Allison Moorer - Crows Acoustic (2010)

Something was going right in the studio because this one's a beauty. Allison Moorer has a lovely voice and uses it well on Crows, conveying deep feeling with seeming simplicity. You can hear all the way to the back of the emotions on this record, which is a tribute to the singer and the songs. However, I also take note of the sound and arrangement of the album because it works perfectly with Ms. Moorer's songs and voice.

The music never pushes her aside, never crowds her out, as so much production tends to do. These are classic sounds, without a lot of fuss, leaving landscapes of space for Ms. Moorer to fill and enough room for us to dream. This is record production with its ego in check, getting out of the way and allowing the music to speak. The man behind it, R.S. Field, supports Ms. Moorer, bringing clarity and balance to the proceedings. When you have a voice like this to work with, you get out of the way. Mr. Field never says "Look at me". Instead, he makes sure the spotlight is always on the singer, while brilliantly controlling the color and intensity of that light. We are lucky to have him, as is Ms. Moorer.