Amy
Gallatin has toured extensively throughout New England and the
mid-Atlantic states over the past few years backed by her band
Stillwaters. However, "The Long Way Home," her
latest recording project, uses a stellar cast of Nashville pros
to augment thirteen fine, lesser-known songs which effectively
feature Gallatin's voice in styles covering traditional country,
swing, blues, folk, and contemporary Bluegrass.
It's a pleasure to hear an entire album that consistently manages
to avoid overworked material. Gallatin draws from the likes
of Guy Clark, Tammy Fassaert, Dave Mallet, Peter Keane, Claire
Lynch, and Steven Sheehan in an attractive selection of songs
that showcase her versatility. She easily navigates the light
country swing of "I Get Lonely For You" and the gutsier
tone of "Pete's Lovesick Blues." The wistful waltz,
"Immigrant Eyes" and "On The Road," prove
her to be equally adept at delivering a gentle ballad. Some
of her brightest moments on this album come on the gorgeously
crafted pop gem "Here We Go" and the upbeat swing
number "Wake Me When That Sun Goes Down." Of course,
it doesn't hurt that Jeff White adds some wonderfully complementary
harmonies on these and several other tracks.
The session players get plenty of room to stretch, particularly
Randy Howard on fiddle and mandolin, and the rhythm section
is more than ably anchored by bassist Missy Raines and Pat McInerney
on tastefully light percussion. Rob Ickes is also a featured
guest on resonator guitar. While the presence of percussion,
harmonica, and a little clarinet, as well as the absence of
banjo, might keep this CD away from the territory of some bluegrassers,
it would be a shame if folks let that get in the way of
hearing this nice collection of music. "The Long Way
Home" promises to be an effective vehicle for showcasing
Amy Gallatin's talents to a much wider audience.
-- H.K.
