Craft Recordings’ new Alison Kraus + Union Station Live vinyl is modern bluegrass at its best!
Alison Kraus + Union Station: Live – Rounder Records (2002)/Craft Recordings CR00933 180-gram triple stereo vinyl, 54:11 ****1/2:
(Alison Kraus – fiddle, vocals; Barry Bales – double bass, vocals; Ron Block – banjo, guitar, vocals; Jerry Douglas – resonator guitar, dobro, vocals; Dan Tyminski – guitar, mandolin, vocals; Larry Atamanuik – drums)
Bluegrass has been at the core of country music for a very long time. A pioneer in this genre, Bill Monroe became the first big name. Others included The Stanley Brothers Earl Scruggs and Lester Flatts. The music developed in Appalachia and was influenced by African-American styles like blues, jazz and Irish folk. Bluegrass is known for utilizing acoustic instrumentation, including fiddle, guitar, mandolin, banjo and stand-up bass. The sound is considerable up tempo with “breakdowns” and stacked vocal harmonies.
As country music evolved, bluegrass added other instruments (dobro, harmonica, accordion and electric guitar). Alison Kraus and Union Station over the last quarter-century have become the modern face of this popular tradition, incorporating it into broader country references and popular contexts. O Brother Where Rt Thou? was the ultimate crossover with its roots-based soundtrack. To date, Kraus has garnered 15 Grammys and numerous other awards.
Craft Recordings has released a 180-gram triple vinyl of Alison Kraus + Union Station Live. Initially released in 2002, the concert was recorded over two days at the Louisville Palace. It is a fitting and lively presentation of the band’s catalog and artistic integrity. The concert opens with “Let Me Touch You For Awhile”. Kraus’ crystalline soprano (with subtle vibrato) is front and center. Her emotional urgency is palpable and the acoustic instrumentation is excellent. She joins her stellar band on violin for the classic bluegrass arrangement on “Choctaw Hayride”. Dulcet vocals and pop sensibility can be heard on “The Lucky One”, a long-standing AKUS staple.
Kraus’ unexpected breakthrough “Baby Now That I’ve Found You” is blissful and her vocal pitch is unwavering. Dan Tyminski handles the lead vocals on the gospel-infused. “Bright Sunny South” and Kraus’ violin is nimble and prominent. The quintet glides through an accessible set, with up tempo numbers (“Every Time We Say Goodbye”, “Tiny Broken Heart”, “Cluck Old Hen”) and all of the musicians shine on these. Slower tempos like “Stay”, “Broadway”, “Ghost In This House” are heartfelt and delivered with sincerity.
A certain highlight is “A Tribute to Peador/O’Donnell/Monkey Let The Hogs Out”. Featuring Jerry Douglas on dobro, this is a textured instrumental that builds momentum. Tyminski and Douglas offer a country blues duet on “The Boy Who Wouldn’t Hoe Corn”. They are joined by the rest off the group. Tyminski’s iconic take on the traditional “I Am A Man Of Constant Sorrow” is a master class on all things bluegrass. This is clearly a band with all members embracing the group concept.
Kraus’ shimmering voice permeates tunes like “Maybe” and “When You Say Nothing At All”. They are equally adept at rollicking numbers like “We Hide And Seek”. She brinks sultry nuances and a modicum of grittiness to “Oh Atlanta”. Another show-stopper, “Down To The River To Pray” is a gospel litany framed in gorgeous a cappella harmony.
Alison Kraus + Union Station Live is another triumph for Craft Recordings. The sound mix (with lacquers cut by The Mastering Lab) is balanced and the volume amplification never detracts from the clarity of the acoustic instrumentations. Kraus’ gorgeous voice is a focal point.. The vinyl (Quality Record Pressings) is pristine with no surface noise, hisses or pops.
Highly recommended!
—Robbie Gerso
Alison Kraus + Union Station: Live
TrackList:
Side A: Let Me Touch You For Awhile; Choctaw Hayride; The Lucky One; Baby, Now That I’ve Found You; Bright Sunny South
Side B: Every time You Say Goodbye; Tiny Broken Heart; Cluck Old Hen; Stay;Broadway
Side C: Ghost In This House; Forget About It; Faraway Land; A Tribute To Peador O’Donnell/Monkey Let The Hogs Out
Side D: The Boy Who Would’t Hoe Corn; Take Me For Longing; I Am A Man Of Constant Sorrow; Maybe
Side E: We Hide & Seek; But You Know I Love You; When You Say Nothing At All; New Favorite
Side F: Oh, Atlanta; Down To The River To Pray; There Is A Reason
