Rating:
Genre:
Rock
Release Date: 12/07/2004
Although
the Great Unknowns are billed as a band, lead
singer/songwriter Becky Warren's influence dominates this debut to the extent that it could just as well have been a solo outing. Although nearly all the music is co-written by guitarist
Michael Palmer,
Warren's presence is so strong -- and her voice so dominant in the mix -- that the rest of the group seems like window dressing. Since the album is consistently enjoyable and professionally written, though, that's not necessarily a problem.
Warren's voice combines the earthy, Southern twang of
Lucinda Williams -- especially on
"Forever," a tune that even fans might think is a lost
Williams side -- with a jazzy,
Rickie Lee Jones-style croon. The songs don't stray outside of the strummy
Americana genre, but they are consistently well composed and performed, making the disc sound vibrant and alive on the first spin. Recorded in "a dingy dormitory-basement studio," the tapes found their way to
Daemon owner/
Indigo Girl Amy Ray's ears. She released it as is, which gives the sound a rough but honest core. It's a relaxed, unhurried set, in part due to the low-key way in which it was recorded. The tunes are mostly about leaving a relationship or a city or a state of life, looking for a better future "over the great divide."
Warren's voice and lyrics perfectly flow together, conveying longing and hope with a sense of tough pride. All the emotions converge on the stunning
"Deliver Me Home," a track that builds from a lone desolate acoustic guitar to a forceful
ballad with full-band accompaniment as
Warren's voice transforms from softly forlorn to powerfully insistent. It's the highlight of a terrific debut that shows tremendous potential from
Becky Warren, regardless of who backs her up.
~Hal Horowitz, All Music Guide
;)
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