Allie Fox

Country of origin:

Scotland

Type of music generally:

Folk/rock

Status:

Most recent release, Diving for Pearls, 2000

See also:

Vixen Records

Comparisons:

At various times while listening to the album, I thought of Holly Near, Frente!, Suzanne Vega, Joni Mitchell, and Kirsty MacColl. Go figure :-). But the best songs on it didn't remind me of anyone--the sure sign of an original. (mapravat@prairienet.org)

Covers/own material:

Own

General comments:

Fox's first album shows an artist of great substance, albeit not one likely to revolutionize music in the near future. I don't know if she will become a headliner, but at the very least she can look forward to a successful career as a niche artist, and quite possibly more. (mapravat@prairienet.org)

Recommended first album:

Diving for Pearls is her debut album

Recordings:

Diving for Pearls

Diving for Pearls

Release info:

2000--Vixen Records--VIX 002

Availability:

U.K.

Ecto priority:

I would rate this upper-mid priority, in the aggregate. I can't say it's imperative that you run, not walk, to acquire it, but if you do, it will be anything but a waste of effort. You will enjoy this. (mapravat@prairienet.org)

Group members:

Allie Fox--vocals, vocal harmonies, acoustic guitars

Guest artists:

John Rutherford--acoustic guitar, slide guitar, vocal harmonies
Iain McKinna--bass, keyboards, vocal harmonies, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, drum programming, djembe, piano
Larry Stone--drums, saxophone
Dave Haswell--percussion, congas, frogs, shooting stars, talking drums
Paul McKinna--drum programming
Ron Shaw--cello
Jim McRae--border pipes
Capriccio String Quartet:
     Murray Fergusson--1st violin
     Claire McKeown--2nd violin
     Nicola Boag--viola
     Susan Dance--cello
Gavin Dickie--fretless bass
Mike Nolan--accordion
Kirsty Anderson--vocal harmonies

Produced by:

Iain McKinna

Comments:

This album is an object lesson in the need to listen to the whole thing before trying to evaluate it. It got off to a slow start, but gradually grew on me.
     The first couple of tracks seemed to be some good, solid work, but nothing really innovative. On the third track, "Rise and Shine," Fox really finds her voice, showing her ability to work with words, and with tunes as well. This continues with the next selection, "Birdwoman." A sticker on the booklet suggests that commercial radio play the fifth track, "Marguerita," and I can see why; it doesn't underestimate the mass audience's taste for simplicity. But Fox returns to form with "I Was Wrong," an understated song about homelessness that compares very favorably with Phil Collins' "Another Day in Paradise"--generally considered the definitive pop ballad on the topic. The title tune, a meditation on the limitations of love; and "Joe Louis Blues," which uses the boxing great's career as a metaphor for freedom fighters of all types, seem to me a near-tie for the album's best tracks. (mapravat@prairienet.org)

Further info:

Write: Vixen Records, 14 Hillside Terrace, Selkirk, Scottish Borders TD7 4LT, Scotland; email info@vixenrecords.com

Thanks to Mitch Pravatiner for his work on this entry.