NELL ROBINSON RELEASES DELIGHTFUL SOPHOMORE CD “ON THE BROOKLYN ROAD”
Berkeley, CA – June 29, 2011 -Bluegrass singer-songwriter Nell Robinson proudly announces the upcoming release of her sophomore CD, “On the Brooklyn Road” on July 19, 2011. After her debut album Loango charted in bluegrass and Americana in 2010, Nell Robinson was named one of the most “utterly charming,” “freshest voices” in roots music, and likened to early Emmylou Harris and Hazel Dickens. With “On The Brooklyn Road”, titled after the red clay dirt road that led to her family’s farm in rural Alabama, Nell returns with more of her original compositions.
On her second album, Robinson musically collaborates and performs with a veritable “Who’s Who” of renowned bluegrass icons including: Jim Nunally, Laurie Lewis, John Reischman, Chad Manning, Keith Little and Rob Ickes, among many others. “On the Brooklyn Road” includes serious tales of death, heartbreak and affectionate story-telling of family traditions. The tunes are filled with warmth, sweetness, humor and simple elegance.
There is a timelessness and deftness to Nell Robinson’s original song-writing style. She evokes a by-gone era mixed with a modern twist to her lyrics. This is evidenced by the Cajun-flavored song about temptation “Don’t Light My Fire” to her co-write with Laurie Lewis, “Wahatchee” to “I’m Brilliant” about the denial of alcoholism.
Nell’s vocals range from haunting and melodic to soulful and spare. “On the Brooklyn Road” was produced by Nell and by Jim Nunally, who also adds splendid harmonies that complement Robinson’s warm clear-as-a-bell lead vocals. Just listen to their chemistry on Richard Brandenburg’s tender ballad “Mayflies, ” a highlight of the album. The album’s songs are interspersed with field recordings of stories by her mother and uncles about an innocent time long since passed. Nell sings in the name of her late grandmother and as a way to honor her Southern ancestry.
The CD closes almost like a Southern revival with “Last Old Shovel” and “Sweet Sunny South”. As on Nell’s first album “Loango”, there are 2 bonus tracks by The Henriettas, which is her and Cary Sheldon’s tribute to the 1930’s sister act, the DeZurik Sisters. Their funny and intricate yodeling style has to be heard to be believed.
In Nell Robinson’s liner notes she writes “Story-telling is a Southern pastime and some of the stories I know are best told like they happened yesterday, even though they are 150 years old. They foster this deep connection to people and place, so much that sometimes I miss a past that I wasn’t even present for. The family recordings and songs, mine and others, in this album are my way of breathing those memories into life today.” Let Nell Robinson breathe her nostalgic memories, stories and songs into your ear with the eloquent sounds of “On the Brooklyn Road”!