overwhelmed and swallowed up by Electric Guitars and Peddle Steel Guitars. A successful Bluegrass album sold maybe 30,000. The "dirty little secret" in Nashville was that the Bluegrass musicians were the ones who could really PLAY, so talented bluegrassers who wanted to make a decent living became Nashville studio musicians. Bluegrass fans, who are often as fanatical about the music as a religious zealot is about their religion, considered such musicians to have "sold out", and so it was that artists like Ricky Skaggs, Bill Keith, Marty Stuart and Vince Gill were considered. Once big fish in the small Bluegrass pond, they were thought by Bluegrass Purists to have compromised their artistic integrity to become Country successes. (Was it ironic that Ricky Skagg's first Country Hit was a "countrified" version of Lester Flatt's "Don't Get Above Your Raisin'?")

The purpose of this review isn't to give even a thumbnail history lesson of the evolution of Bluegrass and a comparison to more popular and "mainstream" forms of music, but it is important in having a complete appreciation of this album to recognize the historical rarity of a "popular" or "breakout" Bluegrass artist or band or recording. In the past half-century before Alison Krauss the number of Bluegrass recordings which received any degree of popular airplay could be easily counted on one hand:
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

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

She recorded several albums which were among the most well-received in the Bluegrass community leading up to 1995 when her label, Rounder, persuaded her to put together a few new recordings with mostly previous releases, some as "guest star" on other CDs to come up with the compilation "Now That I've Found You"(It may have been called "Greatest Hits" for an artist that had HAD a "hit").

That CD stunned everyone, sold 6 million copies and suddenly Alison Krauss was the hottest female voice in Nashville - winning a handful of CMA awards.

Under the expectations of THAT success Ms. Krauss and her band, Union Station, went to the studio to record the follow-up album.

Many on either side of the "Bluegrass Purist" fence were expecting the next CD to be the "Sell-Out" CD - full of steel guitars and guest duets with Barbra Streisand.

What came instead was THIS CD, "So Long So Wrong", an album that celebrates the Bluegrass heritage that these musicians hail from in addition to showcasing the extraordinary contemporary talents of Alison and Union Station.

Newcomers to Bluegrass expecting a recording with nothing but Alison's voice were likely put out a little that some GUY was singing the lead vocal on several of these cuts. Alison knew that Dan Tyminsky was an extraordinary vocalist YEARS before Dan was chosen to do the singing voiceover for George Clooney in "O Brother Where Art Thou?"

The CD is one of the prominent ones that Alison jokes about in which her lead vocals are predominantly on beautiful but sorrowful ballads like "Deeper Than Crying" and "Find My Way Back to my Heart." These tracks are beautiful and they're NOT "straight bluegrass" for you purists - Ron Block trades in his trusty 5-string for some tasty acoustic guitar work and these are closer to folk or even just "unplugged pop" than to bluegrass. The Dan Tyminski tracks are rollicking rip-roaring bluegrass monsters like "I'll Remember You, Love in my Prayers" and "The Road is a Lover".

This CD is one of the very best by Alison Krauss and Union Station, and that is saying something. If you're a fan of Alison, or maybe you just heard something about "those musicians on the O Brother soundtrack" this is a recording you just have to add to your collection.

Sometimes an abundance of talent can be a curse - take Alison Kraus, for example. On one hand, she has bluegrass afficianados (like me) begging her not to give in to the lure of almost certain pop/country superstardom, while the rest of the world is screaming, "Get rid of those hayseeds!"

I've already tipped my hand, so I will tell you that the bluegrass component of this album is about the best that can be heard in the genre's more contemporary incarnation. And while Alison is clearly the star, the boys in the band more than hold their own, both vocally and instumentally. Dan Tyminski is a terrific singer and guitarist - his voice blends superbly with Alison's on "Blue Trail of Sorrow" and particularly "The Road is a Lover," which also features some great train-like bowing from Alison. Banjoist Ron Block takes Scrugg-style picking to a higher level - his driving solo on the title track blows me away every time I hear it. And Adam Steffey's mandolin playing ranks among the best.

What more can be said about Alison's voice? It's clear, emotive, and haunting. My only complaint about Alison these days is that she is growing less and less inclined to cut loose on the fiddle. I've read her statements of getting away from "flashy playing for its own sake," but she's far too talented on that instrument to let it collect too much dust.

For those whom skip over the non-Alison tracks, or complain that the guys sing to much - Alison is following in the best tradition of the original bluegrass bossman himself, Mr.Bill Monroe, who handed over the reigns repeatedly to such (later) stars as Lester Flatt, Jimmy Martin, and Peter Rowan. Alison Kraus and Union Station is a BAND - and a damned fine one at that. I just hope that she doesn't follow the path of the late Keith Whitley, Marty Stuart, Dolly Parton, and Ricky Skaggs (although we got him back), forsaking bluegrass completely.

As I've gotten older, my musical tastes have broadened considerably. I would never even have given this CD a listen when it came out five years ago. Country? No thanks. Bluegrass? You're kidding right? My loss. This is a stunning collection of songs. The 'Revolver' of the bluegrass/country genres. Another 'Classic Rock' album get booted out my top 5 of all time and it will not be missed. In fact, this is a very strong contender for the number one slot. I still have no interest in country music. And traditional bluegrass doesn't excite me much either. But Alison Krauss and Union Station have taken the best elements of foot stomping rock and roll, pop, country and bluegrass and created something new and refreshingly unique. This is an incredible CD.

If you like New Grass or folk, spirited American acoustic, banjo and fiddle, you'll like Alison Krauss. If you don't have anything by her yet, So Long So Wrong is the album to get. I've listened extensively to her albums, and I rate this one the best so far. Excellent selection of melodic numbers. She's never sung better. Her musicians are in very top form.

An outstanding set.

There are few pieces of music that really move me, reflect my mood. So Long, So Wrong has done just that. It has a musical flavor for everyone, to the mellow and beautiful "There is a Reason," to the mesmerisingly haunting "It Doesn't Matter," to the blazing fun of "Little Liza Jane" and "The Road Is A Lover." And do you know what the best part is? The band. Union Station has made an indelible mark on this album, and their perfection only accentuates this already great album. I was admittedly not a bluegrass fan before this album, but it was Alison Krauss and Union Station that made me one. While I have been a fan of Alison's for a while now, I can now say I am also a huge fan of the band as well.

This album has a lot of good things going for it. Alison's voice is as lovely as ever, and some of the songs rank among her very best (e.g., "There is a Reason", "I Can Let Go Now"). The musicianship and production values are excellent throughout, and there are no "weak" or "filler" songs: every performance is top-notch.

So why only four stars and not five? First, after about two weeks of playing this album I noticed that I was consistently programming my CD player to play only the same 6-8 tracks and ignoring the rest. They were all songs that Alison sings lead on--which make up just 8 of the CD's 14 tracks. The rest of the songs are not bad: they're just so overshadowed by Alison's performances. (Like the last reviewer (4/26/99) I too wish that Alison would sing all the songs on her albums.)

It's also annoying how this album bounces back and forth every track or two between slow lovely moving songs and loud "rocking" boisterous ones: just as I'm getting into a mellow mood I'm unpleasantly blasted out of it. This album almost has a split personality: try programming your CD player to play all of Alison's songs (in order) except perhaps #1, then after listening, program it to play the other seven songs (i.e., (#1),2,5,6,9,11,14) and compare the sound, mood, consistency, and continuity of the two sets. See what I mean? Two complete opposites... I think all of the songs sound better and are more enjoyable when played within one group or the other as opposed to when mixed.

I gave Alison's "Now That I've Found You: a Collection" five stars and consider it her best CD. It has all of the strengths and none of the weaknesses I mentioned above. (Of course, it is a compilation album, so one expects more attention was paid to the choice and order of the songs on it.) In the end I think "So Long So Wrong" is a very good and enjoyable CD--just not quite worth five stars.

Alison Krauss and her Union Station bandmates do a fine job on So Long, So Wrong. Alison's singing and fiddle playing dominate, especially on the ballads "Looking In The Eyes Of Love", "I Can Let Go Now", "Deeper Than Crying", "It Doesn't Matter", "Happiness" and "There Is A Reason". However, Union Station's guitarist, Dan Tyminski, who sings lead on "No Place To Hide", "The Road Is A Lover", and "Blue Trail Of Sorrow", also is a strong singer. Furthermore, Adam Steffey(mandolin), Ron Block(banjo and guitar), and Barry Bales(acoustic bass), the remaining Union Station members, really shine on this one. The instrumental "Little Liza Jane", on which all the band members get into the act, is a driving bluegrass tune. There's no percussion anywhere on the record, but thanks to Barry's thumping bass lines, the songs have a rhythmic, flowing feel to them, which more than makes up for the lack of a drumbeat. There aren't any musical gimmicks here, but there is a great bluegrass and folk sound. So Long, So Wrong is a fine collection of songs from a truly talented group of singers and musicians.

Argue all you want about genres and "keep faithful to bluegrass" - I don't care about any of that. Diana Krall gets critized all the time for "crossing over". In this case Alison Krauss sings to me, with all her heart. And I for one don't care what she songs- just how.

I love every song, the bluegrass ones and the others; but one in particular is the best song I have ever heard:
"It Doesn't Matter".

This is so pure, just Alison and maybe two guitars, it is stunning! The sonics and sound quality are absolutely top notch but Alison's emotions come through so strongly it brings tears to my eyes.

Not often I am so moved by a song.

Alsion Krausss obviously has high values and it shows throughout her productions which are some of the best in the music industry. I review audio equipment for a magazine and her music stands up to megabuck systems but you will enjoy them on anything down to a boombox!

Before Jerry Douglas and the Dobro, there Adam Steffey was and his mandolin. I don't know why the band changed the lineup in this way, but it changed the style. With the mandolin, I noticed a lot more traditional sounding tunes, like Little Liza Jane and The Road is a Lover. With the mandolin, the album seems to have a bit more of the banjo.

Alison Krauss's singing is still as ethereal as ever. You can't help but sit and listen. The lead vocal chores are shared throughout the album as Adam, Dan, Ron, and Allison all chime in.

Aside from the traditional tunes, the theme of the album seems to be about sorrow as well as the paths we choose. This is pure storytelling. It is worth the time to read through the lyrics while listening to the songs. It definitely adds to the enjoyment.

Unless you are a fan of traditional country and bluegrass, this may not be for you. However, I would recommend giving this album a listen.

I made myself a compilation CD of Alison Krauss songs ranging from her first album through New Favorite. Like all compilation CDs, you end up fast forwarding to your favorite songs.
I don't think it's a coincidence that, aside from The Lucky One, I kept fast forwarding to songs that are on the So Long, So Wrong album.
So Long has so many great songs that absolutely melt you. Try cranking the stereo while driving through the rain while listening to Looking in the Eyes of Love, the title song, Deeper than Crying, and Find My Way Back to my Heart.
Little Liza Jane and Looking in the Eyes of Love are amazing songs. My favorite song, though, has only been mentioned once among 33 reviews of this album, but it's one of the prettiest songs I've ever heard. The melody, the lyrics, and that voice! The price of the album is paid for based on the song Happiness all by itself.

What a great album. In my opinion, Alison and the Union Station have never been finer.