Album Review: Shawn Colvin - All Fall Down

With so many female artists out there crooning away and pulling at the audience's heart strings, it's good to hear one of the best in her field back in the recording chair. Colvin is a three-time Grammy winner and once again she reminds us why she is so popular. Here she combines her early demos with a wonderful new reading. All Fall Down is released at the same time as Diamonds In The Rough, the album that features her early demos which have been reworked.

The title track is incredibly catchy and intelligently produced. Teaming up with her long-time musical companion Buddy Miller, the producer and guitarist provides the perfect background to her intimate tracks. Much of this album is quite slow and moody, yet it is also quite uplifting in spirit. Change Is On The Way is an example of her positive view in darker times. One of the best songs here is her version of American Jerusalem, which goes deeply into the American psyche and captures the irony of wealth and where it comes from. It is possibly one of the best songs in her career. Emmylou Harris appears on this track and on Up On That Hill, which brings new life to the genre of folk music. The charm of songs like Anne Of A Thousand Days is evidence Colvin has gone through some serious breakups.

Shawn Colvin always releases albums full of depth and quality and this is an outstanding addition to her impressive catalogue. The high calibre of guests that include Bill Frissell and Jakob Dylan give you an idea of how thoughtfully Colvin puts her work together.