Humming by the Flowered Vine [Import]

Laura Cantrell has a gorgeous voice.

I downloaded her song "14th Street" as it had the New York appeal. By the end of the week I had found her CD "Humming by the Flowered Vine" and it was well worth the import price. The fact that she is a New York based performer appeals even more as I love songs that are about New York or can be sung southerly about The City in the right note.

Laura does not disappoint or fail at any attempt. There are guest musicians that appear on the making of this record and just add an added bonus to the rotation of the music that spins in the player.

As the entire CD is outstanding, here are the A++ tracks:

-My number 1 favourite track is "Old Down Town," stunning at 6 minutes & never once gets mundane; many artists can not pull of a song for this length of time without losing the plot and heading in the wrong direction. This finds Laura singing about home and the complications of modern day city lifestyle.

-2nd Favourite is the downloadable MP3 "14th Street" which is exactly how I discovered upon this great very under-rated talent.

-The 3rd brilliant tune for me is "Letters."

Laura, all those times you played & sang in coffee houses surely paid off. I as a music lover feel the passion in the songs. This is fact not fiction as she was hand picked by Elvis Costello to open for his U.S. tour.

The New York times sums up the brilliance of Laura Cantrell best when they said:

"As Laura Cantrell performed 'Khaki and Corduroy,' her sleepy-sad reflection on being a Southerner transplanted to New York City . . . the auditorium [Jazz at Lincoln Center] was awash with the kind of cosmic wistfulness that the best country and folk music can conjure when it dreams of the past."

- Stephen Holden, The New York Times

I agree with Stephen Holden & I think many will agree with me when I simply say that Laura Cantrell is an artist with a STUNNING VOICE who produces songs in sweetest of melodies

- A.N.

Having adored Ms. Cantrell's first two outings, especially 'Not the Trembling Kind' (which I played obsessively, even non-stop, for three days or so after I bought it), I picked this one up the day it came out and popped it right into my portable CD player (yes, I'm one of those dinosaurs without an iPod)... and I have to say that I was a bit disappointed. She seems to have abandoned the largely traditional and stripped-down sound that made for so much of the charm of her first two CDs in favour of a ambitious palette... but one which I don't think suits her. I understand that L.C. wants to grow as an artist and not just keep cranking out what her fans expect of her over and over again, but I don't think she's playing to her strengths here...

...but then again, some of the music I love the most today I hated ay first hearing, so I'm willing to stick with this one - I'll get back to you if and when the penny drops!...

It's true this album is a bit of a departure from the 'updated' Kitty Wells

sound of her first two albums-- but I think successful. The only slight

overreach IMO is Lucinda Williams's "Letters," which even approaches

rock slightly, but isn't that distinguished a song (apologies to LW fans).

I like the somewhat new mix of instruments and those ballady songs like

"Khaki & Corduroy" (great stuff!!) & "Bees." I think her writing is finding

a more individualistic voice & this album is a positive step forward-- & I like the trad. ones too, including cool yet semi old timey vibe on "Poor Ellen Smith" (upbeat sad story approach!!??). Graceful & singular talent.