Come On Up To The House - Women Sing Waits

Rating: 5/5

Review:
Outstandingly good

I think this is an outstandingly good album. I know this is sacrilege to many people, but I struggle with Tom Waits; he’s a fantastic songwriter but that I’m-about-to-throw-up-and-then-I’ll-probably-kill-you delivery gets a bit much for me. Here we have some of the finest female Americana/country singers really giving his songs meaning and pathos.

A couple of favourites are Rosanne Cash’s performance of Time, which is quite magical and Ruby’s Arms by the great Patty Griffin, which is spellbinding and heartbreaking. I don’t think there’s a weak track on the album; everything is superbly performed and excellently, sensitively produced. My advice is to listen to a few samples and then snap it up. It’s an album of great songs, performed wonderfully – what more could you want?

Helene Cronin - Old Ghosts and Lost Causes

Rating: 5/5

Review:
A very good album

Old Ghosts and Lost Causes is a very good album. We are exceptionally blessed with some excellent singer-songwriters at the moment and Helene Cronin has produced an album which stands up very well among them.

Cronin’s songs are often very personal and revelatory, but never become self-indulgent. Her lyrics are thoughtful and intelligent, and I often find them rather touching; in God Doesn’t, for example, even though I don’t have a belief I found myself moved by the words. There is a good variety of style from quiet heartbreak in Riding The Grey Line to punchy anger in Mean Bone and Cronin sings them all very well. She has a good voice which she uses very well, and the band and production are excellent.

This is, in short, a classy album. I’m extremely glad I tried it and I’ll be looking out for more of Helene Cronin’s work.