Customer Reviews

Twilight

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

 

 

Austin's ears have spoken as well: Caroline was just voted best new artist by the Austin American-Statesman and her album was voted the fifth best Austin album of last year. This is no small accomplishment in a town so full of quality music. Her songs are equally full of ghosts, hopes, loves lost and found and memories that exist like Faulkner's assessment of the Southern past - it's never really gone, just haunting. "She wears a cross like a tattoo..."

When I first heard Standing in the Water on the Boston folk radio station, it was one of those rare occurrences when you ask yourself, "Wow, who's that?" Oftentimes, you'll buy a CD based on something you hear on the radio and be disappointed with the rest of the album. But Ms. Herring's Twilight truly stands out as a masterpiece from the first track through the last. Her poetry and imagery are extraordinary and complex; the melodies are haunting; and the musicianship superb. This is the real thing. My wife loves this CD, as does my nine year old daughter (whose name is Emma). I'm not much of a concert goer these days, but I envy those folks in Austin who have seen her perform -- I would go to one of her shows in a heartbeat.

Caroline Herring is the voice you've been waiting for. The swing of Lucinda, the warmth of Bonnie, as lyrical as Joni, sensual like Toni. A bare brush of Iris, the soul of Gillian. If you know these women, you'll LOVE Caroline.

We were very pleased with the debut album of Caroline, As i am writing this review i am listening to her second album Wellspring which is even better than Twilight. But staying with Twilight it is a refreshion to hear that still music is made of this great class. Top folk from a splended and if i may say good looking performer.
Buy this, keep the good work in progress and if you do so buy also wellspring, you won't regret.

Caroline Herring posseses that rare ability to transport the listener to another place - making that place seem as accessible as it is far away. In this impressive debut, Herring weaves stories that eloquently and peacefully tell us of what it is to love and live in the traditions of the past. With songs firmly rooted deep in southern soil and calling upon a rich diversity of musical styles that encompass country, southern blues, bluegrass, and folk, Herring offers up lingering stories of how the past and the present quietly molds a person causing them to come to a place where family, culture, and living with roots that run deep influences the fact that while we move forward in life we never totally escape the ghosts of the past.

Without being preachy or pretentious, Herring's songs possess a strong spiritual intensity that never overpowers. The simplicity of the arrangements - mostly mandolin, violin, and a gentle finger-picking guitar coupled with Herring's quietly shimmering vocals - at times reminiscent of Joan Baez or Kate Wolf, allow the haunting brilliance of the melodies to shine through in a way that is uncluttered and heartfelt.

There are stories of what it is like to love for eternity in "Wise Woman" with its promise of standing along side loved ones in the afterlife, and in "Carolina Moon" Herrings shows us lasting love as seen in the togetherness of a simple family dinner. In "Devil Made a Mess" - a classic Country song if there ever was one - Herring sings wistfully of how a love lost changes a heart forever.

Timeless music from a major new singer-songwriter, this disk is sure to stand out among the finest releases of the year and is one of those "must have" disks for anyone who is a lover of music, storytelling and poetry. In this disk Herring offers proof that while the world may continue to get smaller, the South still endures.

We were fortunate enough to see Caroline perform in Paonia, Colorado. The songs are unforgettable. The voice refreshing and perfect for her music. Anxiously waiting for more of her music.

I heard Caroline Herring perform in New York, where she was opening for another singer; in retrospect, she should have been the main event. "Twilight" is a showcase for her phenomenal voice and wonderful stories. Sadly, I suspect that the only difference between Caroline Herring and any major star is the size of her label's marketing budget.

Herring's CD is wonderfully satisfying. Borrowing from a number of traditions, and influenced by a host of other singers, she's still an original--with a gorgeous, full voice and carefully crafted lyrics. The songs express Herring's twilight look back at childhood growing up in the deep South, but always in a sophisticated, complex way. There's no hit-you-over-the-head message in these songs; they're meant to be enjoyed, to move you, to get you thinking. For the most part, the production here complements the deceptive simplicity of the lyrics with its unvarnished sound. The best cuts here--"Devil Made a Mess," "Wise Woman," "Delta Highway"--all remind you of others--Patsy Cline, Joan Baez, Nanci Griffith--until you realize that what they really remind you of is Caroline Herring. A striking debut from an extremely talented soul.

I can't say any but good things about Caroline Herring and
her great new album! It is a must have!!!
Caroline plays an infectious blend of bluegrass,
folk, country and gospel music that invokes a sense
of harmony and a colorful montage of american roots music.
I love it!
Keep up the great work!
JBM

If you like blue grass or folk (with a bit of country thrown in), and enjoy and appreciate smart and engaging lyrics, you'll love Herring. The problem is that once her music and lyrics get in your head, they're hard to shake. Buy! Listen! Enjoy!