Blue Is the Colour of Hope (Warner) (STAR)(STAR)(STAR) 1/2
As the lines blur between genres of popular music, Nashville is turning into a melting pot. The Chieftains recently did an all-star turn there, and such artists as Nanci Griffith, Shawn Colvin, Mary-Chapin Carpenter, Rosanne Cash and Alison Krauss are lending a downright folky flavor to traditional and rhinestone country sounds. In previous albums, Maura O`Connell has borrowed sadly romantic tunes and inspiration from the likes of John Hiatt and Colvin and employed k.d. lang`s production team to enhance her folk-rock roots. In
”Blue,” much of which was produced in Music City, the Irish balladeer combines an easy, bluesy groove with polished production that should result in a handful of hits. Renditions of Gary Burr`s ”I Would Be Stronger Than That”-a painfully emotional examination of spousal abuse-Carpenter`s ”It Don`t Bring You” and Paul Carrack/John Wesley Harding`s ”Bad News (At the Best of Times)” are especially effective. O`Connell`s time appears to have come.
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