Two Highways

Artist: Alison Krauss
Label: Rounder / Umgd
Category: Music

Average customer rating:

Media: Audio Cassette

UPC: 011661026544
EAN: 0011661026544
ASIN: B0000002JA

Release Date: 1992-10-07

Related Categories:

General

| Contemporary Country | Country | Styles | Music

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| Country | Styles | Music

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| Folk | Styles | Music

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| Pop | Styles | Music

General

| Bluegrass | Country | Styles | Music

Contemporary

| Bluegrass | Country | Styles | Music

Traditional

| Bluegrass | Country | Styles | Music

Tracks:

Two Highways
I'm Alone Again
Wild Bill Jones
Beaumont Rag
Heaven's Bright Shore
Love You in Vain
Here Comes Goodbye
As Lovely as You
Windy City Rag
Lord Don't Forsake Me
Teardrops Will Kiss the Morning Dew
Midnight Rider

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Customer Reviews:

Along the Road to Fame.......2006-09-10

I was lucky enough to see this young lady (and young she was!) on tour twice when this album had just come out, at the Kalamazoo State Theater along with Hot Rize!, another good old fashioned bluegrass treat. These were the days when Krauss was more famous as a fiddle wunderkind than a pop sensation, and when her voice sounded like a young Brenda Lee or Jimmy Martin's kid sister, rather than the limp but no doubt moneymaking dishrag it does today (Krauss's best contribution these days is her production work with new groups like Nickel Creek.)

These songs....none of which were written by Krauss herself, by the way...are fine examples of what in the eighties was termed "newgrass", a bluer than bluegrass, saucy treatment of American string band tradition. The best example might be Union Station's version of (wait for it) the Allman Brothers' "Midnight Rider", which as an Allmans fan I like better than the original. Many of the other songs are written by John Pennell, founder of the band, still a member, and one who can be credited with discovering Krauss' talent as early as five years before this disc was recorded.

The personnel of Union Station has morphed throughout the years, and a few of the songs are led vocally by musicians who are no longer in the band. But most are Krauss' babies, and she shows them off like a proud country mama. If you have never had a chance to hear Alison Krauss during her early years on the road, do check this, her solo album, or both, out. Your heart will leap to the whirlwind melodies, and you will thank yourself, believe me.

not my type.......2006-03-17

I ordered this for my husband, i am not familiar with the music here; i think i remember my uncle singing some of songs on this album. However, I am impressed that we found it at Amazon, my husband had been looking for a couple of the songs for a long long time.........

unequalled since..........2005-07-01

This is a great album, really extraordinary. It was my introduction to AK and Union Station, and I have to say that nothing I've heard from them since has lived up to it. It features her fiddle playing as much as her vocals, unlike some later albums, and doesn't have the sickly sweet quality of some later music. One of my top 10 favorite albums ever. Worth it just for Midnight Rider.

In her second album, Alison hits Full Stride.......2004-06-25

Still only 17 in 1989 when this, her second album, was released, Alison Krauss made a mark that has kept her atop the heap in Bluegrass ever since. More of a "band" album than her debut, this one also features guitar phenom Jeff White on lead vocals on a few tunes and the instrumentals are among the best Alison has ever recorded, mainly due to Mr. White's hot flat-picking. Old Beaumont Rag got a good workout here!

The album features both traditional material like "Wild Bill Jones" (sung by Jeff White - now performed exquisitely by Dan Tyminski in Alison's Band), and innovative arrangements of material from other genre's. The Allman Brother's "Midnight Flyer" gets turned from rhythmic yearning ballad into a banjo-driven barn burner, with vocals that soar and harmonies that are absolutely hair-raising.

Alyson's voice is noticeably smoother than in the debut album and I would guess it was about HERE that critics began saying that she had the voice of an angel.

I don't personally know what an angel sounds like, but it would be a HIGH compliment to say one sounded like Alison Krauss on "Two Highways".

Classic bluegrass from young Alison.......2003-12-22

This was Alison's second album but the first on which her band gets title billing. The musicians were Alison Krauss (fiddle), Mike Harman (banjo), Jeff White (guitar), John Pennell (bass), Jerry Douglas (dobro) and Brent Truitt (mandolin). Jerry and Brent were not members of Union station but were brought in as guests on the recordings. Alison was just 17 when these tracks were recorded but she was already the supreme performer. Jeff White sings lead on Wild Bill Jones, As lovely as you, Lord don't forsake me and Midnight rider, with Alison and Mike providing harmony vocals. Beaumont rag and Windy city rag are instrumentals. On all other tracks, Alison sings lead vocal, with Jeff and Mike providing harmony vocals.

The last two tracks will be the most familiar. Teardrops will kiss the morning dew was originally recorded by the Osborne brothers, an excellent bluegrass outfit, and was also covered by Billie Jo Spears. Both those versions are somewhat obscure, but Alison's own version was selected for inclusion on Now that I've found you A collection, the hugely successful compilation of Alison's music. If you are thinking of buying this album, you surely own that compilation already - and if not, you should buy that first. The final track is a cover of Gregg Allman's classic Midnight rider, here adapted to bluegrass - brilliantly.

You are not likely to know many (if any) of the first ten tracks but they are definitely worth a listen. They are a varied mix of ballads and up-tempo but the overall feel of the album is upbeat. Possibly the best is Heaven's bright shore though it is difficult to pick out highlights on an album of such quality.

If you already have Now that I've found you A collection and you want to explore Alison's early music further, this is for you.

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