Years and years after her last album, vocalist-pianist-composer Robin
Holcomb is finally set to release a new disc of her lovely, melancholy
songs. Nonesuch is going to issue 'The Big Time' on June 11. The songs are
drenched in Holcomb's standard deep rootsiness - some of them are actually
songs from the Harry Smith anthology - but they're also marked by her unique
harmonic sense, with unusual chords and voicings in abundance. The album
somehow once again manages to transcend the wide gap between the
singer-songwriter format and more adventurous fare, though Zornlisters who
find little to like about recent Frisell and Horvitz projects may just
scratch their heads. Hard for me to say much more than that, since I'm
listening to it for the first time, but it very much picks up where
'Rockabye' left off in 1992. The band is Zony Mash (Wayne Horvitz, Keith
Lowe, Timothy Young and Andy Roth) with guest appearances by Kate and Anna
McGarrigle, Julie Wolf (Ani DiFranco band), Doug Wieselman, Danny Barnes and
Eyvind Kang. And best of all, apparently she's finally ready to tour again.
Hopefully, more details to come.
For Patrice, a few specifics:
Robin Holcomb: The Big Time (2002, Nonesuch 79653)
1. Pretend 4:20
2. Like I Care 4:30
3. Sit Right Down 2:20
4. You Look So Much Better 3:46
5. A Lazy Farmer Boy 2:44
6. If You Can't Make the Curve 3:31
7. I Want to Tell the Story 3:40
8. Engine 143 6:01
9. I Tried to Believe 4:12
10. The Big Time 3:14
11. Tell the Good Friend on Your Left 4:40
12. Lullaby 1:23
Produced by Wayne Horvitz. All songs by Robin Holcomb except 5 and 8, from
the Harry Smith Anthology
Steve Smith
ssmith36(a)sprynet.com
NP - Robin Holcolmb, "Sit Right Down," 'The Big Time' (Nonesuch)
