Out Of The Blue Liner Notes
|
|
PHILO 11671-1228-2 Copyright 2000 Rounder Records Corp.,
One Camp Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02140 USA.
The first record I ever bought was the Supremes' "Where Did Our Love Go?" and though popular music, from the Beatles to Beck, has been a constant in both my personal and professional life since (I can sometimes jump-start the effects of a writer's block by listening to Mazzy Star, clean the house like a scourge to Prince, and have art directed music videos for the Indigo Girls and R.E.M.), I always return to the great primal source of the female voice, that most hallowed of instruments. From Aretha to X, with big heartful chunks taken up by Joni and Lucinda and Emmylou, Chaka, Janis and Billie, women's vocal recordings spill off my shelves and fill up the precious little storage space I have here in New York City. Lately I've been listening to the new works of Kelly Willis and Me'Shell Ndegeocello. And the Burns Sisters. Especially the Burns Sisters. An advance copy of Out of the Blue came my fortuitous way six months ago and I first slipped it into the car stereo on a June night, heading south on I-95. I don't remember which of the songs hooked me first, but by the time "Prayer to St. Francis" began, I had to actually pull off to the side of the road. It was not unlike my first exposure to Aretha's "I Never Loved a Man," Laura Nyro's "Captain for Dark Mornings," or Patti Smith's "Horses." When gotten right, in some magical combination of composition and musicianship and finally voice, that divine vehicle of the human spirit, it's Revelatory. I played little else but the Burns Sisters for the next several months. What could be better than the rocking, raucous, and infectious "God Made Woman," unless it's the smoky roll and swing of "Bedrock," the crystalline purity that rings through the title track? Each of these favorites of mine is led vocally by a different sister (in itself an astounding and unusual fact), but perhaps you'll be pulled into the record by any number of the other incredible songs -- "Never Be Mine," Jeannie's scorching duet with Jimmy LaFave (to my ears the white Aaron Neville), the sweet yearning and promise in Marie's "I Love You Anyway," or the transcendent haunting declarations of Annie's anthemic "Long Time." The Spirit is unquestionably present. The songs on this collection concern themselves with the Creation, with Heart and Soul, the search for truth and recognition of the limits of the material world, human fallibility, provincial prejudices and the healing powers of faith in the manifold faces of adversity, the power of belief, and yes, Love lost, Love unrequited, Love disappointed, Love hardwon. But it is God the Spirit who makes an appearance in the opening lyrics, and from that moment on, it's the sound of angel wings we can hear brushing across the tops of the songs on "Out of the Blue." The Muses are there; I count them as three, and these three are having so much fun imparting their message that you cannot help but respond in kind. The musicianship that accompanies this feast shines in all instances. I pulled up to a toll booth in Maryland in the middle of that June night, "Prayer to St. Francis" blasting at a dangerous decibel level. I rolled down my window and handed an elderly lady my money. "Who is that?" she queried, "It's beautiful." It's the Burns Sisters. "Lord make me an instrument of thy Peace" the sisters sing at the opening of the final track. It's Done. And it's Good. You're holding it in your hands. Bruce McNalley
We would like to dedicate this CD with deep
love, in the memory of our dear friend, Leslie Schwartz Burgevin.
We would like to thank everyone who made this
project possible, especially Joe Burns, Pat Burns, Cliff Fagin, Gary Mitchell,
Michelle Naples, Brian McMahon, Phillip McMahon and Bobby McCabe. We would
also like to thank our booking agents, Tim Drake and George Gerney, and
not to forget Regina Mullen from Drake and Associates. We thank our parents,
John and Teresa Burns, all our brothers and sisters, their families, our
cousins, our nieces and nephews. We thank our children, Amelia, Carter,
Anna and Ella, for being so inspirational to us on our journey. Don Eddy
for helping us on our bad hair days. Thank you!!!! Bruce McNalley for the
beautiful liner notes and words of encouragement. Xi for the cover art
and unwavering support, Patrick Burns for all the photos and everything
else he has done for us over the years, Arora Crone, Val Denn, Gigi Benno,
Judy Besemer, Barry French, Matthew Cravatta, Ralph Varn, Patti Bee, Rachel
Hogancamp, our buddy Heather Dunbar from the Salt Creek Show, Terry Ware,
Jimmy LaFave, Bob Childers, Doug Robinson, Rich DiPaolo. A big thank you
to our soul sister, Jim Henry. All the fine musicians and co-writers we
worked with on this project, and all the wonderful people we have met all
over the country...too numerous to count... A big thanks to The Ithaca
Ballet, James Fox from The Roger Smith Hotel in Manhattan, LaTourelle and
the Clarion in Ithaca, New York, Ed Kalehoff from Magic Venture. A big
huge thank you goes out to Mike Hiers and Randy Wynn from WMNF in Tampa
for taking a chance on the Burns Sisters. We also want to thank Jeanne
Englehart for sharing her beautiful Angelheart designs with us... Peace.
Annie, Jeannie and Marie Burns vocals
Musicians drums Daryl Burgess
Produced by Annie, Jeannie and Marie Burns.
Jim Henry appears courtesy of Signature Sounds Recordings.
Visit the Burns Sisters online at www.burnssisters.com Booking: Drake and Associates 201-263-9200 Also Available
|