{"id":34,"date":"2014-11-04T02:16:50","date_gmt":"2014-11-04T02:16:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/melissamckenna.com\/?page_id=34"},"modified":"2015-02-03T09:48:32","modified_gmt":"2015-02-03T17:48:32","slug":"reviews","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/melissamckenna.com\/?page_id=34","title":{"rendered":"reviews"},"content":{"rendered":"

Nothing Lasts Forever review in FAME<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

This is Blue Line Highway\u2019s third entry in FAME pages but their sixth release overall. The baseline Joy of Cooking mode of the group comes out very strongly in this largely live-in-the-studio work, and there\u2019s a distinctive difference between it and the previous discs, nothing earthshaking but rather a more intimate rawness and immediacy despite the perennial mellifluity of the group\u2019s work in whole\u2014something, to take from Joy of Cooking\u2019s brief catalogue, a little closer to the ground. The trait\u2019s actually common to the uncommon practice of what used to be called \u2018direct to disc\u2019 recordings back when vinyl roamed the Earth. That engineering mode accounts for why music collectors like myself prize those bygone discs and their more modern manifestations: they\u2019re honest. You can\u2019t endlessly process the sound, twiddle pitch adjustments, dub in fills and ornamentation and such. What you hear is actually what went down, and it\u2019s a rare glimpse short of seeing BLH, or any other group, in concert.<\/p>\n

This process makes John Leedes\u2019 electric and acoustic guitar and Doug Austin\u2019s mando work all the more relished for their charted and on-the-fly lines (there\u2019s an appreciable jam band presence in this sextet, an outgrowth of the bluegrass ethos: think String Cheese Incident, Rusted Root, etc. but not so whacked-out esoteric as Phish) and upfront freshness. Julia Dooley\u2019s voice is ever the front instrument with Melissa McKenna harmonizing. As well, the latter is the more constant acoustic rhythm guitar in the mix, while the former tosses in some harmonica every so often. Don\u2019t, though, mistake a sometimes very subtly backgrounded accordion for her harp. That there\u2019s Joe Conner, \u2018n his cordine\u2019s a constantly floating presence, adds a lot of atmosphere, and what you may often think is a bass line is in truth Conrad Sisk and his cello, sometimes picking, sometimes bowing, always flowing.<\/p>\n

Many more times than once, I was minded of the whole old San Fran and Fillmore sounds, especially in cuts like Into the Water<\/em>, very free-spirited, breezy, and redolent of open fields and blue skies. Then the band\u2019s It\u2019s a Beautiful Day element compounds that, and the golden days of the 70s come rushing back. Don\u2019t, however, think everything\u2019s sweetness and light here. It ain\u2019t. Catch Dark Vein<\/em> and its troubling subject matter as well as Mother without a Child<\/em> (very baroque, Viennese, and Kentucky afternoon simultaneously\u2014along with Swamp Boogie<\/em>, my favorite cut), an interesting reversal of the traditional \u2018motherless child\u2019 narrative. One last matter, however: the mix and balance, not to mention the overall tone, don\u2019t quite measure up to the group\u2019s previous work. While this change-up is perfect for duplicating 70s ambiance, it suffers in missing the richness of earlier releases, and that smooth velvety presence has always been a powerful quality in this ensemble. It\u2019s not gone, it\u2019s just on a bit of semi-hiatus.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u201cAlmost Reel\u201d review<\/strong>\u00a0at\u00a0Smother.net<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Tremendous guitar artistry greets the ear from Richmond, Virginia\u2019s quartet, Blue Line Highway\u2019s newest disc, \u201cAlmost Reel\u201d \u2013 a folk-rock mixture of Americana, Southern acoustic blues, and coffeehouse pop that gets your toes tapping and your head nodding in agreement and enjoyment.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u201cAlmost Reel\u201d Review \u2013 by FAME<\/strong><\/a>
\nFolk & Acoustic Music Exchange<\/strong>
\nWritten by Mark S. Tucker (progdawg@hotmail.com)<\/strong>
\nEdited by David N. Pyles (dnpyles@acousticmusic.com)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Blue Line Highway has such an unusual tack on things that it relaxes as it stimulates. Their last CD was reviewed here in FAME and, since then, they\u2019ve ducked back into the studio, but not in the expected fashion. Keeping the mechanics to a minimum, Almost Reel was performed basically as a live in-studio gig, imbuing it with a sparkling energy and flow that\u2019s extremely easy on the ear while provoking foot-tapping and head bobbing. Think of America\u2019s debut LP cut with Matthews\u2019 Southern Comfort, a touch of Heart, some Plainsong, and a complex of Americana blended like ambrosia into mellow rock.<\/p>\n

Helping out a sound that positively glows, Doug Austin, a letter-perfect instrumentalist with tremendous discernments, is again accompanying the band on mandolin and penny whistle, lending his magic to a group shining from all quarters. Joe Conner likewise re-upped, settin\u2019 down with a tres cool accordion. Julia Dooley\u2019s vocal work has entered its apogee, confident, gently swinging, airily colorful, and soothing. Several cuts are extended, and ya hafta catch the instrumental interplay in the last movement of You\u2019ll Get Yours\u2014man, that kind of oh-so-cool energy is rare nowadays! At 9\u00bd minutes, Frozen North is the disc\u2019s extravaganza, and the Phish element I mentioned last time around makes itself acutely felt. Very strong tangs of the Dead\u2019s golden mellifluous improv crop up all over the place as well, alongside some great Joy of Cooking callbacks, Melissa McKenna singing behind Dooley for a Garthwaite\/Brown mellow duet bop.<\/p>\n

Almost Reel definitely marks the band coming fully into its own. John Leedes\u2019 guitar work is impeccable, clever, and extraordinarily flexible, assuming a broad catalog of shades and styles. Bassist Ray Alfano assumes melodic invisibility in the quieter numbers, fitting seamlessly in, then erupts in jumping burbling lines underwriting the group\u2019s more exuberant flights. Main writer McKenna\u2019s acoustic guitar provides much of the even keel for the whole ensemble, and, like last time around, the lyrics are intelligent and often offbeat, never clich\u00e9 even when comforting.<\/p>\n

If there\u2019s even the slightest drawback here, I\u2019ve yet to discern it, and the engineer remarked that his job was a piece of cake. Part of that lay in the group\u2019s attention to detail, carefully setting up a 16 microphone layout to catch everything perfectly, all in balance, nothing missed. The result is a very expansive sound that nonetheless achieves warm intimacy with a grin, a pensive glance, sometimes a philosophical scowl, and an afternoon\u2019s saunter down country lanes with a headful of memories under blue skies fleeced with gauzy clouds, relishing the feeling that all\u2019s right with the world\u2026despite pesky humans and their fickle ways. We can use a whole lot of that right now.<\/p>\n

Track List:
\nCry (Melissa McKenna)
\nTime Goes By (Melissa McKenna)
\nA Modern Curse (Melissa McKenna)
\nYou\u2019ll Get Yours (Melissa McKenna)
\nDarts and Flowers (Julia Dooley)
\nThe New Lease (Take Me to Gray-V) (John Leedes)
\nAlmost Reel (Melissa McKenna)
\nSally (Melissa McKenna)
\nJenny (Melissa McKenna)
\nFrozen North (Melissa McKenna)
\nGoin\u2019 on Here (John Leedes)
\nFlatbed Trailer (Melissa McKenna)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u201cA Perfect Curve\u201d Review \u2013 by FAME<\/strong><\/a>
\nFolk & Acoustic Music Exchange<\/strong>
\nWritten by Mark S. Tucker<\/strong><\/p>\n

Interesting group. There are traces of Phish and the jam band way of thinking to them in unorthodox approaches that are nonetheless highly melodic. There\u2019s also a shuh-boom and swing, understated, that\u2019s infectious as all get out, making the mellifluity which dominates the disc far more emphatic than would otherwise be the case. No matter where you go in it, though, A Perfect Curve is extremely refreshing, folky in an America (the band) fashion, smooth as Matthew\u2019s Southern Comfort, and the sort of ensemble that would play at a block party and put smiles on everyone\u2019s face.<\/p>\n

Julia Dooley is the lead vocalist and encants in a somewhat basso register, carrying a bit of Martha Bates (Motels) to her as she spins out oft strange stories about odd people and off-center situations. Blue Line Highway blends rock, folk, MOR, Americana, and a number of other subtler influences for a sound that\u2019s simultaneously unique and very very familiar. It is, in fact, the sort of m\u00e9tier we wish Terry Garthwaite, Toni Brown, and Joy of Cooking would\u2019ve produced this solidly. Those elder muses hit it only every so often, and usually bluesier, but this band pitches a perfect game, with not one cut below any of its companions, a 11-spot of continually satisfying strains.<\/p>\n

A Perfect Curve is excellent music for a variety of occasions: driving, background to a patio BBQ with friends, wine sipping, just about any application you might put it to. Dooley plays a harmonca and a bit of percussion while singing, Melissa McKenna handles guitar duties and back-up vocals, John Leedes duplicates her, and Ray Alfano carries the rhythm section in his bass, but the ensemble made a superb choice in Doug Austin and his marvelous mandolin (and violin), a crucial element in the mix, someone who should be a permanent member. Toss this on when ya wanna feel good, need a bounce in your step, and wanna walk through the day humming and snapping your fingers.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u201cA Perfect Curve\u201d: Another Review<\/strong><\/a>
\nAmber Waves of Twang<\/strong>
\nPosted by Chip Frazier<\/strong><\/p>\n

Richmond based NewGrassers Blue Line Highway are a recent discovery that released an impressive album A Perfect Curve. It is a nice mixture of traditional and modern styling, along with acoustic and electric instrumentation. The band mixes Americana, Rock and a laid back blues vibe in a way that puts them in the NewGrass camp but they certainly have their on distinctive sound. Also, as is often the case in this sub-genre, there is a definite Grateful Dead influence. The songwriting is superb with catchy tunes and vocal harmonies. These guys certainly deserve more props than they are receiving.<\/p>\n

The album has compelling folk tales like \u201cBilly\u201d and danceable rockers like \u201c3 Ways to Go\u201d Also they like to Jam and have the chops to pull it off. The mixing of Americana, Blues and Jam Band style gives them a style that is unique. By the way, it does not hurt that they are talented musicians. Blue Line Highway is: John Leedes (guitar and vocals), Julia Dooley (vocals, percussion, harmonica), Melissa McKenna (vocals, guitar), Ray Alfano (bass). Right now they are touring primarily in Virginia. However, I hope more folks will check them out so they can spread out geographically.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u201cA Perfect Curve\u201d: CD review<\/strong><\/a>
\nThe Muses Muse<\/strong><\/p>\n

Artist\/Band: Blue Line Highway
\nAlbum: A Perfect Curve
\nWebsite: http:\/\/www.bluelinhighway.com
\nGenre: Americana, Folk, Acoustic
\nTechnical Grade: 9\/10
\nProduction\/Musicianship Grade: 9\/10
\nOverall Talent Level: 10\/10
\nSongwriting Skills: 10\/10
\nPerformance Skill: 10\/10
\nBest Songs: 3 Ways to Go, Sunshine, Sunday Shoes<\/p>\n

CD Review: It has been just over a year since I reviewed this band\u2019s previous album, Life In a Minor Key, and I\u2019m glad Blue Line Highway is back. With A Perfect Curve, this mainly acoustic band has crafted, a vibrant, eclectic and occasionally electric release.<\/p>\n

\u201cRun Run Run\u201d and \u201cBilly\u201d are a propulsive one-two punch to open the disc. \u201cRun\u201d stretches out, with some cool interplay between guitarist John Leedes and Doug Austin on mandolin. \u201cBilly\u201d is minor-key and eerie, and the harmonizing between Julia Dooley and Melissa McKinney is mournfully beautiful. McKenna\u2019s gift as a lyricist is also on display on these numbers.<\/p>\n

The bluesy \u201c3 Ways To Go\u201d and \u201cAll My Bros Blues,\u201d both penned by Dooley, remind me of the work of one of my favorites, Jim Croce. \u201cSunshine\u201d is a shiny songwriting contribution from Leedes, sort of like \u201960s folk-rock yet played with acoustic breeziness.<\/p>\n

Leedes nails his stringwork on \u201cSunshine\u201d and lends tasty electric slide to \u201cBros Blues.\u201d He is a deft and versatile picker throughout the disc \u2013 understated and elegant, with well-placed dazzling flashes, like Jerry Garcia.<\/p>\n

\u201cSunday Shoes\u201d is a nifty, bluegrassy folk rocker. McKenna\u2019s lyrics are nostalgic and delightful, and on this one Austin trades fiddle runs with Leedes\u2019 unusual electric guitar lines. The powerful \u201cSnow Line\u201d pounds with Steve Earle-like intensity \u2013 this time it\u2019s Leedes adding backing vocals behind Dooley, and his playing shreds.<\/p>\n

\u201cRidin the Sun\u201d is a snaky departure, jazzy with Latin-like percussion. Dooley\u2019s sultry lead vocal is one of the band\u2019s most striking qualities, and it is in its full glory here. And after the stretched-out, jazzy\/trippy \u201cFan Man,\u201d the airy \u201cWhite Winter Blues\u201d brings the disc to a gentle yet haunting conclusion.<\/p>\n

Blue Line Highway\u2019s A Perfect Curve combines traditional acoustic\/bluegrass sensibilities with jammy, rocking adventurousness. It\u2019s a worthy follow-up to the offering I reviewed last year.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u201cA Perfect Curve\u201d: CD review<\/strong><\/a>
\nIndie Music Stop<\/strong>
\nWritten by Senior Writer C.W. Ross<\/strong><\/p>\n

Blue Line Highway is a band whose music refuses to be defined by just one style. To get a feel for their sound, imagine large doses of folk, bluegrass, American, classic rock and country with splashes of pop, jazz and blues also added in.<\/p>\n

While a mixture of so many different styles things could easily turn in to a train wreck of noises. Through the band\u2019s skills though they manage to produce a very cohesive sound that manages to pull elements from each mentioned style to create songs that not only just work, they work very well.<\/p>\n

They also pull from music\u2019s past like on track-3, \u201c3 Ways To Go,\u201d that has a bit of a 50\u2032s rock sound to it. While listening to the song I could almost see Chuck Berry as the guitar parts were played along with some Jerry Lee Lewis type key\u2019s twinkling coming from the song.<\/p>\n

This album really gives the songs found on it the time needed to add in those little extra moments often cut out to make a song (time length wise) radio friendly. The 11 tracks found on A Perfect Curve probably average somewhere around 5 minutes with track 10, \u201cFan Man lasting a whopping 8:34.<\/p>\n

I have a feeling that the song, \u201cFan Man\u201d is probably one of the band\u2019s favorite to play. Lasting that long gives each instrument time to come forward and take a little bow in the song\u2019s spotlight.<\/p>\n

While the musicians play their parts very well it\u2019s the lead vocals of Julia Dooley that really take each song and makes it special with her vocal talents.<\/p>\n

Fans of artist like, Rickie Lee Jones, the Carter Family, Arlo Guthrie, The Band, The Byrds, and Bob Dylan will really like the folk rock, American, and bluegrass mix that makes up the majority of the music found on Blue Line Highway\u2019s A Perfect Curve.<\/p>\n

Rating: 8.4 out of 10<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Style Weekly Reviews \u201cLife In a Minor Key\u201d<\/strong>
\nStyle Weekly, Richmond, VA<\/strong>
\nWritten by Josh Bearman<\/strong>
\nOctober 24, 2007<\/strong><\/p>\n

Blue Line Highway has been a staple of the Richmond scene since 2001, frequenting our many street festivals and clubs. The band combines two close female voices, lyricist Melissa McKenna and Julia Dooley, a driving rhythm section consisting of Ray Alfano on bass and Kevin Pittman providing percussion, and the virtuosic lead electric guitar of John Leedes \u2013 arguably Richmond\u2019s hardest-working musician.<\/p>\n

Together, they craft a diverse mix of country, jazz, and bluegrass that is both lush and dramatic. The songs here are heavy on exposition, such as \u201cRiver Canyon\u201d wherein the choices of a woman\u2019s life are presented in lyrics mysterious enough to allow for listener interpretation. The album seems high in spiritual content; much thought is given to the lyrical tales that in some cases teeter on the edge of melodrama. But overall, these songs demonstrate Blue Line Highway\u2019s road-tested ability to straddle with ease the line between concise musicianship and songwriting prowess.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u201cLife in a Minor Key\u201d<\/strong>
\nIndie Music Stop<\/strong>
\nWritten by staff writer Paul Meeh<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cLife in a Minor Key\u201d is an infectious album,filled with outstanding musicianship and song sensitive performance. The production level is extremely high allowing each instrument it\u2019s proper place in the overall mix, which is crucial in letting the rythm section and guitar really stand out. Lyrically, \u201cLife in a Minor Key\u201d is strong in several situations\u2026<\/p>\n

Immediately upon beginning, \u201cLife in a Minor Key\u201d, Deliver\u201d shines with Dickey Betts-style guitar runs overlaid onto a driving rythm section. You get the impression that the band could easily make a living as a jam band, with a jazz-influenced Americana feel. Lyrically, \u201cDeliver\u201d is strong in spots: \u201cI write letters, but rarely send them; I don\u2019t know where to send them to\u201d is particularly captivating in this section and this talent for lyric writing pops up throughout the album.<\/p>\n

The theme of talented musicians\u2026is carried throughout the remainder of \u201cLife in aMinor Key\u201d, with an exceedingly talented rythm section coming to the front in songs such as \u201cLife in a Minor Key\u201d, \u201cRiver Canyon\u201d, and \u201cBound\u201d. Making congas and bongos into instruments, as opposed to just percussion, is an art in itself, and this is accomlished in \u201cLife in a Minor Key\u201d. The bass, whether electric or stand up, is well done throughout the album. Although obviously talented, the bassist plays only what is needed and not too much more, with small fills to remind you that he is present and gifted. The guitar tones and performances are faultless. Songs such as \u201cBound\u201d display a real talent for song sensitivity, phrasing, and tone choice. There are flurries and runs mixed with some truly creative scale choices, which when combined with the tone selections give the impression of a Jim Hall\/early Eric Clapton combination. The acoustic rythm guitar is ideal in all aspects, and the production quality does it real justice.<\/p>\n

Taken as a whole, \u201cLife in a Minor Key\u201d is a success. \u201cLife in a Minor Key\u201d, \u201cDeliver\u201d, and \u201cEverybody Knows\u201d illustrate bona fide songwriting ability and outstanding musicianship. I would reccommend this album as a prelude to a second album, to become accustomed to the sound and style. A ripening of harmony, vocal phrasing, and key choice will go a long way toward making Blue Line Highway and extraordinary band.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u201cLife in a Minor Key\u201d
\nmusesmuse.com
\nWritten by Chip Withro<\/strong><\/p>\n

CD Review: Blue Line Highway is one of my favorite kinds of acts \u2013 that which combines the adventure and musicianship of a good jam band with catchy songwriting sensibilities. Life In a Minor Key fits into the folk-rock genre, yet the music spirals and soars in ways that make me want to hear what this band might do in a live performance.<\/p>\n

The opening track, \u201cDeliver,\u201d cast its spell on me right away, with it pulsing tribal\/psychedelic gallop. Chief songwriter Melissa McKenna\u2019s acoustic guitar propels the tune, while John Leedes\u2019 electric lead guitar dances around the edges. And Julia Dooley\u2019s lead vocal slides between husky and bright, reminding me of Chrissie Hynde.<\/p>\n

The title track and \u201cRiver Canyon\u201d are both jazzy in a gypsy sort of way. The title song stretches into a high mountain\/funk hybrid groove fueled by Leedes\u2019 stinging picking. \u201cRiver Canyon\u201d is a bittersweet flamenco\/folk mix. Keven Pittman adds subtle hand percussion to both.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnnie\u201d is a nifty folk\/pop rocker: Dooley, McKenna, and Leedes\u2019 harmonies wrap themselves around the rich western imagery of the lyric. The whole album is filled with fine singing; another noteworthy example is the sadly lovely \u201cValentine.\u201d To my ears, \u201cValentine\u201d is filled with potential as an adult alternative hit, even though it\u2019s long by single standards.<\/p>\n

\u201cBound\u201d is a snaky number that reminds me of old, bluesy Fleetwood Mac meeting the late \u201870s pop Mac, right down to the tense guitar interplay at the end of this stretched-out song. The guitars also crackle (and the vocals are passionate) on the slightly sinister \u201cHeart Around.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFish Fry at the Firehouse,\u201d written by Dooley, is a fun party blues shuffle. Leedes fires off a countrified solo, and then comes one of my favorite lyrics lately: \u201cYou\u2019re trying to slow her down, put that thing in reverse\/it\u2019s like trying to slow the motion of the universe.\u201d Leedes\u2019 \u201cGreen Haze\u201d is achingly pretty, occupying a very cool, eclectic space somewhere between country and soul music.<\/p>\n

The CD winds to a close with \u201cEverybody Knows,\u201d which is at the same time punchy and laid-back, like the great California country rock of the \u201870s but with a vibrant modern beat. What a great way to end the album: Dooley\u2019s vocal is knowing and sultry, and Leedes fires off one last deft solo.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Nothing Lasts Forever review in FAME This is Blue Line Highway\u2019s third entry in FAME pages but their sixth release overall. The baseline Joy of Cooking mode of the group comes out very strongly in this largely live-in-the-studio work, and there\u2019s a distinctive difference between it and the previous discs, nothing earthshaking but rather a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-34","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/melissamckenna.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/34","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/melissamckenna.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/melissamckenna.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/melissamckenna.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/melissamckenna.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=34"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/melissamckenna.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/34\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":83,"href":"https:\/\/melissamckenna.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/34\/revisions\/83"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/melissamckenna.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=34"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}