CAHALEN MORRISON & ELI WEST
''OUR LADY OF THE TALL TREES''
SEPTEMBER 25 2012
45:21
1. Stone to Sand/3:44
2. A Lady Does Not Often Falter/4:35
3. All I Can Do/4:23
4. Loretta/2:57
5. Our Lady of the Tall Trees/3:44
6. The Poor Cowboy/4:46
7. Potluck Dinner / Vicco Returns from Spain/4:34
8. Like a Stone/3:26
9. Church Street Blues/2:45
10. All for the Sake of Day/3:34
11. Heartland Sea/3:19
12. Red Prairie Dawn/3:34
ABOUT THE DISC
Of the twelve songs on the album eight are Morrison originals plus a stunning version of Townes Van Zandt’s Loretta, Norman Blake’s excellent Church Street Blues, a Gary Harrison instrumental and the traditional The Poor Cowboy, with Eli on lead vocals. Included in those eight is an instrumental, Potluck Dinner/ Vicco Returns From Spain, on which they are able to put on view their instrumental prowess with Cahalen’s always excellent banjo playing and Eli equally expressive on acoustic guitar. Morrison takes most lead vocals, with his voice having a sharp edginess and West’s having a softer feel but containing no less character, whilst their harmonies are also excellent, often enhancing the haunting feel of much of this outstanding album. A Lady Does Not Often falter is one of the songs that has a centuries old feel as a strongly atmospheric murder ballad, but one that blends rurality with a strong seafaring slant to provide an extraordinarily poetic tale.
This constantly rewarding album is very much in the same style as it’s predecessor, ‘The Holy Coming Of The Storm’and provides confirmation that this talented duo have a quality and originality that will endure through what will hopefully be a long career.
ABOUT
from Official Website
Cahalen Morrison & Eli West are, simply put, two of the most innovative and subtle roots musicians today. Their music draws from old folk sources, but it sounds vibrantly alive. Cahalen Morrison writes songs that sound like a Cormac McCarthy novel: simple, beautifully crafted, and seemingly formed from raw natural elements. Eli West brings jagged, angular arrangements based in bluegrass and old-time, but refracted through a 21st century lens. Like Ansel Adams’ photography, their music is instantly accessible and built from the simplest materials, but at the same time seems to transcend its base fundamentals. Together, Cahalen and Eli tap the root of the old country and bluegrass duets. As the sparse landscapes of Cahalen’s vocals reflect the warm glow of Eli’s voice, it’s clear that this duo was made to sing together.
Cahalen Morrison & Eli West’s new album, Our Lady of the Tall Trees, is a stunning example of the power of great songwriting and musicianship. And we’re not the only ones saying this. They’ve been building buzz first and foremost among the top echelon of roots musicians, with Tim O’Brien, Dirk Powell, and Aoife O’Donovan actively singing their praises and spreading the gospel. Cahalen & Eli can easily back up that kind of expert acclaim, as they show on album standouts like the title track, “Our Lady of the Tall Trees,” or the opener, “Stone to Sand.” Their stripped-back cover of Townes Van Zandt’s “Loretta” has been gathering early praise as well. Cahalen Morrison & Eli West’s music sounds eminently familiar, for they’re drawing from our common love of American roots music, but it also sounds entirely different. Even on the classic, or traditional covers on the album like “Church St. Blues,” or “Poor Cowboy,” they sound totally unlike the many, many roots music bands covering this same hallowed ground. Gone are the twangy accents, gone the overplayed search for the “old, weird America,” and gone the banjo-as-a-prop theatrics. This is music built on the joy of the craft, made by hand by two young masters with love for the traditions, but a bold vision for how the old sounds can fit into new soundscapes.
OFFICIAL WEBSITE
''OUR LADY OF THE TALL TREES''
SEPTEMBER 25 2012
45:21
1. Stone to Sand/3:44
2. A Lady Does Not Often Falter/4:35
3. All I Can Do/4:23
4. Loretta/2:57
5. Our Lady of the Tall Trees/3:44
6. The Poor Cowboy/4:46
7. Potluck Dinner / Vicco Returns from Spain/4:34
8. Like a Stone/3:26
9. Church Street Blues/2:45
10. All for the Sake of Day/3:34
11. Heartland Sea/3:19
12. Red Prairie Dawn/3:34
ABOUT THE DISC
Of the twelve songs on the album eight are Morrison originals plus a stunning version of Townes Van Zandt’s Loretta, Norman Blake’s excellent Church Street Blues, a Gary Harrison instrumental and the traditional The Poor Cowboy, with Eli on lead vocals. Included in those eight is an instrumental, Potluck Dinner/ Vicco Returns From Spain, on which they are able to put on view their instrumental prowess with Cahalen’s always excellent banjo playing and Eli equally expressive on acoustic guitar. Morrison takes most lead vocals, with his voice having a sharp edginess and West’s having a softer feel but containing no less character, whilst their harmonies are also excellent, often enhancing the haunting feel of much of this outstanding album. A Lady Does Not Often falter is one of the songs that has a centuries old feel as a strongly atmospheric murder ballad, but one that blends rurality with a strong seafaring slant to provide an extraordinarily poetic tale.
This constantly rewarding album is very much in the same style as it’s predecessor, ‘The Holy Coming Of The Storm’and provides confirmation that this talented duo have a quality and originality that will endure through what will hopefully be a long career.
ABOUT
from Official Website
Cahalen Morrison & Eli West are, simply put, two of the most innovative and subtle roots musicians today. Their music draws from old folk sources, but it sounds vibrantly alive. Cahalen Morrison writes songs that sound like a Cormac McCarthy novel: simple, beautifully crafted, and seemingly formed from raw natural elements. Eli West brings jagged, angular arrangements based in bluegrass and old-time, but refracted through a 21st century lens. Like Ansel Adams’ photography, their music is instantly accessible and built from the simplest materials, but at the same time seems to transcend its base fundamentals. Together, Cahalen and Eli tap the root of the old country and bluegrass duets. As the sparse landscapes of Cahalen’s vocals reflect the warm glow of Eli’s voice, it’s clear that this duo was made to sing together.
Cahalen Morrison & Eli West’s new album, Our Lady of the Tall Trees, is a stunning example of the power of great songwriting and musicianship. And we’re not the only ones saying this. They’ve been building buzz first and foremost among the top echelon of roots musicians, with Tim O’Brien, Dirk Powell, and Aoife O’Donovan actively singing their praises and spreading the gospel. Cahalen & Eli can easily back up that kind of expert acclaim, as they show on album standouts like the title track, “Our Lady of the Tall Trees,” or the opener, “Stone to Sand.” Their stripped-back cover of Townes Van Zandt’s “Loretta” has been gathering early praise as well. Cahalen Morrison & Eli West’s music sounds eminently familiar, for they’re drawing from our common love of American roots music, but it also sounds entirely different. Even on the classic, or traditional covers on the album like “Church St. Blues,” or “Poor Cowboy,” they sound totally unlike the many, many roots music bands covering this same hallowed ground. Gone are the twangy accents, gone the overplayed search for the “old, weird America,” and gone the banjo-as-a-prop theatrics. This is music built on the joy of the craft, made by hand by two young masters with love for the traditions, but a bold vision for how the old sounds can fit into new soundscapes.
OFFICIAL WEBSITE
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