CLAIRE LYNCH
New Day
Rounder Records
BY JOE ROSS

New Day is Claire’s sixth solo album and represents another refreshing new journey for the petite woman with big voice. She now surrounds herself with some folks who are far from everyday average pickers. Lynch’s hypnotic voice seems perfectly balanced with the praiseworthy support of Jim Hurst (guitar, vocals), David Harvey (mandolin, vocals) and Missy Raines (bass). Depending on the song selection that ranges from blues to ballad and bluegrass to swing, we also hear the able assistance of Charlie Cushman or Alison Brown on banjo, Stuart Duncan or Andrea Zonn on fiddle, Rob Ickes on Dobro, and Larry Atamanuik on drums. Their buoyant groove makes for a pleasant ride.

Their repertoire comes from a variety of sources but always accentuating accessible melodies and bright lyricism. The opener, Be Ready To Sail, reveals much emotional depth. Train Long Gone is a very catchy ditty. The funky beat of Up This Hill And Down conveys strength. A sensual mid-tempo swing number, Fallin’ In Love, is breezily romantic. A message of hope and inspiration is key to one of her own collaborations with Pat Alger called Long After You’re Gone. A savvy uptempo bluegrass number, Leavin On That Evening Train, comes from the pen of Scott McAler. Claire Lynch boasts an impressive track record, and she closes this album with a song, I Believe In Forever, that epitomized the spiritual glow that radiates from her entire performance.
BMP

Nov-Dec 2006 Issue
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