Allison Crowe
Secrets
Allison Crowe has been active in 2004, creating her debut full-length album ~ with a hand in engineering, producing, as well as singing, playing piano, guitar, organ, and adding percussive "thumps".
"secrets" ~ a solo, singer-songwriter, collection was officially released in August 2004.
"secrets" contains 'old' fan favourites (some of which are radically redefined), newer songs (including "Whether I'm Wrong", which has been featured by the UNESCO-endorsed New Songs for Peace project), and a couple of Allison's personal picks from other artists: Counting Crows' "Raining in Baltimore" ~ the first song Allison performed when she launched her career as a singer-songwriter; and "Joan of Arc", another exemplar of Leonard Cohen's poetic brilliance.
Allison Crowe's music is iconoclastic not generic, honest and true rather than calculated and formulated.
Poet/dramatist Valentino Assenza, writing for Latchkey.net, a literary and cultural website which has featured Allison this year, says she combines "jazz, rock and blues into a wonderful melodious collage."
There's a good reason Peter Karroll, manager for Bif Naked and other rock acts, has called Crowe "one of the most amazing vocal talents anywhere today." And, Vicki Gabereau, Canada's "Queen of Chat" (tv talk shows), has observed of her: "You don't sound like anybody else, honey. Nobody sounds like you."
Allison Crowe spent much of last year writing and rehearsing, as well as gleaning wisdom from Jack Ponti, the U.S. music industry veteran who, as manager, pivoted acoustic soul artist India.Arie to multiplatinum success and numerous Grammy nominations before forming his own record label.
After returning to Canada from NYC last Fall, she launched her own label, Rubenesque Records Ltd., with support from family, friends and fans. Early in 2004 she recorded the songs for "secrets" with Production and Engineering Assistance from Rainer Willeke of Raindog Productions in Victoria, B.C.
In February 2004, Allison contributed to "It Was 40 Years Ago Today", a Beatles tribute CD featuring Dee Dee Ramone, Sylvain Sylvain, and other punk/DIY acts (released by NYC's ArtMonkey Records). This was a straightforward, fun, way to create music for Allison ~ in a way, getting back to the idea behind the Beatles' "Let It Be: Naked".
Allison Crowe's recordings put the focus back on the songs, and the singer, as was more the spirit in the '60s and '70s.
"Soulful. Alive. Joyous. Grievous. Real, true, music is what I want to make," says Allison.
Here, now, is "secrets".
