|
| Secrets | 
 enlarge | Artist: Sierra Hull
Label: Rounder / Umgd
Category: Music
List Price: $17.98
Buy New: $12.10
You Save: $5.88 (33%)
New (32) Used (6) from $12.00
Avg. Customer Rating:  17 reviews
Sales Rank: 2346
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 5 x 0.5
MPN: 610601
UPC: 011661060128
EAN: 0011661060128
ASIN: B0014VPFIQ
Release Date: May 6, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: Brand new Item. CD, DVD, Book, VHS more than 400 000 titles to choose from. ALL days Low Price !
|
| Tracks:
| • | Secrets - Sierra Hull, McClung, Kevin | | • | From Now On - Sierra Hull, Beazley, Janet | | • | Two Winding Rails - Sierra Hull, Hull, Stacy | | • | Smashville - Sierra Hull, VanCleve, Jim | | • | Everybody's Somebody's Fool - Sierra Hull, Greenfield, Howard | | • | Pretend - Sierra Hull, Hull, Sierra | | • | If You Can Tame My Heart - Sierra Hull, Block, Ron | | • | That's All I Can Say - Sierra Hull, Wilborn, Marshall | | • | The Hard Way - Sierra Hull, Rutherford, Rivers | | • | Hullarious - Sierra Hull, Hull, Sierra | | • | Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder - Sierra Hull, Reid, L. | | • | Only My Heart - Sierra Hull, Pennell, John | | • | Trust and Obey - Sierra Hull, Sammis, John H. |
|
| Similar Items:
|
| Editorial Reviews:
Album Description
Sierra Hull is a rare talent: an artist who combines youthful intensity and energy with a sense of grace and maturity well beyond her years. Secrets, her national debut, features her fluidly, inventive mandolin playing and tender, wistful singing supported by a luminous cast of bluegrass masters. From full-on newgrass instrumentals to eloquent, heart-stopping ballads to playful modern bluegrass, Secrets heralds the arrival of a fresh, important new voice onto today's bluegrass scene.
Co-produced by Sierra Hull and Ron Block (Union Station), and featuring Block, Barry Bales, Dennis Crouch, Jerry Douglas, Stuart Duncan, Clay Hess, Rob Ickes, Chris Jones, Jason Moore, Tony Rice, Dan Tyminski, Jim VanCleve, and Cory Walker.
"With Secrets, Sierra Hull takes charge and leads the band with full authority. Her vocals are effortless and straight to the point, while keeping the focus on melody. Her mandolin playing is smooth, in time, and downright slippery. It's amazing to listen to her precision and agility, and the potential for musical growth is tremendous. I can't wait to hear what Sierra comes up with next. Every so often, a talent comes along that makes us sit up and take notice. That time is now for Sierra Hull."
-Sam Bush
"Sierra is a remarkably talented, beautiful human being. Success could not come to a more worthy person. I adore her."
-Alison Krauss
|
| Customer Reviews: Read 12 more reviews...
 Hull: A "Secret" No More May 14, 2008
7 out of 9 found this review helpful
Prime Cuts: Trust and Obey, Everybody's Somebody's Fool, The Hard Way
Sierra Hull is destined to make bluegrass cool again. Merely only 16 years-old, "Secrets" hits the high water mark in terms of debut CDs with Hull's impeccably pure angelic sound that calls to mind a young Alison Krauss. In fact Krauss presence is felt right through the disc: namely because this debut effort is helmed by Union Station's Ron Block together with Hull. Hopefully with her clout with Rounder Records (also Krauss' recording home), this will stream in the success Hull deserves. An austere line of Who's Who in bluegrass forms the band backup including Jerry Douglas, Dan Tyminski, Stuart Duncan, Ron Ickes AND Mountain Heart's Jim Van Cleve. Unfaultable also is Hull's mandolin licks; while teenagers her age are into the latest hip hop beeps and whistles Hull's constant love is playing her rustic string instruments. And when she plays conterminous with these bluegrass greats, she sounds like a peer.
Most importantly, it is still the songs that shine. While many bluegrass outputs veer on the technical virtuoso of exceptional playing made at the expense at the quality of the songs, this is not the case here. Opener and title cut "Secrets" is a prime example of an introspective glance into "the secret passions" of Hull's heart that s made even more bittersweet with the delicate mandolin lines. Hull has a hand in the composing "Pretend," a paean of unrequited love told with a diary-like frankness. And despite the incessant fiddle licks to mask the pain, Hull's expressive vocals could not hide the influx of feelings of pain. Hull also hammers home a heartfelt rendition of Rivers Rutherford and Gordie Sampson's "The Hard Way," giving Keith Urban (who first covered this song) a run for his money with her bluegrass treatment of this gorgeous uptempo number. Soaring with crystalline purity Hull soars with an affecting elan on the proverbial lilting "Everybody's Somebody's Fool."
Gospel fans get more than their fix with the traditional "Trust and Obey." This is more than just your obligatory hymn that often closes off a bluegrass/county disc. Backed only by Ron Black's guitar, Hull sings with so much conviction she indeed leads the parade as far as soul shattering performances go. Although not as affective, "Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder" with its heartwarming lyrics also create some high lonesome splendor. With the album's highlight being Hull's vocals, the two instrumentals ("Hullarious" and "Smashville") done at high sonic speed sounds indistinguishable from copious bluegrass instrumentals out there. Also, the CD could definitely profit from a couple more ballads.
Despite the minor criticisms, "Secrets" is an elegant effort done by a vocalist who sings beyond her years. Hull's uncommon ability to transmit the aches and warms of these songs is nothing short of stellar. With an album this good, Sierra Hull will be a "secret" no more.
Watch out Alison!!! May 8, 2008
5 out of 6 found this review helpful
If you are like me and mourning that Alison Krauss has hooked up with Robert Plant this year (I know it is a multi platinum album/cd) Sierra Hull can help you survive through this period. Whereas, Alison plays the "fiddle" Sierra plays Bill Monroe's instrument of choice - Mandolin.
Yes she is only 16 years old and her voice will mature with age and experience but if Alison doesn't come back to Union Station, Sierra could fill that role very well. In fact on the various songs are members of Union Station contributing their talents. To paraphase Randy Jackson, Sierra you are the "BOMB" With Sierra being the next generation of "bluegrass" artists, Bill Monroe can rest easy that his baby - Bluegrass music is in very capable hands. Bluegrass music fans, this should be in your collection!
Sierra Hull: Mandolinist Extraordinaire May 31, 2008
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
I had the great fortune to see Sierra Hull back in 2007. There she was on stage with the Mark Newton Band, stage set about 50 feet from the RF&P railroad tracks in Ashland, VA. Her name wasn't listed in the program but leader Mark Newton kept mentioning her name and the long drive to Byrdstown, TN as Sierra had to be in school the next day.
There I sat in my lawn chair, about 20 feet away from the stage watching this beautiful young woman display her mastery of the mandolin along with delightful vocals. To hear her pleasurable voice is most enjoyable but to watch her fingers fly on her mandolin is a sight to behold!
As Sierra is just 16, she well on her way to developing her prodigal abilities to stardom; very much like her mentor Alison Krauss. As for her recording "Secrets", all songs are pleasing, if maybe youthful work in progress. I find her efforts on the songs "Pretend" and "The Hard Way" most gratifying. The last song, "Trust and Obey" is a spiritual offering that will truly touch your heart.
Excellent bluegrass May 7, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Nice variety of quiet contemplation to blazing speed work. She really cooks on the mandolin, and has an excellent backup band (Union Station and others).
Just a personal taste issue, but her voice IS that of a young girl (which she IS). So it's not the kind of thing I would listen to over and over (like Alison Krauss). Looking forward to her career as she matures.
A sound from 20 years back May 22, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Go back 20 years and you'll hear a very similar album from a 16-year-old Alison Krauss, not surprising since Krauss in one of Sierra's mentors _ the first thank you is to "Alison.'' Hull has the benefit of starting with the best musicians in bluegrass, including all of Krauss' Union Station plus Tony Rice, Stuart Duncan, Rob Ickes and Jim Van Cleve. Sam Bush, who isn't on the album because his mandolin would be redundant, has an elegant tribute.
One funny note: Ron Block, the producer, kept it from being "Sierra Hull and Union Station featuring Jerry Douglas'' by making sure that he, Douglas, Dan Tyminski and Barry Bales were never all together on any cut. He also makes a comparison to another young mandolin virtuoso: Chris Thile, although he doesn't mention Thile by name.
What you get here is a remarkable 16-year-old, just as you got with Krauss. One review suggested her voice isn't as good. Whose is? And yet it really does sound like the teenage Alison. Krauss hasn't been pure bluegrass for a while now, so Hull gives purists a new voice to hang with while Alison goes into her current mix of folk, rock, Americana or whatever. I find her newsest stuff great. I find this the start of something that could be similar.
One added note for those who are dismayed Alison has stayed from "pure'' bluegrass. Two of the musicians on this album _ Duncan and Dennis Crouch _ are part of the band touring with Krauss and Plant. Another reason to let music be music without labels.
|
|
|
Powered by Associate-O-Matic
| |
