Ashleigh Flynn – Sneakin’ Out With Ashleigh Flynn: Live at Mississippi Studios
Home Perm Records (released 12/27/05)
Alt Country/Bluegrass
Official site
Ashleigh Flynn surprises me; her alt-country, bluegrass sound, but not the Dixie Chicks styling. She sounds more like a mix of Doria Roberts, KT Tunstall and a country-fused version of Tristan Prettyman. I appreciate her artistry to be pure, honoring her musical roots and influences yet not copycatting, as the record has grown me the more I listened to it. I find the album to be fun because it is recorded live and with her friends, and it’s clear that Flynn enjoys performing. Sneakin’ Out With Ashleigh Flynn is a thirteen-song documentation of a night spent playing with Sneakin’ Out, a Portland alternative bluegrass band at one of the city’s most renowned listening rooms, The Mississippi Studios.
Flynn’s musical style could be described as a throwback t-shirt that you would feel comfortable wearing to the bar on a Saturday night. “Rainy Days” is simple enough that it could be a country-to-pop crossover, but I believe the uptempo “ISA” to be my favorite recording. Another beautiful track is her cover of “Circle Be Unbroken,” soulful and honest, enough to stop someone to enjoy the music and not be preoccupied with the stress of their daily lives.
“The Man Who Fell in Love With the Moon” is a prose spoken word piece that is before the song inspired by it, “Devil’s Pass”. It was a nice touch and not something you hear often, and could have easily been on the Cold Mountain soundtrack without it being intrusive. “Rocky Top” didn’t win me over, but “Maybe, Maybe Not” worked. Flynn is at her best when she trusts her melodies and goes with the flow, and can rock out without selling out her sound.
Flynn won’t be for everyone, but I would not pass seeing on her live. I found her personality in and out of her music enjoyable and I think to get the full effect and appreciation of Flynn’s style one would need to see her passion live.
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