International "Celtic Music Fan" blog’s lyrical review of two new album releases, “Pillars” + "Six Songs” touches upon the marvelous voice of bandleader Allison Crowe, saying: “She knows how to use her instrument with the same grace as that of an operatic singer. She dips into her notes, light as a butterfly, and plunges at them with an eagle’s ferocity. You can’t ignore it.”
CMF editor/writer Baxter Ivon delights us with appreciation of all the band: Allison (on vocals, piano, cello, guitar, fiddle, Seaboard and more); Sarah Melanie White (mandolin, bouzouki, vocals+); Dave Baird (bass); & Keelan Purchase (accordion, guitar, harmonica, vocals) – and in his praising the albums’ “excellent arrangements and lush performance, and even cinematic atmosphere”.
Props to Recording/Mixing Engineer & Co-Producer Adam Thistle, Grandson of Newfoundland music legend, the late, and truly great, Joan Morrissey. It’s kismet – and, we’d hope, Adam’s iconic Nan would countenance such creative adventure.
To be swept away – to, where, as the poet Rimbaud phrased it,”all hearts open and all wines flow” – the key to that ancient feast can be found in these sister recordings, now and e’er more: