Album Review: Allison Moorer – Crows
Country music was merely a starting point for Allison Moorer. A decade ago she put deep feeling and finesse into making a few albums of it first for one, then another major label. But her voice—that supple, sultry instrument—begged for wider expressive territory; roots plus pop and rock and soul and points beyond. And so she blended all that for a few albums.
This one, though, falls nowhere on Moorer’s established stylistic continuum. Crows has nothing to do with country music, least of all its concise, concrete approach to songwriting. These songs are expansive and impressionistic, and as such, they call for a different sort of listening. Against the chill, jazz club sophistication of “Goodbye To the Ground,” the lyrics have the feel of modern poetry, built of brief image-rich lines rather than narrative. And the title track isn’t exactly a linear verse-chorus journey; the spry British-sounding piano waltz ebbs and flows, breaks off and shifts into other modes by way of a lavish orchestral arrangement. And all this is not what we’re used to hearing from Moorer.
The same can be said of the album’s age-shifting mid-section. The slow-burning blue pop of “Should I Be Concerned” and sensual melancholy of “Still This Side of Gone” are chances for her to work up mature, emotionally nuanced vocal performances. Between those songs come a pair of childhood reveries that are all innocence, free of the turmoil that colors her other memory-mining songs, like “How She Does It” on Getting Somewhere. “Easy In the Summertime” and “Stars and I” are both tender, ethereal, musically simple songs; the former conjures warm, sensory memories of a southern summer and the latter is a childlike expression of love. They’re connected between tracks by crystalline chiming, reminiscent of a music box.
It’s not that Moorer has found a new producer to lead her new places. Actually, she’s back working with R.S. Fields (for the fourth time, counting the live Show). Writing on piano—her first instrument—rather than the usual guitar gave the songs a fresh, profoundly fluid feel. Fields buoyed it with nimble nylon-string, with the occasional Spanish tinge, and Joe McMahon’s sylphlike electric figures—no heavy strumming (or heavy anything) to speak of.
Fields also supplied “It’s Gonna Feel Good,” a shadowy song that lets Moorer testify to the mysterious process of emerging from pain with easy, been-there authority. But it’s during the dreamy singer-songwriter soul of “Like the Rain”—practically weightless in feel—that she gets at the way of thinking that makes an album like this possible: “I’m through makin’ plans/I don’t care where I stand/I’d rather be like the rain.” It sounds like she’s found her freedom.
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January 14, 2010 at 11:00 am
I can’t wait for this to be released.
January 14, 2010 at 11:41 am
I was a big fan of Allison’s music through her first three albums and then lost interest entirely. Come to think of it that was about the same time she had a personal political awakening and was touting Michael Moore’s “Dude, Where’s My Country” and supporting John Kerry for President. Also about that time she ditched her then husband Butch and hooked up with Steve Earle! That’s just freakin’ awesome…
January 14, 2010 at 12:06 pm
If I were to care what singers believe in politically, I’d have to stop listening to all my favorite artists completely. When Reba’s singing “Somebody Should Leave”, I’m not thinking “Oh, what an effing republican she is”, I’m thinking “Dear God, this woman can sell a story”.
I don’t understand why you care what party Allison does or doesn’t vote for.
January 14, 2010 at 2:28 pm
I’m pretty sure that what Rick cares about is his thread-derailing percentage. There’s no other reason for him to keep dragging politics in the way he always does otherwise.
January 14, 2010 at 3:15 pm
I’m unsure if I’ll like this album by the description of it here. I’m intrigued though. I like the way you describe her voice.
January 14, 2010 at 3:33 pm
I personally like it when singers are outspoken, even if I disagree with their political views. Country music has become like NASCAR-just full of bland people who are hesitant to state any opinion lest they upset someone. And lets face it, this woman can just flat out sing. Her “Alabama song” remains one of my favorites.
January 14, 2010 at 7:38 pm
I’m ready for this one. I love Allison Moorer’s early stuff. “The Hardest Part” might be the best breakup-themed album ever.
I don’t think her last few recordings have been that good. Maybe it was the Steve Earle influence I don’t know. I am an Earle fan but not sure he has helped her much.
While not country, I can see her doing this type of music very easily. She really does have a great voice.
January 14, 2010 at 7:44 pm
When Reba’s singing “Somebody Should Leave”, I’m not thinking “Oh, what an effing republican she is”, I’m thinking “Dear God, this woman can sell a story”.
I’m thinking, damn she used to make good music. What happened. And that is kind of where I am with Allison. There was a time when I would pre-order her without hearing a note, but two vastly subpar albums have left me leery.
January 14, 2010 at 7:49 pm
I’ve actually been listening to Steve’s music a lot lately and while there are some problems, it’s still more interesting than Moorer’s last couple albums have been, especially Mockingbird, which was lackluster to me.
January 15, 2010 at 7:39 am
I’m not a big fan of her 2006 offering “Getting Somewhere”, but I loved 2008′s “Mockingbird”, even though most people seem to dislike it.
January 15, 2010 at 9:31 am
Earle was a songwriting god for 20 yrs or so. These days his music lacks a lot. He also seems to think he’s much cooler than he really is. Just an old dude.
January 15, 2010 at 10:44 am
Give me an “old dude” any day over some teenager from American Idol.
January 15, 2010 at 2:24 pm
Marrying Earle revealed real wisdom didn’t it? What a moronic relationship.
January 15, 2010 at 2:57 pm
It’s been so longer I’d almost forgotten about her.
January 15, 2010 at 7:05 pm
Allison Moorer wrote “All Aboard” long before she married Steve. Perhaps her “conversion to liberalism” has more to do with your own fantasies of her and not her actual political leanings?
January 16, 2010 at 4:43 pm
Allison Moorer is the greatest singer/songwriter of all time. Her first 3 CDs are the greatest recordings of music ever made.
Steve Earle has BRAINWASHED her as far as her social and political thinking goes.
There’s somethng FREUDIAN going on between them: He’s a father figure to her.
January 16, 2010 at 4:53 pm
Well, there’s an objective evaluation. Thanks for cluing us in that she is the greatest singer/songwriter of all time. I really had no idea.
January 16, 2010 at 5:03 pm
Alex said: “Allison Moorer is the greatest singer/songwriter of all time. Her first 3 CDs are the greatest recordings of music ever made.”
But you must not think much of her if you don’t give her the benefit of a doubt that she just might have a mind of her own.
January 16, 2010 at 6:27 pm
Alex: That’s the most rudimentary excuse for armchair psychology ever. But how does that explain this song that appeared on her third album?
Bandwagon rides for free
Satisfaction guaranteed
Fall in line and let it take you farther
Hurry up they’re going fast
This special offer will not last
All aboard yells the main street barker
All aboard all aboard
All aboard all aboard
Sign up and get a flag
Wear it proudly you can brag
To the fools who didn’t volunteer
Some restrictions do apply
Watch your mouth and close you eyes
And we allow no yellow foreign queers
All aboard all aboard
All aboard all aboard
A team of old white studs
Pulls this rolling country club
Climb right on in and take a seat
Down the beaten path we’ll run
High stepping to the drummer’s drum
And if you don’t love it you can leave
All aboard all aboard
All aboard all aboard
January 16, 2010 at 6:28 pm
Also, I love some of Allison Moorer’s work, but she isn’t even the best songwriter in her family. Possibly more consistant than Shelby, but not better.
January 17, 2010 at 5:58 am
I always thought Shelby was a better interpreter than songwriter; though she is admittedly my favorite sister and the more talented of the two vocally. Maybe if Allison had the same body of work that Shelby has they’d be more evenly matched…
January 17, 2010 at 10:39 am
By and large, Shelby wrote her own body of work.
January 17, 2010 at 11:40 am
All my favorite Shelby music is from the Nashville era, and what little she did write back then was mostly with others. On her more recent efforts, “Suit Yourself” and “Identity Crisis”, which are only albums she did with substantial solo songwriting, I guess I just didn’t connect much with the material she chose, though “Old Times Sake” on “Suit Yourself” is one of her finest, and is interestingly enough not written by her. But by all means, Shelby is a fine tune smith, and is far better and more consistent than most of the writers found on “country” records today.
January 17, 2010 at 1:27 pm
She also wrote or co-wrote most songs on Love Shelby and I Am Shelby Lynne.
January 17, 2010 at 2:55 pm
Those were mostly co-writes, which is why I said that Suit Yourself and Identity Crisis were the first projects where the majority of the songs were penned by Shelby alone.
January 17, 2010 at 3:09 pm
All of Allison’s first three albums were co-writen with Butch.
January 18, 2010 at 8:41 am
2000′s The Hardest Part was a terrific modern country album with a traditional bent; it was one of the decade’s best, and came at a time when Martina, Shania and Faith were all dispensing sunny pop-country with little weight. Though Moorer’s always leaned left-of-center—politically, artistically, etc.—the major-label structure really failed her.
I actually liked Mockingbird, but then again I’ve been a big Moorer backer for a while now. She could sing rings around most Nashville acts of the last 10-15 years. Crows doesn’t seem very country, but should be enjoyable nonetheless.
January 18, 2010 at 10:40 am
Is it fair to say that the major-label structure failed Moorer? She made the albums she wanted to make, got tour support, got all the stuff that someone with a major label deal is supposed to get. What she didn’t get was radio play. One could say that the radio format failed her, I suppose. Or one could say that the radio audience failed her or didn’t deserve her or something (speaking as someone who agrees about how great The Hardest Part was, I think everyone had to be deaf for it not to have been a huge hit). But I think MCA did pretty well by her.
January 18, 2010 at 11:05 am
Moorer always seemed to me like a mainstream country artist trapped in an alt-country career. Certainly she seemed to care more about the lack of airplay and sales than her alt-country peers do.
January 18, 2010 at 12:08 pm
@NM: Your points are well-taken. By “major-label structure,” I meant that she’s a victim of the narrow confines of the current assembly line of Music Row. I know that she had a great relationship with Tony Brown; she ended up following him to Universal South after her MCA projects failed to sell. I think that says a lot about both her faith in him and her possible lack in confidence with the rest of MCA. They only tried two singles; both of them flopped. You would’ve thought they could’ve explored some different avenues if radio wasn’t responding.
Unlike her sister, Moorer did seem eager to find mainstream success at first, but (thankfully) wasn’t willing to compromise to snatch it. I know the radio climate at that time was awfully cold for more serious-minded singles and/or artists. As harsh as it sounds, the typical radio audience probably doesn’t deserve her talent, though it sure needs it.
January 18, 2010 at 2:33 pm
On an unrelated note, I love the cover art for this album.
January 3, 2011 at 4:52 am
I’ve always liked Alison Moores music. She definitely brings something new to country music. I think her music is very refreshing it always relaxes me.
January 3, 2011 at 7:40 am
You can get several of the tracks accoustic on I tunes. They are much better.
August 2, 2011 at 7:56 pm
much like the “namesake” of my email address, allison has simply been screwed by the powers that be in radio more interested in looks than actual talent. also, unfortunately the buying public is far more interested in how “beautiful” someone is rather than artists who put all their effort and being into sharing the rare gift that they have and are proud of with the vastly undeserving public !
August 2, 2011 at 8:00 pm
by the way i think Allison is a great songwriter and her voice is simply untouchable !