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Little Sparrow - Dolly Parton
Metascore
86 out of 100

Universal acclaim - based on 10 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 10 out of 10
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 10
  3. Negative: 0 out of 10
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  1. Entertainment Weekly
    100
    In wedding bluegrass with the Appalachian sound of her youth, Parton, who wrote half of the material and reprises her classic ''Down From Dover,'' repeatedly explores her favorite theme -- romantic betrayal -- and turns in a powerful performance, augmented by the best of bluegrass' hot pickers
  2. CDNow
    90
    Dolly Parton has at last returned to her musical home and, boy, are the neighbors ever grateful. That "home," of course, is Kentucky bluegrass music and the melancholy acoustic strains of the Appalachian Mountains.
  3. PopMatters
    90
    Little Sparrow contains some of the most beautiful and affecting music Parton has ever made...
  4. Sonicnet
    80
    Little Sparrow captures one of country's greatest talents in top form, backed by some of the best acoustic players around...
  5. Q Magazine
    80
    Little Sparrow mixes its trad tendencies with tunes, lovely instruments, and best of all, Parton's personality.
  6. Rolling Stone
    80
    Surrounding herself with the cream of Southern bluegrass musicians -- dobro master Jerry Douglas and guitar prodigy Bryan Sutton among them -- Parton is by turns reflective ("Little Sparrow"), playful ("Marry Me"), dolorous ("My Blue Tears"), spirited ("I Don't Believe You've Met My Baby") and spiritual ("In the Sweet By and By") on this nearly hour-long modern-bluegrass tour de force.
  7. Launch.com
    80
    Her taste in cover material is slightly idiosyncratic, but that does nothing but add luster to the program...
  8. Wall of Sound
    77
    Joined by a bevy of bluegrass talent, including Jerry Douglas, Chris Thile, and Alison Krauss, Little Sparrow is a richly wrought, beautifully performed labor of love for Parton.
  9. Neumu.net
    70
    Little Sparrow proves that 1999's The Grass Is Green was no fleeting burst of inspiration; Parton hasn't been so consistently exciting since the '70s.
  10. HOB.com
    70
    This of course is the power of mountain music, the weight it gives to simple instruments and simple folk, and for all of Parton's talents, singing in this medium may very well be her best.
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User Reviews

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User Score
8.8 out of 10

Universal acclaim- based on 12 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 8
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 8
  3. Negative: 0 out of 8
  1. KevW
    10
    You don't remotely need to be a Dolly Parton fan to love this -- anyone who appreciates appalacian or Bluegrass will love this (and maybe even if you don't). This is just a really good sample of early american music with a breath of fresh air.… Full Review »
  2. vs
    9
    a beautiful bluegrass album, sorrowful, and raw in parts, joyful and silly in others. Strongly feminist in her own right, Dolly's haunting voice echos in this hymn to the different faces of love.… Full Review »
  3. EdwinH
    10
    This is a fantastic album from Dolly and has her at her best. The pure clean sound and haunting melodies are sure to enchant. Highly recommended. +
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