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Lyn Stanley, Richard Thompson, The Civil Wars, and Anoushka Shankar Record Reviews

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Lyn Stanley – Lost In Romance

Lyn Stanley - Lost In Romance
Numbered, Limited Edition of Only 500
• 45rpm 180 Gram Double Vinyl
• Mixed by Al Schmitt
• Mastered by Bernie Grundman
• Pressed at Pallas in GermanySelections:
1. Change Partners
2. Watch What Happens
3. Fever
4. That Old Black Magic
5. The Nearness Of You
6. You Go To My Head
7. I Just Wanna Make Love To You
8. My Foolish Heart
9. What Am I Gonna Do With A Bad Boy Like You?
10. Losing My Mind
11. One For My Baby
12. Sugar On The Floor
13. Too Close For Comfort
14. Something
15. The Last Dance

The 1940s style picture of a forlorn lady sitting on a piano, the title Lost In Romance, and the beautiful full toned music of this album never in a million years says, new artist. I had never heard of her but her website says she was discovered in 2010 by world class jazz pianist Paul Smith. I have really enjoyed listening to Lyn Stanley on this beautiful done double LP. Like the album cover her voice and even the simplicity of the recording is a throwback to sounds of a simpler time.

I love Julie London, June Christy, Dinah Washington, Peggy Lee, and Anita O’Day, but I don’t care who you compare this LP to, it will hold its own. Lost In Romance an album where the music of the great “American Songbook” has been equally well performed and recorded. If you have any interest in this type of beautiful music this is a must have LP.

Richard Thompson – Electric

Richard Thompson - Electric
• 180 Gram Double LP Limited Edition of 2000 Copies
• Produced by Buddy Miller
• Guest Artist Alison KraussSelections:
LP1 – Side One:
1. Stony Ground
2. Salford Sunday
3. Sally B
4. Stuck On The Treadmill
LP1 – Side Two:
1. My Enemy
2. Good Things Happen To Bad People
3. Where’s Home?
4. Another Small Thing In Her Favour
LP2 – Side Three:
1. Straight And Narrow
2. The Snow Goose
3. Saving The Good Stuff For You
LP2 – Side Four:
1. Will You Dance, Charlie Boy (Bonus Track)
2. I Found A Stray (Bonus Track)
3. The Rival (Bonus Track)
4. The Tic-Tac Man (Bonus Track)

Folk-Rocker Richard Thompson at 63 can still deliver. His huffy, powerful baritone voice still enthralls me. His virtuoso guitar is still as good as ever with an interesting blend of seventies rock and a grungy folk music sound. If you don’t know him, where have you been? He earned the Les Paul Award and in 2012 he was awarded the Americana Music Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

This album was recorded during a four-day session with Buddy Miller in Nashville. Electric sees Thompson calling in favors from a variety of guests — Stuart Duncan on fiddle, Siobham Maher Kennedy, and even Alison Krauss. Thompson’s current trio is made up of drummer Michael Jerome and bassist Tara Prodaniuk. The album has lots of really hard playing on his Strat. If you like electric guitar, if you like Richard Thompson, and if you like great songs this is a great LP. The recording is also very good by the way.

The Civil Wars – Unplugged on VH1

The Civil Wars - Unplugged on VH1
Label:
Sensibility MusicSelections:
1. I’ve Got This Friend
2. Kingdom Come
3. Sour Times
4. Poison & Wine
5. Barton Hollow
6. 20 Years
7. Billie Jean

The Civil Wars duo consist of guitarist John Paul White and vocalist Joy Williams. They had a lot of success with their 2011 release Barton Hollow. In the spring of 2012 they made an appearance on VH1’s Unplugged series and now we have it on vinyl. It has an interesting song selection including covers of Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean” and Portishead’s “Sour Times.”

I have enjoyed many of the VH1 Unplugged recordings and I find this one very interesting. I’m not much of a country music fan, but do love Bluegrass. This unplugged album provides enough of a Bluegrass sound to satisfy my taste. It is very nicely done and if you enjoy the music the LP is quite and well recorded.

Anoushka Shankar – Traces of You

The Civil Wars - Unplugged on VH1
Label: Deutsche Grammophon
180 Gram Vinyl
Selections:
Side 1
The Sun Won’t Set featuring Norah Jones
Flight
Indian Summer
Maya
Lasya
Fathers
MetamorphosisSide 2
In Jyoti’s Name
Monsoon
Traces Of You featuring Norah Jones
River Pulse
Chasing Shadows
Unsaid featuring Norah Jones

Music icon Ravi Shankar, father of Anoushka Shankar and Norah Jones, died last year as Anoushka Shankar was at work on Traces of You. It is her seventh album and thus because of its timing became a memorial. As famous as her father is, Anoushka is a sitar player and composer of some talent on her on.

It’s interesting that on this album she reached out to her half-sister Norah Jones to sing songs in memory of their father. Surprisingly to me the sisters’ styles and sensibilities come together beautifully on their three collaborations on this album. I guess it shouldn’t surprise me, it seems that Norah Jones can sing almost any kind of music. Still this LP is mostly about Shankar and it is truly exceptional.

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3 Responses to Lyn Stanley, Richard Thompson, The Civil Wars, and Anoushka Shankar Record Reviews


  1. Lyn Stanley says:

    Thanks Jack for this very nice commentary on my album, Lost In Romance. So glad you enjoyed it! Working on my next album, Potions, right now with Al Schmitt and it is a tribute to the 1950s composed pop and jazz standards, including Love Potion #9. Super appreciate the review! The headline just needs an “e” for Stanley..thanks so very much for helping spread the word about my music!! Thanks to reviewers like you, my work is being noticed worldwide. I am very grateful!!–Lyn

  2. Adam says:

    Hi Lyn,

    That typo in the title was my fault, it has been fixed, and added your correction as well.

    -adam

  3. Lyn Stanley says:

    Thank you Adam! Please let Jack know the response to his article on my FB page has been GREAT! So many compliments to his review came in…wish I could figure out a way to post them here for you. I will be at Munich show..with Pro-Ject’s exhibit in May. I have a performance in NYC on May 7th at Metropolitan Room..and will leave for Munich arriving on May 10. Hope to see Jack! Best, Lyn

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