Allison Crowe, Canadian singer

Allison Crowe
‘Going Home Tonight’

Giggly Canadian pianist Allison Crowe has powered her way through several albums and numerous tours in the last six years, pitching her gigantic voice into the ether where its reverberations are probably amassing into one enormous square-wave of sound big enough to blow a hole right through an iceberg. Her fifth studio album Spiral is due early next year and finds Allison collaborating with LA-based producer/composer Kayla Schmah on a dozen-strong collection. The culmination of a decade-long friendship, Schmah is bringing to the album the lush orchestration that Crowe has been seeking since penning some of these songs during a 2007-08 creative spurt that saw her develop two albums’ worth of material. Some of those songs ended up on 2008’s Little Light, without orchestration, and some will make it onto Spiral alongside newer songs and, as is always the case with Allison, a selection of covers. This unfinished version of ‘Going Home Tonight’, a Crowe original, is a swelling, emotional ballad cloaked in strings that are rich enough to carry and accentuate the voice. It could possibly do without the slightly cheesy electric guitar though; something to consider for the final mixing maybe. MP3 after the jump.

FREE MP3: Allison Crowe, ‘Going Home Tonight’

visit Allison on Myspace

First Friday’s program, taped on Tuesday morning.  If I remember correctly.  Been a long week.

http://www.archive.org/details/SaltWaterMusicSept18th2009Hour1

Music of Ron Hynes to open the show. Then Sharona Clarke, Christine Crawford and Jenn Grant.

http://www.archive.org/details/SaltWaterMusicSept18th2009Hour2

Three female singers, all with names that start with the letter “A”. Not a plan but it worked out like that.

Andrea Gauster, Allison Crowe and Andrea Wittgens

—-

NFL Week 2 picks, which I again forgot to call by it’s name on the show.  ”Carnell Knowledge”.  That happens when you tape a show 7:30am after a long week of work.  This week’s post will be shorter about the picks.

For the 1pm games: Atlanta over Carolina, Minnesota over Detroit, Green Bay over Cincinnati, Jacksonville over Arizona, Chiefs over Raiders, New England over NYJ, New Orleans over Philly, Tenn. over Houston and Washington over St. Louis.

4pm kickoff for these ones. Seattle over San Fran., Tampa over Buffalo, Pittsburgh over Chicago, Denver over Cleveland and Baltimore over San Diego.

Sunday night I went with Cowboys over Giants [I think, I've gone back and forth] and Indy over Miami on Monday.

Taped the show earlier in the week, before I went to Toronto to see U2 on Wednesday. Leaving a stadium at 11pm with 62,000 other people? Crowded. I’ll write a post about the trip later on.

Tonight on the [taped] show we have Ron Hynes, Sharona Clarke, Christine Crawford, Andrea Gauster, Allison Crowe & Andrea Wittgens. I mention Andrea Gauster’s show on Wolfe Island tonight. One problem with taping ahead of time is that the show is sold out. D’oh. But she’s living in Kingston now so you’ll have other chances to see her play in the area.

Queen’s Football tomorrow as well. The Golden Gaels travel to Ottawa with a 1pm kickoff. Hopefully another quick game as I get some sleep after the game and before I work Saturday night at 11pm. LOL,

Maybe I’ll write a long post about Monday’s crazy technical problems.  Not today though.

Ended up being so strange that a technician had to be called to fix it the next day.  Which meant I had to postpone the interview with Allison Crowe for another time.

Think I’ll try and put together that NTV/Rogers Facebook group idea tonight.  Yes, it’s late right now.  But once you’re on the midnight shift even on your nights off your up quite late.  Can’t change your body clock on a dime.

Friday night I’ll be on LIVE.  No plan yet but I have a couple of days.

Found this today, you can pre-order the new CD from Teresa Ennis.  It will be autographed by Teresa so check it out if you’re interested.  Only $12.99 Canadian too.

http://www.maplemusic.com/product.asp?dept_id=4781&pf_id=4780-16&lang=EN

Later tonight the return of Golden Gaels Football on CFRC.  I assume we will not have the confusion this season over the word “Golden” in the nickname.  Long story, which I won’t go over here.  Google it.

Pre-season action Monday as Queen’s travels to Toronto to face the Varsity Blues.  Kickoff is 7pm.  I’ll be handling the technical producing as usual.  Get the game on air, play the ads and do something during halftime.  Few sports scores and some music during the halftime show is the plan.

Post game I might be playing some more music, depending on the length of the game and what show is on after.  I man the fort till the next program begins.

Here is a preview of the football team at the CIS Blog from Neate Sager.  CFRC alumni and frequent guest of ‘Offsides’ the last couple of  years.

http://www.cisblog.ca/2009/08/cis-countdown-2009-queens-golden-gaels.html

‘Offsides’ is no more by the way.  Tyler King is at Syracuse as we speak taking a journalism course there.  So Queen’s Athletics will escape Tyler’s wrath this season.  I could bring him on my show to talk about the team at some point in the year.

Last season I did my weekly NFL picks between the 1st and 2nd hour so I do talk sports for those new to the show.  Thanks to a listener in the U.S. named Cat I have a good name for the segment now.  Mentioned it earlier in the year. “Carnell Knowledge”.  Yes, a bad pun. But it’s memorable especially since I didn’t come up with it.

Tuesday night I’ll be taping a phone interview with Allison Crowe.  That should air next Friday night.  Good way to start Labour Day Weekend with her music for most of the show.  The incident at the airport in the UK of course will be a topic.  But we’ll cover a lot of things.

She’s in Corner Brook right now before heading to BC as part of recording her new album.  So at least we’ll chat during one of her breaks this year.

http://allisoncrowe.blogspot.com/

Friday I will be in LIVE doing the show.  Looks like a lot of taped shows once the football season starts.  New shows but on tape.  During the week I’ll explain my crazy schedule during the football season.  You’ll understand why I’ll be taping the program.

I’ll start the NTV/Rogers Facebook group this week, had to pushed it up a bit.  Worked all weekend which ate a lot of time.  With football and the Allison Crowe interview to prep for I thought I’d wait a bit to get that started.

http://www.archive.org/details/SaltWaterMusicAug14th2009Hour1

DAWG FM finally was approved a few days before this episode. With that news I kicked off the show with some blues from the East Coast with GlamourPuss and John Campbelljohn.

Move on to brand new music from Teresa Ennis. Ahead of her new CD “Stars” which is coming out this fall.

Then a couple of tracks from Nova Scotia’s Emmy Alcorn’s CD “Unveil”.

End the hour with 3 covers from Allison Crowe’s CD “Tidings”. Which is primarily a Christmas CD but these are covers of The Beatles, Rolling Stones and Sarah Maclachlin.

http://www.archive.org/details/SaltWaterMusicAug14thHour2

Traditional music from Newfoundland starts the second hour with Jim Payne and Fergus O’Byrne.

Move over to rock/pop side of things with two bands I’ve had a chance to chat with.  Talked to one member of each band on the phone for interviews last year.  Grand Theft Bus and Air Traffic Control.

End the hour with Ian Foster as he was doing his last tour date in New Brunswick that night.  After that back on the way to St. John’s.  His cross country tour has come to an end for this summer.  Mix of stuff from some of his MySpace page to end the show.

Tomorrow is the biggest sporting event of the year in Newfoundland.  The Royal St. John’s Regatta.  Since I just got off work, time to go to Wikipedia for a blurb.

“The Royal St. John’s Regatta is North America’s oldest annual sporting event with documented proof of 1816 boat races. There is credible contention that St. John’s regattas were held even earlier than 1816, likely in the 1700s.

Held on Quidi Vidi Lake in St. John’s, Newfoundland, the Regatta is scheduled for the first Wednesday of August. If weather isn’t suitable, and wind conditions are very important, the event is postponed until the next suitable day.

Since Regatta Day is a civic holiday in St. John’s, this means that the weather actually determines whether or not workers have the day off – a matter sometimes complicated by late-night partying associated with the end of the George Street Festival the night before.”

Last year the weather came into play.  Got delayed two days because of rain.  So it happened on Friday.  I remember that since if you watch NTV, Toni Marie has Friday-Saturday off.  Since everyone works during the coverage of Regatta Day she was there as well, so that week she had a one day weekend.

But believe it or not years ago Toni was regularly working 6 days a week.  Should’ve talked to her about that during the interview.

The text of that interview is almost ready to be posted.  I’m leaning toward doing a few posts on certain topics.  It’s too long to read in one sitting.  Audio is already up so you can check that out.

The text will be “edited for clarity”.  I learned that text of a conversation needs some tweaks.  Imagine how often you might take a pause, or say ‘ummm’, or ‘you know’.  That doesn’t read well.

New comment on the blog from Adrian, Allison Crowe’s manager.  Thought I’d pass it along.  Also makes this post longer. LOL.

–

I was at a friend’s wedding – doing the PA/sound – and we had a giant thunder/lightning/rainstorm. The band was performing outside. I didn’t dry out until the next day (and I’m talking about the rain…)

Funny you played the earliest Sarah McLachlan tracks. Brings back memories to me of when she first relocated from H-town to Vancouver. I was living in Vancouver at the time, and was at several of Sarah’s first concert performances in that city. It was evident she was bound for great things.

I saw Sarah M at the Railway Club, two nights in a row, and there was a small but devoted audience at those shows. Same story for Blue Rodeo – with Bobby Wiseman – when they first hit the west coast.

It was special in a number of ways to return some 15 years or so later with Allison and her band for a two-night stand at “the Rail”. Especially memorable for the guys who hauled the baby grand up to the third story via the stairwell.

Yup, your crystall ball – or is it an eight ball – is working well. Alley’s recording some tracks and then will be breathing in later August, before she travels to BC for more recording. We can aim to get you together either while she’s still in NL, or, once she’s on this coast.

We all have it in mind, so, let’s just play the recording process by ear – and then, synchronize time zones/watches!

—

Getting closer to having a chat with Allison and her summer adventures.

Last piece of news.  A new airline which will be serving Toronto-Ottawa-Halifax-St. John’s.  Finally some  more competition on flights.  I looked up recently prices on Air Canada from Kingston to St. John’s round trip.  Over $1000.  That price does not include something on the flight called food.  That doesn’t help tourism.

Story about Porter Airlines from The St. John’s Telegram.  Where I was mentioned in a blog recently.  I’ll write about that tomorrow.  It’s a long story.

http://www.thetelegram.com/index.cfm?sid=274847&sc=79

What you can do when you tape an episode a day in advance.

http://www.archive.org/details/SaltWaterMusicJuly24thHour1

Brand new music from a singer who is soon to be a Kingstonian, Andrea Gauster. She starts at the Queen’s Medical School. Found her through Twitter. Open up the show with some songs from Andrea, including one about Twitter.

Then a new band to the show, Shores of Newfoundland. Based in Kingston but currently on tour in Newfoundland. Music from their 1999 disc and a live one they recorded here in Kingston at the Tir Nan Og.

End with the hour with one song from Allison Crowe. Taped this week’s show ahead of time and saw I had 8 minutes to fill up till top of the hour. So I know her song Disease is a little over 8 minutes.

http://www.archive.org/details/SaltWaterMusicJuly24thHour2

Start off the hour with a singer you might have heard of from Nova Scotia, Sarah Mclachlan. After the show found the list I had made up last year of all the artists I’ve played on the show. Sarah wasn’t on there. 2 years of the show and not playing her once? My bad.

To make up for it a few songs from her debut album from 1988 and on vinyl to boot. Couldn’t find any of her CD’s at the station but luckily in the record collection they had the original 1988 album. A collector’s item I found out since it was re-released in 1989 with some extra songs when she was also signed by a US record label. One song you might have heard before, the other 3 I bet you haven’t.

Follow that up with a cover version of Angel by Allison Crowe.

Then some songs from Great Big Sea’s Fortune Favour and Joel Plaskett’s Three to end the show.

I’ve been listening to Allison Crowe for many months, now. Her voice, and her musicality, both explain my continuing interest, but there’s more. There is the pain. Such pain. The kind of pain that makes you want to take her in your arms and protect her from the world forever.

The kind of pain, and response, you hear in the song above.

Until finding this song, and the story behind it, I had no idea of the source of that pain. Now, knowing how “Lisa’s Song” came to be, I know at least part of its origin.

Miss Crowe had been touring. When she returned home, one of her friends, Lise Marie Young, was gone. Disappeared one night, under mysterious circumstances.

This song was Crowe’s response, raw and emotional, wanting to save her friend, terrified that it’s too late. She gave the song to her friend’s family to use in any way they chose, to keep awareness of Lisa’s disappearance high.

It’s seven years later, and Lisa Marie Young has still not been found.

The song may be downloaded on the album Lisa’s Song + 6 Songs from Jamendo.

Here are the lyrics:

I want to be the one
To say that I found you safe
And held you in my arms
I want anyone else in the world
To tell me
That they did too
And took you home

Across the field and to your door
And said, hey baby it’s cool,
There’s no reason to be scared anymore.
Took you home
And held you in, held you in, held you in.

Just stay home
Don’t come outside to play
Circumstance beyond control
I feel so helpless
Mind is racing and breaking
Me in to a million pieces
Because I can’t

Take you home
Across the river and to your door
Take you home and
Cut through the darkness
You don’t have to cry anymore
Take you home
And hold you in, hold you in, hold you in.

Take you home
Across the sea and to your door
Take you home
But I’m so scared
That home isn’t here anymore
Take you home
And hold you in
Through the nightshade and under the stars
And hold you in…

Poco más me queda que decir de esta pedazo de artista canadiense que no haya dicho ya en mis dos anteriores entradas ( Secrets y This Little Bird). Tengo que decir que, aunque yo no vaya a publicar más de Allison Crowe, tiene más discos, como uno homenaje a The Beatles y otro recopilatorio de villancicos y canciones tradicionales. Además de un DVD y algún que otro video, y unas versiones bastante famosas de canciones de grupos como Pearl Jam, John Lenon, Nirvana o The Rollins Stones. Estas versiones no son compartidas en sus discos bajo licencia Creative Commons ya que no es la poseedora de los derechos de las canciones. Hoy acabo con Allison Crowe publicando dos de sus discos. Uno es Little Light, un buen disco con canciones de estudio y alguna grabación en directo, publicado en el 2008. El otro es Live at Wood Hall, que como su propio nombre indica es un directo, este fue publicado en el 2005. Ambos estan publicados bajo esta licencia Creative Commons.

Escucha un poco de Litte Light:

• Angels

Escucha un poco de Live at Wood Hall:

• Sea of a Million Faces

Para descargar Little Light o Live at Wood Hall pulsa sobre sus respectivos títulos o imágenes.

A couple of years from now, aspiring singers will no longer have any need of reality shows like American Idol and, God willing, The Next Pinoy Pop Superstar.

We will no longer need the projections of the oft inebriated Paula Abdul or the dawg-laden remarks of Randy Jackson as to who they think the next world class singer is.Filipinos here and abroad don’t have to pimp their kababayan, who’s in the running for some pop star title, through old school media.

You and me. We will be our own judges of what we want to hear, and for how much we will hear it.

And do take note that when I say will, I mean in the very near future. Or in Internet language speak–now. Music that is richer–in so many ways–than the mainstream artists of today offered in the Internet either for an unbelievably small fraction of your average CD price or for free. Music that is slowly gaining appreciation and made by ‘regular’, or should I say indie artists of today.

These are people who don’t go begging major media channels for mileage. They have it all under control, through music blogs Jamendo, social networking sites like Myspace, music streaming sites like Last.FM, and many other channels that music industry giants never deemed possible a few years, perhaps even months, back.

I’ve always loved music, and a paradigm shift such as this is just too overwhelming for me not to share. So allow me to rave, and be my own Simon Cowell, sans the accent.

1. Allison Crowe

Allison Crowe’s amazing voice and self-written songs put singers like Hannah Montana to utter shame. I used to like Hannah Montana pre-hormonal stage, but to imagine that she’s ahead of Allison Crowe in terms of popularity and traditional media placement is just unbelievable.

Then again, Allison Crowe has made waves in different indie sites and have even been sought for interviews one too many times. What makes her albums so interesting is its raw touch, with minimal to no adjustments at all.

2. The Johns

I came across The Johns as I was browsing through a site I worked for. I didn’t expect anything from this band that branded their music as alternative. I love alternative (and I’m highlighting that in bold), but The Johns made me listen to an all new side of this fairly vague music category.

They’ve bee offering their music online for free, and I tell you–the album is just miles better from the albums you’d buy for at least five dollars… coughKCConcepcioncough. While you’re at it, don’t forget to listen to Comfortable, Green Collar, Sun for Days…I could go on forever. Did I mention it’s free?

These are just two artists from the sea of bands and singers that I personally screened, being the critical Simon Cowell that I am. After all, this is the Internet. And this is my own American Idol. Except that, well, I’m not American.

Seguimos con disfrutando con la potente y bonita voz de Allison Crowe, esa loca canadiense que quiso compartir su música. Y es que hoy en día empiezan a surgir artistas que triunfan gracias a saber adaptarse a este nuevo formato de difusión que es internet. Este es el caso de Allison Crowe, ya que ella comparte su música en internet bajo su propio sello discográfico y bajo licencia Creative Commons. Esto ha hecho que mucha gente, no solo de su país, sino de todo el mundo escuche su música. Y aunque en un principio solo actuaba en escenarios de su país, poco tardó en ser requerida en los escenarios de Europa y Estados Unidos. Así que la fama de esta cantante, compositora, pianista y guitarrista no solo se limita a su país, pero parece que aquí en España vivamos en una especie de burbuja musical que nos impide ver poco más allá de lo que quiera las discográficas. Bueno, ayer publiqué en la biblioteca su disco Secrets y hoy os propongo que escuchéis su disco This Little Bird, creado en el 2006 y que comparte bajo esta licencia Creative Commons.

Escucha un poco:

• Skeletons and Spirits

Para descargar el disco pulsa aquí o en la imagen

Allison Crowe es una compositora, pianista, guitarrista y cantante canadiense poseedora de su propio sello discográfico y que lanza su música original bajo licencia Creative Commons. Allison Crowe creció rodeada de música, influenciada por artistas como Ani DiFranco, Pearl Jam, Tori Amos y Counting Crows, lo que hace muy difícil categorizar su estilo musical, que se situal entre el jazz, el rock, el folk, el soul y el blues. En la mayoría de sus canciones Allison Crowe es la única protagonista, acompañandose a su potente voz ella misma al piano, a más puro estilo Elton John. Y no digo más, porque me tendré que dejar algo que decir en los demás discos de ella que tengo pensado publicar. Aquí dejo para descargar su primer LP titulado Secrets que publicó en 2004 y que comparte bajo esta licencia Creative Commons.

Escúchalo un poco:

• How Long

• Philosophy

Para descargar el disco pulsa aquí o en la imagen

Tonight I’ll be playing songs from Ian Foster’s 2 brand new CD’s that are coming out.  ‘We Begin Here’ is a disc of demos and B-Sides.  ‘Found : Music from the Unmade Film’ is the concept album.  My chat with Ian runs about 26 minutes so I’ll be playing parts of that during the course of the show.

Ian is hitting Ontario next week so if you’re in a town where he’s coming, hopefully you can catch him.

Then he’s traveling to British Columbia, so for the West Coast readers of this blog [Adrian for example, lol] you can see him later in July/early August.

If you missed it Adrian left a comment on the blog a few days ago.  Apparently Allison Crowe is another big World of Warcraft fan.  I mentioned Toni Marie Wiseman is.  Something in the Newfoundland water that’s getting all these women playing WOW online?

Interview with Toni Marie should air next Friday.  It’s a longer chat, before editing it runs over an hour! This is what happens when you talk to someone you’ve known for years.

My plan is to see Ian play next weekend in Toronto.  So that might cause Toni’s interview to get pushed up a week if I do a taped show if I travel to T.O. on Friday.  Plan is to do the show live on Friday, then travel to Toronto on Saturday. Keep an eye on the blog if anything changes.

Here are two of Ian’s sites.  To check out his music, the tour dates and his tour blog.

http://ianfoster.ca

http://www.myspace.com/ifbmusic

Kudos to sionfullana.

“The best thing one can do when it’s raining is to let it rain.”

It just won’t stop pouring.

———————————————–

Click Song for Savefile Download Link
“Hypnotized” – Ani DiFranco
“Buckets of Rain” – Bob Dylan
“Pray for Rain (Live)” – Allison Crowe
“And It Rained All Night” – Tom Yorke
“rain song” – a.w. feldt
“The Rain” – k-os
“Rain” – Bishop Allen
“Have You Ever Seen the Rain?” – Creedence Clearwater Revival
“Covered in Rain (Live)” – John Mayer
“Rain King (Live)” – Counting Crows
“Rainy Day People” – Gordon Lightfoot
“Black Rain, Black Rain” – A.A. Bondy
“Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain” – Willie Nelson
“A Day Without Rain” – Enya

http://www.archive.org/details/SaltWaterMusicJune19thHour1

Salt Water Music June 19th Hour 2

Technically 45 minutes because I let the previous show run long, political show had some people from City Council Live in Studio.  That’s rare so that’s why this is shorter than usual.

Kicked it off with Allison Crowe as she wrapped up her eventful tour of Europe.

Then some more of Joel Plaskett’s triple album.  After that some solo work from Rose Cousins and Ana Egge who contributed to Joel’s new album.

http://www.archive.org/details/SaltWaterMusicJune19thHour2

Salt Water Music June 19th Hour 2

Couple of songs from Pat Lepoidevin to start off the second hour.

Mix of Jessica Rhaye. One song from her new CD, one from her previous album and one live track.

Continue with Scott Macleod. And end the show with some demos and live tracks from Ian Foster.

Link to Friday’s show.  Second link had an error message but looks like it’s working fine.  So I might have to re-upload that one, but I’ll cross my fingers it’s OK.

http://www.archive.org/details/SaltWaterMusicJune5th2009Hour1

Salt Water Music June 5th 2009 Hour 1

Kick off the show with Matt Mays and El Torpedo, the week Matt dissolved the band. But he’s on tour with his new band over the summer, more details during the show.

Then some blues from Garrett Mason and Glamourpuss. DawgFM is having it’s follow-up CRTC hearing the following Friday so some Canadian blues for good luck.

New music to the show from Andrew Hunter and the Gatherers. End the 1st hour with The Lever Pulled, and it was one of the band members birthday on the weekend too.

http://www.archive.org/details/SaltWaterMusicJune5th2009Hour2

Salt Water Music June 5th 2009 Hour 2

Brand new music to the show to start the 2nd hour.

First Scott MacLeod and his CD ‘Old Soul’.  Follow that with more new music, this time from Pat LePoidevin with his disc ‘Blue Tornadoes’.

End the show with Allison Crowe, as the story keeps going.  This week she had a motion in the Scottish parliament about what happened to her.  Before I talk about that I play ‘Disease’ from her latest CD.  Then 2 cover songs from Allison’s website.  One a Pearl Jam song, the other Nirvana.

Hold Back Words & Music by Allison Crowe

A collection of truths strategically placed a horde of mysteries and some fears faced a raging battle under calm and serene often saying what I think but not often what I mean

 I need to see reality so I know that it’s not just a dream and I lay my cards out for everyone but I never am quite what I seem I hold back take hold of dares as though you’re almost done as if it’s the last thing that you’ll ever do and I will always run because a misguided guide I am an ignorant lead I never know what I want but I’ll tell you exactly what I need

Verse 3

and I see you smile and it makes me nervous and while I’m laughing the truth is I don’t know how to do this i have no idea of what’s okay no matter who you are but you’ll never get to know because I’ll never get that far