After mainstream success happened for Alison Krauss & Union Station, one would have rightly expected a commercial sweetening of their sound, resulting in diminishing (or even abandoning) the simple but very unique thing that brought them into the public eye -- and eventual public acclaim -- in the first place.
But the group's first new recording in the wake of the surprise success of Now That I've Found You: A Collection finds Alison Krauss & Union Station happily keeping their eclectic focus firmly on the prize stretched before them with no silly attempts to court the hat-hunk-of-the-month or the boot-scoot-boogie crowd.
Despite the media's singling out of Krauss as country's new bluegrass solo diva, Union Station (with Krauss as simply a featured member of it) remains very much a group, and that's the real refreshing news here.
It is that collective spirit that remains the reoccurring theme and the resounding musical point being made here, and it is the solid anchor that roots this album into place from beginning to end.
Krauss' expert evocative way with a ballad is on full display here, with "Deeper Than Crying" and "It Doesn't Matter" featuring her on violas, adding a new voice to Union Station's sound.
But the lead vocals are passed around among Krauss, mandolinist Adam Steffey, guitarist Dan Tyminski, and banjoist Ron Block, while Krauss' fiddle work in a backup capacity is an integral part of the sound as well.
All in all, this is a totally un-gimmicky album that flies in the face of what usually happens when mainstream success comes calling.
And, as a result of that commitment to quality and musical focus, one that makes you want to play it again when it's all over.
| Title/Composers | Performer | Listen | Time | Size | Size | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | So Long, So WrongPatrick Brayer, Walden Dahl | Alison Krauss & Union Station, Alison Krauss | Play | 03:22 | 7 MB | 19 MB |
| 2 | No Place to HideBob Lucas | Alison Krauss & Union Station, Alison Krauss | Play | 03:28 | 7 MB | 19 MB |
| 3 | Deeper Than CryingMark Simos | Alison Krauss & Union Station, Alison Krauss | Play | 03:07 | 7 MB | 15 MB |
| 4 | I Can Let Go NowMichael McDonald | Alison Krauss & Union Station, Alison Krauss | Play | 02:27 | 5 MB | 11 MB |
| 5 | The Road Is a LoverBob Lucas | Alison Krauss & Union Station, Alison Krauss | Play | 03:11 | 7 MB | 19 MB |
| 6 | Little Liza JanePublic Domain | Alison Krauss & Union Station, Alison Krauss | Play | 01:43 | 3 MB | 10 MB |
| 7 | It Doesn't MatterHarley Allen | Alison Krauss & Union Station, Alison Krauss | Play | 03:53 | 8 MB | 18 MB |
| 8 | Find My Way Back to My HeartMark Simos | Alison Krauss & Union Station, Alison Krauss | Play | 03:34 | 8 MB | 20 MB |
| 9 | I'll Remember You Love in My PrayersPublic Domain, Traditional | Alison Krauss & Union Station, Alison Krauss | Play | 03:02 | 6 MB | 18 MB |
| 10 | Looking in the Eyes of Love | Alison Krauss & Union Station, Alison Krauss | Play | 04:19 | 9 MB | 21 MB |
| 11 | Pain of a Troubled LifeRon Block | Alison Krauss & Union Station, Alison Krauss | Play | 02:53 | 6 MB | 17 MB |
| 12 | HappinessViktor Krauss | Alison Krauss & Union Station, Alison Krauss | Play | 03:55 | 9 MB | 21 MB |
| 13 | Blue Trail of SorrowJeff White | Alison Krauss & Union Station, Alison Krauss | Play | 03:40 | 8 MB | 21 MB |
| 14 | There Is a ReasonRon Block | Alison Krauss & Union Station, Alison Krauss | Play | 05:34 | 12 MB | 26 MB |
| 48 mins | 110 MB | |||||
| 48 mins | 260 MB | |||||
| Artist | Job | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harley Allen | Composer |
| 2 | Barry Bales | Arranger, Bass, Bass (Acoustic), Bass (Upright), Producer, Tenor (Vocal) |
| 3 | Ron Block | Arranger, Banjo, Composer, Guitar, Guitar (Rhythm), Producer, Tenor (Vocal), Vocals |
| 4 | Patrick Brayer | Composer |
| 5 | Chad Brown | Assistant Engineer |
| 6 | Don Cobb | Editing |
| 7 | Walden Dahl | Composer |
| 8 | Nancy Given | Design |
| 9 | Sandy Jenkins | Assistant Engineer |
| 10 | Mel Jones | Assistant Engineer |
| 11 | Alison Krauss | Arranger, Fiddle, Performer, Primary Artist, Producer, Tenor (Vocal), Viola, Vocal Harmony, Vocals |
| 12 | Alison Krauss & Union Station | Primary Artist |
| 13 | Viktor Krauss | Composer |
| 14 | Bob Lucas | Composer |
| 15 | Michael McDonald | Composer |
| 16 | Peter Nash | Photography |
| 17 | Jake Nicley | Editing |
| 18 | Gary Paczosa | Engineer, Mixing |
| 19 | Public Domain | Composer |
| 20 | Doug Sax | Mastering |
| 21 | Toby Seay | Assistant Engineer |
| 22 | Ed Simonton | Assistant Engineer, Engineer |
| 23 | Mark Simos | Composer |
| 24 | Adam Steffey | Arranger, Mandola, Mandolin, Producer, Vocals |
| 25 | Traditional | Composer |
| 26 | Dan Tyminski | Arranger, Bass (Vocal), Guitar, Producer, Vocals |
| 27 | Union Station | Producer |
| 28 | Jeff White | Composer |
| Quality | Format | Encoding | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | MP3 | 320kps 44.1kHz | MP3 is an audio coding format which uses a form of lossy data compression. The highest bitrate of this format is 320kbps (kbit/s). MP3 Digital audio takes less amount of space (up to 90% reduction in size) and the quality is not as good as the original one. |
| CD Quality | FLAC | 16bit 44.1kHz | FLAC is an audio coding format which uses lossless compression. Digital audio in FLAC format has a smaller size and retains the same quality of the original Compact Disc (CD). |