Mary Black and Amos Lee return with new albums and Black's "Stories from the Steeples" is a winner
Amos Lee, “As the Crow Flies,” (Blue Note). 2 1/2 stars.
Mary Black, “Stories from the Steeples,” (Blix Street). 4 stars.
Mary Black, “Stories from the Steeples,” (Blix Street). 4 stars.
It used to be when an artist took three or four years off of recordings, they were basically considered retired.
It’s a different story today and Mary Black is just one more example.
“Stories from the Steeples” is the supremely gifted Celtic storyteller’s first new studio recording in six years. It’s a good one too, filled with a steady stream of strong songs, a few intriguing duets and tastefully arranged instrumentation.
Black’s voice is a thing of gentle beauty as she winds her way through “Marguerite and the Gambler,” the great Australian songwriter Paul Kelly’s “The Night Was Dark and Deep,” and a stirring duet with Imelda May on “Mountains to the Sea.”
Also making a guest appearance is Irish musician Finbar Furay on the string and harmonica backed “Walking With my Love.” Janis Ian checks in too during a duet on “Lighthouse Light.”
All in all, one very welcome return. Let’s hope it’s not six years before the next one.
Songs to download: “The Night Was Dark and Deep” “Mountains to the Sea.”
Amos Lee, “As the Crow Flies,” (Blue Note). 2 1/2 stars.
Sometimes there should be such things as outtakes for the cutting room floor, or genuine B-sides left over for the most hardcore of fanatics.
Amos Lee is a wonderful artist. He reached a major career pinnacle when his album “Mission Bell” made its debut at No. 1 a year ago, parlaying that into a very successful summer tour and gaining new recognition along the way.
So here we have the six-song E.P “As the Crow Flies,” culled from sessions left over from the “Mission Bell.”
There’s a reason they were left off the full-length album and it appears they were not all due to space.
The E.P is comprised of outtakes and it sounds it. There’s a lifeless air to cuts like the drowsy “May I Remind You,” and “Mama Sail to Me.”
Occasionally things pick up on the very country-flavored “Say Goodbye,” and the Western soundscape of “The Darkness.”
Overall though, he needs to leave stuff like this behind and move on to his next project.
Songs to download: “Say Goodbye,” “The Darkness.”
Rating Scale: One Star (poor) to Five Stars (a classic).