For the love of music

For the love of music, starting today all hearts open here at the new web-home of Allison Crowe and bandmates Sarah White, Keelan Purchase & Dave Baird: https://allisoncroweband.com

For 20 amazing years Allison’s original site, designed by Alix (Whitmire) May @ http://allisoncrowe.com, serves as entry point for a community, millions of people all over the globe, to enjoy the music and history of one of our world’s great artists and bands. Thank you for your kind support & loyalty throughout the years!

With a growing family of musicians, and plenty more recordings and fun ahead, it’s come time for a new chapter online. Céline Sawchuk, (graphic artist + the combo’s former cellist), composes a new portal – for all to share and enjoy the sounds and happenings of Allison, Sarah, Keelan & Dave.

On this road less-traveled, we’ve the pleasure to meet fab photographers, from west to east. The characterful images of Billie Woods and Alick Tsui are prominent among those enlivening the new site.

Welcome! Explore! Enjoy!

Songbook Salute

Celebrating “Man of Steel” – the Zack Snyder-directed Superman movie in which Allison Crowe appears in a cameo – we’ve created Songbook - an oeuvre-spanning album of tracks representing each album+ release from Rubenesque Records Ltd. (12 Years Free & Strong: 2001 - 2013)

May you enjoy these 22 song performances from Allison here and now.

album cover above - for Allison Crowe's "Songbook"

Drawings by Allison Crowe, and design/artwork by our long-time graphics collaborator, Alix Whitmire.

+ more word, credits, and thanks to follow the music…

Dearly

"Spiral" is Allison Crowe's newest album - w. gorgeous cover paintings by Netherlands-based Tara Thelen + graphic design by Florida's Alix Whitmire. Billie Woods contributes photographs & acoustic guitar, alongside a rhythm section of Dave Baird and Laurent Boucher. Arranging, orchestrating and producing in full cinematic splendour is Kayla Schmah, of L.A. by-way-of-Salt Spring Island.

Curtains rise on "Dearly"...

Effortless

Allison Crowe's "This Little Bird:" album opens "Effortless"-ly. Dave Baird plays bass, and Laurent Boucher is on drums, Tibetan bells and other percussion. The visual art is created by Billie Woods, photographer, and Alix Whitmire, graphics, direction and design.

Imagine

"Imagine", composed by John Lennon, performed live by Allison Crowe. Peace.



(Applause/banter)

I Dreamed a Dream

"I Dreamed a Dream" - Words & Music by Alain Boublil, Claude-Michel Schönberg. Culture blog Muruch calls Allison Crowe's performance the definitive version of this song from Les Miserables. "Les Miz" fans have their faves, and that's the nature of music and musicals. The passion of Allison live, heard in all she performs, is here, as Fantine...



(Applause/banter)

Secrets (live)

"Secrets" live - this Good Friday, and Earth Day!!



(applause track and intro for the next song performance)

Finally

"Finally". A song co-written by Allison Crowe and Stephen Clevette. Loves past, loves present... and, true to the message of Counting Crow's Adam Duritz, one of Allison's primary songwriting inspirations, she believes to this day it is the “heart that matters more”.



(Applause/banter)

Playboy Mommy (live, solo)

"Playboy Mommy". Says Allison Crowe: "There's a freedom of artistry listening to and learning the songs of Tori Amos. A raw, emotional, sometimes confusing, wackiness. It’s okay to pound the notes out if you’re angry, so long as you remember to delicately fondle the notes later on. You can be strange and beautiful."



(Applause)

Pray for Rain

"Pray for Rain", one of Allison Crowe's songs, (and there's a fair number that are like this), that fits a full-tilt rock band, turning amps to 11, and, as well, Allison solo and acoustic - underscoring the power and the passion of her songwriting.



Here's the applause track

Running

"Running" - in concert from Allison Crowe. A lovely song requested each time Allison performs in Edinburgh :)



Here's the applause track

How Long (live)

"How Long", by Allison Crowe (along with "Immersed") is in the tradition of songs that show record execs can sometimes inspire great music! (Whether intentional or not.) Joni Mitchell's more explicit with her "Free Man in Paris", but, as we've noted before, Allison's lemonade is a good squeeze. Here's the applause track

Crayon and Ink (live)

Launching the second night/disc of "Live at Wood Hall" is "Crayon and Ink". As with all of Allison Crowe's songs and performances, its beauty doesn't need me to reflect anything. So, I'll just move to the back of the hall, and share the music. There is a banter/applause track - it's applause only, and we can clap along...

Welcome to the weekend!

Believe Me If All (Those Endearing Young Charms) - live

"Believe Me If All (Those Endearing Young Charms)" - a traditional Irish Aire with words by Thomas Moore is performed acapella by Allison Crowe.



Here's the banter/intro track - and, the applause closing this first night/disc of "Live at Wood Hall"

Sláinte mhaith!

A Murder of One

Epic.

That describes Allison Crowe's take on this Counting Crows' song. Allison revealed to UK blog, 'We Write Lists': "Along to ‘A Murder of One’, at the top of my lungs, I wailed out my cry for independence in the time of an oppressive relationship, driving and singing in an almost meditative screaming chant 'change change change'." Here's the Banter/intro track

In Love In Vain

"In Love In Vain", Words & Music by Leo Robin, Jerome Kern. Allison Crowe's intro to this jazzy, encore, song is here

Enjoy :)

Whether I'm Wrong (live)

Allison Crowe's "Live at Wood Hall" concerts followed her "secrets' CD. Naturally, songs from that album are prominent in her live sets that Spring. Here's "Whether I'm Wrong", featured, on its release the year before, by UNESCO-endorsed New Songs for Peace project. In the banter/intro - Allison makes a musical promise kept the next night... Now, imagine peace :)

What About You (live)

"What About You" live, does not include the Uillean pipes heard on the "secrets" version of the song, but, of course, it DOES include the Allison pipes! In the banter track Allison Crowe gives a wee explanation of the song's origin. Such genesis often remains a secret encoded in the music.

Fire

Had Allison Crowe been born in a different era, she'd have set her piano alight at Monterey, or, maybe, added her colander to the Crazy World of Arthur Brown. Here's "Fire", which bridges Allison's rock/grunge band roots and her solo singer-songwriter mystic. A song for Heather and you :)

Sea of a Millon Faces (live)

"Sea of a Million Faces", live, comes with this song intro. Originally on Allison Crowe's "secrets" album, the song's an up-tempo concert favourite. The following track, after the song performance, is simply thanks/applause