A Review of The Phantom Tollbooth

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The Duel
Artist: Allison Moorer
Label: Sugarhill
Length: 11 tracks

Do not be deceived. More than computers, ipods, Naptser and downloading, it is the music business that is killing the music business. Allison Moorer’s fourth album is proof if proof was needed. For three albums with the majors, Moorer made good albums but they were smooth and nice, leaving something lacking. The Duel reveals all. No longer tied to major label sales targets, Moorer can concentrate on her art and let loose and we find is everything that was lacking. That throaty southern near country twang gets a rock
guitar swagger that brings ragged frays to songs of deep despair and melancholy. It is utterly wonderful drawing her to the same porch seat as Lucinda Williams especially the alcoholic tale of “One On the House” and the new born atheist who sings about the painful reality of burying their only love in the title track. Now who else needs to go independent!

Steve Stockman 7/12/2004

Steve Stockman is the Presbyterian Chaplain at Queens University, Belfast, Ireland, where he lives in community with 88 students. He has just finished a book on U2, Walk On; The Spiritual Journey of U2, is the poetic half of Stevenson and Samuel who have just released their debut album Gracenotes, and he has a weekly radio show on BBC Radio Ulster (listen anytime of day or night @ www.bbc.co.uk/ni/religion/rhythmandsoul). He has his own web page--Rhythms of Redemption at http://stocki.ni.org. He also tries to spend some time with his wife Janice and daughters Caitlin and Jasmine.