Review: Crooked Still - Shaken By A Low Sound (or) giraffes do not look like birds

Posted on 25 September 2006 | 2 Comments

Filed Under: Album Reviews, Americana

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In recent years/months I’ve begun to accept that I really enjoy a lot of roots music or (at least) music based on roots music. I’m really not sure why that is since I’ve always had punk blood pumping through these veins. It’s something that I really can’t explain. One such roots music band that I’ve recently come across is Boston’s Crooked Still.

This is bluegrass music from Boston (members attended Berklee and The New England Conservatory of Music) and not from the front porches of Makanda. It’s old-time mountain music with a touch of backwoods chamber folk thrown in for good measure. On their latest Shaken By A Low Sound they use banjo, cello, and double-bass to back Aoife O’ Donovan’s folk-tinged vocals on a number of covers including songs by Robert Johnson, Bob Dylan, and (a favorite of mine) the classic “Ain’t No Grave.” This is great new lonesome Americana and is (for whatever reason) right up my alley.

Shaken By A Low Sound is out now on Signature Sounds.

MP3 | Crooked Still – Oxford Town/Cumberland Gap Shaken By A Low Sound
MP3 | Crooked Still – Ain’t No Grave Shaken By A Low Sound