But that's not quite right either. She doesn't "stray" as you get the distinct impression that she knows exactly what she is doing and where she wants to go. Also, no matter how poppish she may get, there are two qualities in the music that are inherently redeeming. One is that her voice is great for bluegrass, but it is unbelievable in a pop context. Second, no matter how "pop" she gets (and I mean that without a hint of sarcasm or mockery), her music retains a bluegrass feel.

I can understand not liking this album...or at least NOT ADMITTING to liking this album. But frankly, it is gorgeous - but not in a Kenny G sense of the word. It is achingly beautiful, soulful music that is well-performed. What more could you ask for? It may be a guilty pleasure, but so is chocolate, and I'm not about to swear off either one of them.


AK does a Chick Disc   November 18, 2001
Robert J. Morris (Macungie, PA USA)
42 out of 45 found this review helpful

Women know better than men that melancholy is an underated emotion, it's comfortable sometimes to be blue. Well next time you're kinda down play yourself this CD before you pop the Prozak.

Krauss uses her talent as a producer to put together a fine album of sad songs; uses her talent as a singer to break a few hearts; and uses her talent with a fiddle to create the best two songs on the album: "Could You Lie", and "Never Got Off the Ground".

You'll find the usual gang around her here, the Union Station guys, Jerry Douglas on the Dobro; with a few others added in. And they're all as reliably terrific as ever.

An aside here: Whoever put Alison Krauss and Union Station together years ago is a genius. Her voice is the perfect instrument to bring a soul to their incredible sound. And the addition of Douglas' dobro to so much of their work over the past few years has made this group the definition of contemporary bluegrass, the reason bluegrass has gained so much in popularity recently.

Looking up I see I've written a five star review and only given four. Well, the music and prouction are just fine, but there's just a little too much heartache here for me. Can't fault any one or two songs, they're all good. Just wish she'd thrown in a couple of upbeat tunes to lighten the load. My wife tells me that ladies are fine with eleven straight heart breaking tunes. OK, we'll call this one a chick disc.


When you play Nothing at All   January 5, 2000
19 out of 19 found this review helpful

Don't be fooled by those that try to pigeon-hole this un-pigeon-holeable artist: Krauss is one of those very rare all-in-one pros with more talent in her little finger than most of the population of Nashville combined. She's a virtuoso fiddler, producer extrodinaire, and intuitively understands that less is usually more. Being backed by a band that's just a good is the icing on the cake.

Refreshingly unformulaic, her music stands alone. While past albums have had more pervasive "traditional" themes, "Forget About It" rests so firmly on her foundation of experience that there's something here for everyone, from the hard-core fan to the first time listener: elemental guitar and dobro licks pristine in their simplicity, thick, layered harmonies and violin, and of course, that knee-weakening voice.

"Forget About It" has been oft-called Krauss' "Pop Album," but anyone who knows anything about her music understands that labling her in any broad way means missing the point entirely. The only thing Pop about "Forget About It" may be the well of inspiration she draws from, including writers such as pop-icons Todd Rundgren and Michael McDonald. But Krauss' arrangements have always done more than justice to their oringinal incarnations, invariably becoming works of art that stand firmly on their own. If you're a fan, you'll wear this one out just as you have all the others. If you're thinking of giving this truly talented girl a listen for the first time, prepare to be blown away.


Breathtaking, Relaxing, Beautiful   August 5, 2001
J. M. Zuurbier (Canada)
25 out of 27 found this review helpful

Alison Krauss is a true talent. She has one of the most beautiful voices in country music, that expresses emotions, without overdoing it, or taking away from the simplistic nature of the songs. The harmonies on this album, FORGET ABOUT IT, are beautiful. The lead song "Stay" is a beautiful song with equally compelling vocals and instrumentation. This is common throughout the whole CD. "It Wouldn't Have Made Any Difference" is a sorrowful, sad track about a realization that there never was any love or commitment in the relationship, it's my favorite song on the album. "Ghost In This House" is another tragic song, but its so beautifully done with its vocals and instruments. "It Don't Matter" and "Could You Lie" are other beautiful songs, actually in fact there are no filler tracks to be found. The final track "Dreaming My Dreams With You" is a nice love song, very nice. Overall, this is an excellent album and I highly reccomend it to anyone who likes country music, true country, with a tinge of bluegrass backed with beautiful vocals and instruments. And if you're tired of the same sounding country music that a lot of artists are making out of Nashville, give this a try, you'll be surprised and find she's very much talented and doesn't get the recognition or respect she deserves.