Customer Reviews

Twilight Motel

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

 

 

I was amazed. After hearing Simple Pleasures I went right back to Amazon to get some more Alison Brown and Twilight Motel I've found to be one of the finest recordings I own. This album showed me that Alison Brown is in the elite category of new acoustic musicians. On this album she's backed up by Duncan, Marshall and other giants. I think it's her best album. If you've heard 'Return to Pelican Bay' from her "Out of The Blue" cd then get this right away and have a listen to the original 'Pelican Bay'. After hearing 'Shoot the Dog' you'll know that she is every bit as masterful with a banjo as Fleck himself. I can't recommend this album highly enough I put it right up there with the best Grisman, or Fleck, or Thile.

Hard to describe, but one of our favorite travelling albums. It sounds she she said "what else can I play with the banjo besides bluegrass?" and had fun putting together a nice assortment of styles and tempos that draw from a variety of influences. The best tracks are "First Light", in the way the theme is tossed around and developed, and "Shoot the dog", a traditional breakdown that'll make you sweat listening to the speed of the playing. One pleasant suprise is that despite having her name on the cover, she doesn't hog the mike and gives her fellow musiicnas ample opportunity to shine. Nicely done.

I first heard of Alison Brown and this album on [the radio]. Her interview and the song cuts were very persuasive. I bought the album immediately. Each song has strong lyrical and emotional power. Her banjo playing is so unusual that one forgets that it is there at all. I highly recommend Twilight Motel.

I am even more impressed by this album since I have purchased several others by her that are all well-reviewed, but do not come close (IMO) to this one.

This is a nice enough album, but a bit sedate for my taste. It makes me want to press the button to go to the third floor. Or wherever. Much prefer her bluegrass-y style to pop-y style, try Fair Weather before this one.