Our Side of Town – A Red House Records 25th Year Collection
by Bambi Weavil
Our Side of Town – A Red House Records 25th Year Collection
Official Site: http://www.redhouserecords.com/210.html
Red House Records presents 17 artists on their impressive roster that exemplify music with rare freedom and integrity. The music presented has a gritty, live feel to them, without feeling underproduced. “I Am The Big Easy”, a track by Ray Bonneville, kicks off the album with a Buffett/blues feel as a tribute to New Orleans since Katrina. The Wailin’ Jennys’ “Things That You Know” is a relaxing folk song that reminds me somewhat of the Dixie Chicks. The Canadian trio may be familar to you because of their appearances on PBS’s Great Performances and A Prairie Home Companion.
There’s a constant strong country/folk/blues flavor to the release, as well as a strong tribute to the power of a talented songwriter, with many of the artists selected celebrated songwriters in their own right. Greg Brown is one of those celebrated songwriters, with his latest release “Cold + Dark + Wet”, a poetic Americana-type blues song from Brown’s perspective. Meg Hutchinson is a multi-award winning and regular on the festival circuit, brings hopeful optimism with “Ready” and is a strong highlight of this record. Juno winner and critically acclaimed Lynn Miles contributes “Flames of Love” from her Red House debut, illustrating the perfect harmony between her smart, heartbreaking lyrics and her signature sultry voice and passionate melodies.
Cliff Eberhardt’s “It’s Home Everywhere I Go” sounds like a folk classic in the making, and one of my favorites off the album. Lucy Kaplansky, considered the “troubadour laureate of modern folk”, contributes a folk with Celtic overtones “Over The Hills”, with special guest vocal by Eliza Gilkyson, is another shining example to the strength of Red House Records. There’s nothing short of solid, good music from the folk-blues-country genre that is nothing short of outstanding -that highlights the best of Red House Records.
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