Liane Edwards – Raisin’ Dust

Liane Edwards – Raisin’ Dust

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Liane Edwards works with some powerhouse creative collaborators on her seventh studio album, Raisin’ Dust, and it raises her already massive talents to a whole new level. The twelve songs on Raisin’ Dust are all originals and she brings a lifetime of experiences to the material and performances that maximizes the impact of the material. There’s no filler here. She brings the same level of commitment to each of these songs and her backing band knows how to serve the song and highlight her voice without ever being too obtrusive. Raisin’ Dust is full of colorful life and vigor, but it never risks self-indulgence or revisiting tired tropes. Instead, the songwriting touches on universal themes will maintaining an individuality that makes the release an invigorating listening experience. Liane Edwards is more than just a singer; she’s a fully rounded performer and writer who raises her game with each new recording.

Raisin’ Dust begins with the track “Rainy Day”. It’s obvious we’re in the hands of a first class talent with this song and she fills the lyric and musical arrangement alike with the sort of color only a first rate singer can bring to material. It’s equally obvious that this is a collection Edwards has slaved over mightily in an attempt to get things right. There isn’t a note out of place during this performance and there’s an uniformity of this nature defining the recording as a whole. You hear on the song “Give It a Try” as well. This has an easy going pace, relaxed, and Edwards gives the song a comfortably breezy performance. “Nothing Compares” and “Borrowed Time” show off Edwards at her bluesy best. The former song is a much more outright bluesy number and she has great vocal chops and tone for this sort of material; it isn’t bucket of blood blues, but the finesse she brings to her phrasing and lyric interpretation never lacks for emotion. The latter song is a much more artful take on the form and the weaving of instrumentation bringing it to fruition makes every minute enjoyable to hear.

She’s adept at incorporating a variety of elements into her songwriting and the strong bluegrass influences in her performance of “Puppet Master” recalls the past without ever being beholden to it. The sparkling banjo lines laced through the songwriting give the song an added instrumental voice that works quite nicely. She moves in a more acoustic direction, akin to a folk song, with the number “Beautiful Thing” and she responds with an appropriately delicate vocal. The album’s final song “Out of the Blue” is a final twangy vamp that’s sure to close Raisin’ Dust on the right note for many listeners. It’s a powerful album from beginning to end and there isn’t a single discernible lull in its running order. It’s a great success that amply illustrates how far away Liane Edwards is from the finishing end.

YOU TUBE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Am4aTL4mwwc

David Shouse