The Bottom Line
Krista Detor has a lovely voice, and her melodies seem to dance right through the speakers. This three-song disc features highlights from three of Detor's recordings, and was meant to be a sampler introduction to her work.
Judging from this sampler, which I received at Folk Alliance '08, I would definitely be interested in checking out one of Detor's full-length albums.
Pros
- lovely, well-textured songs
- deep, sweeping imagery
Cons
- it's hard to know which full-length album is better, based on this sampler
Description
- "Robert Johnson Has Left Mississippi" from Cover Their Eyes
- "The Hampton Sister's (Glory)" from Mudshow
- "Blue Sky" from A Dream in a Cornfield
Guide Review - Krista Detor - Robert Johnson Has Left Mississippi CD Sampler
Detor's songs have a sway to them, and are full of lovely textures. Much of this is piano-driven folk-pop peppered with electric guitars and minimal percussion. Each tune calls to mind Shawn Colvin, although Detor's voice is huskier and in a lower register than that of Colvin. Still, the quality of the imagery and the intuition of the melodies implies that Detor should be much better known than she is.
The slide guitar and harmonica on the title track serve the tune well, even if they only appear very briefly and then seem to disappear.
The strongest song of the three is "Blue Sky"—a bouncy, longing waltz that slowly grows in volume, breadth, and texture. It's a fabulously arranged tune, and Detor's voice works its contours beautifully.
(Buy Direct - Krista Detour's full-length album, Cover Their Eyes)
