Windy City
by Alison Krauss
  • Record Label: Capitol
  • Release Date: Feb 17, 2017
User Score
8.3

Universal acclaim- based on 4 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 4
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 4
  3. Negative: 0 out of 4
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  1. akus_1985
    Feb 22, 2017
    8
    After a very long wait, Alison Krauss has teamed up with Capitol Records and producer Buddy Cannon to release her first true solo project since Forget About It, which was released in 1999. Krauss has never been much of a songwriter, rather a song finder, and she's proven she has quite a knack for choosing exceptional songs over the years, and the material she has chosen for Windy CityAfter a very long wait, Alison Krauss has teamed up with Capitol Records and producer Buddy Cannon to release her first true solo project since Forget About It, which was released in 1999. Krauss has never been much of a songwriter, rather a song finder, and she's proven she has quite a knack for choosing exceptional songs over the years, and the material she has chosen for Windy City isn't any different. Here are 10, mostly obscure, pop and country tunes that Krauss breathes new life into. Windy City is a mostly traditional country album, with a crying, steel guitar accompanying most of the tunes. Sadly, for fans of her fiddling, she only plays on one song, and it's almost non-existent. As usual, Krauss does things her way, and although a few members from her longtime band Union Station sing and play on some of the tracks, this definitely isn't an Alison Krauss + Union Station album. Krauss is front and center, and her voice is as pristine and clear as it has ever been, despite her recent trouble with dysphonia. The song selection, which are all covers, range from tunes made famous by Brenda Lee to Bill Monroe, to Eddy Arnold. And Krauss makes each and every one of them her own. The mid-tempo, It's Goodbye and So Long to You is one of my favorite cuts on the album. It infuses county, polka, and a hint of Texas swing, and Krauss sings it with an incredible amount of dedication and vigor reminiscent of her vocal power she displays on her earlier bluegrass albums. There is a great mix of ballads and upbeat songs that round out the album. Jamey Johnson, members of the Cox family, Hank Williams Jr. and many others contribute their vocal talents, which gives each song a slightly rugged, or more polished sound. While Nashville continues to churn out and promote pop and rock artists and call them country, Alison Krauss has quietly released an authentic country music album that will no doubt quietly glide under the radar with little to no radio play. Don't be among the many who miss this incredible album. Windy City isn't an album I plan on moving on from any time soon.… Collapse

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
69

Generally favorable reviews - based on 10 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 10
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 10
  3. Negative: 0 out of 10
  1. Q Magazine
    Mar 14, 2017
    60
    Unfortunately, the old pop standards--including two popularised by Brenda Lee--are all syrup and no spark. [May 2017, p.107]
  2. Record Collector
    Mar 2, 2017
    60
    This is clearly a personal project following a specific template, tailored to Alison’s own passions, and is all the better for it.
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  3. Exclaim
    Mar 2, 2017
    80
    Windy City isn't a revolutionary album, or even the most adventurous release in Krauss's deep, rich catalogue, but it's a welcome reminder that Krauss remains a song interpreter with few--if any--peers in Nashville.
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