Letters To Sinners & Strangers
Description
Product Description Once in a great while you put on a CD by an artist you've never heard of before and time stops. The voice is new, yet timeless. The lyrics are all original yet feel immediately familiar. And the melodies carry the easy groove. This is the story of Eilen (rhymes with feelin') Jewell and this is her debut record. Jewell's heart-aching hushed style and intimate grasp of roots music are revealed in the CD's provocative, melodic originals and timeless country and blues classics. For fans of Lucinda Williams and Gillian Welch, this is a rousing and confident tour de force. .com It's hard to tell where the traditional ends and the original begins in the music of Eilen Jewell, a sweet-voiced young singer who steeps her material in the hard times of old, reviving the stories and musical styles of the Depression. On her own "Rich Man's World," she casts herself as a "lonely rambler girl" while conjuring comparisons with Gillian Welch. Another original, "In the End," sounds uncannily like Lucinda Williams, while a revival of Eric Andersen's train-hopping "Dusty Boxcar Wall" and the double-entendre blues of the traditional "If You Catch Me Stealing" reinforce the sense of Jewell as a musical throwback to a time before she was born. Yet there are timeless pleasures here as well: a bittersweet reading of Charlie Rich's "Thanks a Lot," an understated, harmony-laden rendition of Bob Dylan's "Walking Down the Line," the sultry cantina twang of her original "Too Hot to Sleep." When the musical arrangements aren't generic Hot Club and the songs seem more like role-playing, Jewell sounds like a singer with enough promise to develop her own identity. --Don McLeese
Reviews
A**R
Is she perfect or what!?
This group is so amazing I can't believe it. I don't really like country music but I would follow them to the ends of the earth. Eilen's voice is mesmerizing. I also have her Sea of Tears album and would highly recommend that also.
M**A
Great Discovery
Great music. Fresh.
S**E
(Lucinda Williams radio station) Great songs, great voice
Just discovered this girl through Pandora. (Lucinda Williams radio station) Great songs, great voice, and the guitar work is superb. Thoroughly enjoyable album with excellent musicianship all the way around.
R**A
Another love it!
If you like bit of country, blues, and jazz all mixed up into one singer, this is a CD for you. My hubby and I went to see Jewell at the Arc in Ann Arbor, MI and just loved her. The bass guitar player is also excellent and is the entire band. I purchased all 4 of Jewell's CDs and love every one of them.
Z**R
She's right, it's a rich man's world
Ms. Jewell has an enchanting voice, and a nice range of material here. Her vocal range is limited, but she knows that and the songs don't force her to stretch. I liked it.
P**E
If you haven't heard this singer yet, you're missing out
I've seen this singer twice and have been impressed both times. Her guitar player is exceptional and there's a real talent in this woman. Check out her web page and try to catch her when she comes through. She still plays in small venues and shouldn't be missed.
G**N
sinners & strangers
I normally HATE country music, but this is an ecception. She has a beautiful folky style. I had to listen a few times to fully appreciate it. I especially enjoyed "If You Catch Me Stealing", but there's not a bad one in the lot. I also bought her album "Sea of Tears" & that's good too.
A**R
A Very Fine Record
Ellen has a wonderful of assortment of songs. I learned of her by means of a “Roots” station on Pandora. She is backed with a great set of musicians.
T**R
Is This Country? Probably Not.
I got sent this CD by mistake - and I'm very pleased about it. Eilen Jewell's voice is reminiscent of a smokey night club. Her songs cover a variety of styles and they are all good. She's moved on from "Boundary County", although that is not a criticism of that album - it's well worth listening to.Her voice is full of - I'm not sure what. It's relaxed, tuneful, but grabs your attention. I'm so glad somebody made a mistake!
A**D
A chance encounter
Had a posting from an unrelated source on Facebook. Gave a listen and was immediately impressed. It's country music, but with the guitar sound I like. Eilen has a great voice, superb phrasing and produced a fantastic sound.
S**T
Five Stars
good tunes and great service
L**N
Fiddle
Die fehlt auf * Sea of Tears *, dem neuen Album, und nach langem Hören frage ich mich, ob das die gleiche Band ist; vermutlich wird man das mit dem vierten Album erfahren, wenn dann irgendwann die Stunde der Wahrheit, des eigenen Weges steht; da hier ist grosse Swing Klasse, bei der sich der Twang schon andeutet, wie er in Sea of Tears weitergeht; echt komplementär, die beiden Alben.
Common Questions
Trustpilot
2 months ago
3 days ago
