ALELA DIANE - To Be Still

I remember hearing "Age Old Blues" on a Daytrotter session; when it was over I picked up the phone and called my Nan. The song's lyrics evoked the town in Scotland that my Nan grew up in so clearly and beautifully that it made me miss her. That is the sign of a skilled storyteller, one who can create songs that have a magical three-dimensional sound powerful enough to transport the listener somewhere else, slowing down time and creating moments of reflection. The title of this follow-up to 2006's The Pirate's Gospel is quite fitting, as Diane's voice creates a sense of stillness, telling tales of a past where the hills were greener and the thunder of the ocean ran through the veins of many. These stories are given texture and character with the addition of mandolins, banjos and fiddles, but Alela's voice remains To Be Still's driving force.