Alison Krauss Delivers Long Due Solo Collection ~A Must Have CD!~

Alison Krauss is one of a kind. She has enough Grammies to decorate a full house and has a style and voice that is anything but mainstream. And still she sells like crazy!

This album was a very smart move from her part. There is 5 brand new recordings from her and rest of the album is collection of her work in soundtracks and duets previously published in other albums but not her own.

She starts with a remake of Don Williams 1977 country hit "I'm Just A Country Boy" by changing the title to You're Just A Country Boy. Very good and smart choice! She stays true to her roots and closes the album with another Don Williams song Lay Down Beside Me. The last track is a duet with John Waite and another not previously published song from her.

Just with those two songs she would prove once again how brilliant artist and producer she can be! Simple Love, Along The River and just amazing song Jacob's Dream will follow the opening track, all new recordings for Allison and near the perfection in my mind!

To remind you that she IS a bluegrass girl at heart takes you to Sawing On The Strings from 2004 CMT Flameworthy Awards show. A capella Down To The River To Pray from Oh Brother, Where Art Thou? movie soundtrack is well positioned to follow and showcase Alison's incredible singing talent!

Heartwarming lullaby Baby Mine which was originally from Dumbo Disney movie follows just to move on to powerful Irish murder ballad Molly Ban which she previously did for Chieftains' Down The Old Blank Road album.

To break the morbid mood comes pleasant duet with James Taylor. Oscar nod performance from Cold Mountain follows the acclaimed more known recordings she has done. To me as a country gal Whiskey Lullaby is the most familiar song to follow, the duet with Brad Paisley swept all the country honors.

Another better known track from Cold Mountain, the song with Sting follows to move on to another Disney song I Give You To His Heart from The Prince of Egypt. Older release Get Me Through December which previously has been in Natalie MacMaster's CD is another big straw in Alison's hat in my mind. I'm running out of Wows!

Most commercial piece which is playing all over these days is the Missing You duet with John Waite. It gets a total makeover with Alison and can be found in John Waite's latest CD too.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Each song and my view:

You're Are Just A Country Boy 3:28

She just sounds like liquid gold! Almost a lullaby, she sounds out of this world. I just had to quiet down and play this song several times and close my eyes and let her take me flying in the clouds with her. WOW!

Simple Love 4:45

She is using her voice as the delicate instrument it is, nobody sounds remotely like her! Pleasant song, nothing extra ordinary about the melody but Alison just works it her own and I'm still floating high on the sky with the beautiful fluffy cotton clouds all over. Simply lovely!

Jacob's Dream 5:25

Great lyrics, she is almost too quiet on the beginning. How can one describe her voice and the whole sound? Heavenly is the only thing I can come up with! Such a noncommercial beautiful classic song. Goosebumbs! Oh mommy and daddy, look past the tears you cry. We're both up in Heaven now, God is by our side..

Away Down The River 5:43

Another religious sounding song. This is little bit too much of her unique style for me to call it a favorite, can I call it gospel? Still as beautiful and well produced than all prior songs so far. I keep floating. Bubble bath kind of song. Get your candles and glass of wine!

Sawing On The Strings 3:03

I know how to describe this one! All bluegrass! This has Opry so written all over it that it makes me smile. Yeehaw! I'm falling from the clouds and getting my dancing boots on!

Down To The River To Pray 2:56

She shows that there is no need for band for her to shine! Harmony singers sound excellent behind her and yes, like title tells you, this IS gospel, very good gospel if you ask my opinion! Oh Lord show me the way...

Baby Mine 3:37

The perfect lullaby! Another song with such timeless feel and beauty it makes my heart ache. Yes I'm a mother and I love my children. I'm going to learn these lyrics and sorry kids, mommy will be doing some singing in a rockin chair holding the little one on her lap!

Molly Ban 4:46

She is yodling! Has this celtic feel, another out of the boundaries song. Pipes sound very cool and I enjoy listening to it all. I admit that this would not fly in the country radio next to George Strait! But she is just brilliant on her own way with her own style!

How's The World Treating You 3:22 with James Taylor

This would work in the country station! Basic simple country duet. Are you lonesome without me, have found someone new.. Classic country indeed. Alison's voice is much stronger here Comfy but not sensational duet in my book.

The Scarlet Tide 2:56

Another sad hymn. She is singing this with quiet slow voice, frankly too slow and quiet for me. Not a hit for me, many did disagree, like Oscar Academy!

Whiskey Lullaby 4:20 with Brad Paisley

Yes, I was sick of listening this song when it was all over the radio. Laalalaalalaalalaa.. All the trophies and honors will talk to themselves. The song fits here perfectly and I admit those two sound like a perfect match on stage.

You Will Be My Ain True Love 2:31 with Sting

Well Sting is just backing her up. Hmm, it does have that Sting vibe going on. Still quite short and little too noncommercial for my country loving heart.

I Give You To His Heart 4:28

Alison doing another up and down and flawless vocal. Melody and style true for her and the whole song is produced to perfection, just another showcase for beauty of music.

Get Me Through December 6:30

Long song.Get me through December, I promise I remember, so I can start again..I've already written just about any feelings her music gives me. I'm floating in the fairyland again. All you need to do is let yourself go and travel away from the everyday life and Alison gives you just that! Band deserves extra credit here, the violin and piano are just be-au-ti-ful!

Missing You 4:41 with John Waite

Fastest tempo on the whole album. Almost does not fit here. What a performance! I bought John Waite album because of this song, you can read my review on Epinions from that one too. This song is the release and the HIT as I'm writing and everything just builds to a climax and sounds fresh. They both look very sexy in the video too. Love it!

Lay Down Beside Me 4:59 with John Waite

What a surprise! John Waite sounds very good again. This might be even better duet than Missing You! True love song. Slow but has the drum beat that Alison does not usually have.I feel your heart beat..

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After listening the whole album I have to take a moment to return back to reality! Alison as a co-producer lined everything together so effortlessly and without any bad moments for me that I must call this album a true winner! She is just almost too perfect to be true!