CROOKED STILL: Hop High

Crooked Still

Hop High

© 2004 Crooked Still (747728924828)

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Rock energy coexists with old-time mountain soul. Spooky backwoods melodies combine with hip, hard-hitting beats. Raw, searing blues riffs intermingle with high heavenly vocals. Sound good? Meet Crooked Still

notes

Rock energy coexists with old-time mountain soul. Spooky backwoods melodies combine with hip hard-hitting beats. Raw, searing blues riffs intermingle with high heavenly vocals. Sound good? Here's the catch:

No electricity. No drums.

Meet Crooked Still, the hot young alternative bluegrass group on a mission to bend the boundaries of traditional music. The unlikely combination of banjo, cello, and double bass drives this low lonesome band, whose soaring vocals and high-wire solos have enraptured audiences all over North America and Ireland since 2001.

Four very unique musical personalities merge to form Crooked Still. Aoife O'Donovan's refined, sultry vocals float over Rushad Eggleston's rumbling cello riffs, Dr. Gregory Liszt's futuristic four-finger banjo rolls and Corey DiMario's pulsing bass lines. The resulting acoustic fusion can warp a traditional American tune to the brink of unrecognizability without sacrificing the authenticity of the original sources. "It's almost like we're going back and making imaginary history,'' says Eggleston, whose versatile cello style has already sparked a revolution among young cellists. ``What if the 1920s Appalachian musicians could've heard the music we hear now?'' If only...

In the spring of 2001, singer O'Donovan and bassist DiMario were classmates at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, MA. Unbeknownst to them at the time, just across the river in the laboratories of MIT a young cellist named Rushad Eggleston from the Berklee College of Music met every night to jam with Greg Liszt, then a graduate student and aspiring banjo player. A serendipitous meeting at a late-night party brought all four of these musicians together for the first time, and Crooked Still was born in the summer of that year.

As its members finished school, Crooked Still frequently performed around Boston, collecting rave reviews from the local press, notably the Boston Globe, Northeast Performer, and the Boston Herald. The band's fan base grew until it became almost impossible to get into the Cantab Lounge in Cambridge when Crooked Still took the stage. A trip to the North American Folk Alliance in 2004 resulted in invitations to perform at the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival and historic Newport Folk Festival. Hop High, the debut album from Crooked Still, was released at the prestigious Falcon Ridge Folk Festival in July, 2004 and was the top-selling CD at the festival that year. Following the success of this first festival appearance, Crooked Still has appeared at concert halls, nightclubs, coffeehouses, and festivals in twenty-three states and three different countries. This grassroots endeavor frequently lands Hop High among the top ten best selling CD's at the online independent megastore CD Baby.

For more information, individual bios, and tour schedule, please visit http://www.crookedstill.com

To hear the members of Crooked Still with other projects, look for the following artists on CDbaby.com:

Sometimes Why (Aoife)
Lissa Schneckenburger (Corey)
Hanneke Cassel (Rushad, Corey, and Aoife)
Laura Cortese (Corey and Greg)
Flynn Cohen (Aoife, Rushad, and Greg)
The Mammals (Aoife sings some harmony)

reviews

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  • Crooked Still is Super Duper
    author: Drew E. P.

    Any one who enjoys this genre of music, may very well love these guys. It's fun and beautiful music; Listen to the samples and see for yourself.

  • author: Kristianna

    I heard Crooked Still playing in a local general store in Massachusetts while on vacation. I thought it was an Alison Krauss cd I had missed, but it turned out to be a whole new band to explore! Hop High is a compilation of classic bluegrass with some originals mixed in. I just bought the 2nd album because I can't get enough! That cello is haunting and wonderful.

  • Much Liked and Played
    author: jeff coffin

    Saw them at Spring Strawberry and have listened to both albums so often my wife is annoyed and my kids sing along. The arrangements and execution rule!

  • I love this CD!
    author: Caity

    This CD is great! I love the arrangement of the music.

  • Great, great album!
    author: Traonienn

    I bought this after falling in love with their newer CD, and I have to say that this is just as good. Really, this is my favorite band right now, and I don't even usually listen to bluegrass!

  • wowowow. crooked still. LOVE.
    author: Molly.

    omg. crooked still. LOVEEEEE. LOVE aioffe. love crazy chello. LOVELOVELOVEE.

  • Great! Loved It! Cello rocks!
    author: Debbie

    A great cd. Love it.

  • Went to a Crookedstill concert and loved it so I bought the record
    author: Jerry Duhon

    I went to a Crookedstill concert and loved them. the albumn was just as good, now I have both albumns and play them all the time.

  • author: jimmy

    found your second cd at the music store and bought it..then got the first one..both are dynamite on disc...heard come on in my kitchen on wgbh in boston...HAD to have this music...gots the bluegrass flavor without the cliche riffs...and that voice....oooooooooh,me likes

  • What a great find!
    author: Joe

    Every now and then I look for a new group. Crooked Still was a great find. The combination of cello and piano in a bluegrass format actually works well, and provides interesting layers to the music. Talent is talent, and this young group is worth a listen. I had to hunt down this earlier CD, but I'm really glad I did.

  • Unusual combination of instruments, great sound.
    author: Dave Manners

    The combination of traditional songs, unusual instruments (cello, double bass and banjo)and great vocals produce a unique sound. An excellent album.

  • Never gets old
    author: Brey

    All their songs have a little story to tell. If you really listen you can picture it in your mind. I aaslo love the cello solos! And guess what Egglestin, the cello player for crooked still is coming to my school!!!!!!!!!!

  • Great musicians, great ideas on old favorites and new
    author: Michelle Cameron

    These are a bunch of great musicians with lots of fresh ideas on old bluegrass classics. Of course I'm biased because I'm a cellist, but having such creative cello parts adds a dimension that no other bluegrass band I know has in their music.

  • LOVE IT!! Can't wait to wear it out!
    author: LMichelle

    Really enjoy the cd! The new one is one the way, too. Love the grundge of the cello paired with the purity of Aoife's vocals and all the while an awesome BLUEgrass groove. Really hope that Crooked Still will come to St. Louis!

  • loved it
    author: Debbie Shouse

    This is a great cd. I love it and many people have listened to it and they love it too!!!

  • unique and tasteful
    author: Roger Brant

    This CD has a great mix of sounds with the cello & banjo. The vocals are pure and nice to listen to. Very original arrangements on a variety of songs that I have listened to for years, just never like this. Most anyone could find something they like on this CD.

  • Heavenly is too right
    author: Carol Johnson

    I stumbled onto this artist quite by accident. What a lucky stumble for me. Heavenly strains is a good way to put it. Reminds me a bit of Alison Kraus. I'll be looking for more of this group.

  • A voice like Alison Krauss and a riveting cello
    author: Nathan

    I heard this cd over dinner in a friends home and had to hear more! From upbeat songs like "Shady Grove" to the haunting, yet soothing sound of "Rank Stranger," this cd is perfect for a folk/bluegrass lover.

  • Vocals and instruments bring new life to old ballads and fiddle tunes
    author: Dan Ratner

    This review is written for both Crooked Still CD’s – Shaken by a Low Sound and Hop High. They are so similar they could be part of a double album. These CDs are unique in their combination of traditional bluegrass instruments – guitar, fiddle, banjo – with a cello and double bass. Anyone who has heard the Bela Fleck and Edgar Meyer duets on banjo and double bass, and wanted more of Edgar playing bluegrass rather than Bela playing classical pieces will enjoy these CDs. The tonal range of the instruments really make up a wonderful sound tapestry. If you have dropped a bundle on a good sound system and need to justify it to your significant other, play these CD’s for her. The bass notes just go right through you. The tracks are a combination of old mountain ballads with some up-tempo fiddle tunes that are quite infectious. My 15 year-old son, who has no use for anything older than rock and roll, is mad at me because I played Crooked Still in the car and now he can’t get “Angeline the Baker” out of his head. If you don’t need convincing to appreciate old fiddle tunes and ballads, then these CD’s are definitely for you. I’ve often heard a great old tune and wondered, “these guys are such great musicians – don’t they know that they can’t sing?”. Aoife O’Donovan’s vocals are just what I’ve been pining for. How much you like some of the slower ballads may depend on how you feel about songs that end up with a pretty girl dead and either her lover whining about getting caught or a musician playing heartbreaking music on an instrument made from her various body parts (how exactly do you make a fiddle from a breast bone?). Oddly enough, it is the personal, affecting quality of Aoife O’Donovan’s voice that brings the songs alive and makes you aware of how silly so many of the lyrics are. Oh, and if you have read about Gregory Liszt’s experiments with a 4-finger banjo picking technique, don’t expect anything too different from straight-ahead (but quite good) bluegrass picking. To my ear, I may have heard some triplets turned into quadruplets, but otherwise, I think the fourth finger was mostly resting.

  • way awesome - especially orphan girl
    author: Blaise Freeman

    CELLOS RULE! And Rusahd Eggleston is incredible!

  • Celtic/bluegrass/contemporary fans will LOVE this CD
    author: Susan M Baker

    The amazing vocals of Aoife and the driving bass of Corey DiMario are what draw me in. Once there, the undertones and harmonies keep me engaged. I would like to hear more and more from this group!

  • lovely, lively music
    author: ciclidkeeper

    I first heard this group while driving on I 80 in PA on NPA. I think that was around hour 12 of driving from Indiana to Philadelphia. It was pretty late and very dark. This lively lovely music kept me going a bit longer. Subsequent listening with a wide awake brain has confirmed those first positive impressions.

  • Great music- vocals a tiny bit weak
    author: matt mack

    I first heard this band on the Woodsongs Old time Radio Network and I loved the sound. The cello and banjo shine above the rest. My only reservation is the vocals. Aoife has an enchanting voice but there is no strength. After several songs in a row, I found that it lost it's appeal and needed more emotion. I would still recommend the band and I hope the talent and maturity grow in crooked still...

  • author: Robert Corroon

    This band and their CD is one of the best I have heard in a long time. Incredible musicianship and great tunes. Congratulations to the band members.

  • This cd is a blast
    author: Tina

    I bought several cds from your website but this is my favorite. It caught my attention for it's creativity and simple and clean delivery. I felt jealous reading all the other reviews~ will have to make it a point to try to catch thier live performance. Loved this one!

  • author: Alice Sherwin

    Saw these guys at the Winnipeg Folk Fest in 2006. They were so amazing that even my boyfriend that doesn't like and other music but heavy metal enjoyed it a huge ammout. Now he has this CD in his dark collection.

  • Good Motervation
    author: Darby

    Saw these guys at the Winnipeg Folk Festival this year (2006) and they were definately the act that took everybody by surprise. They played in between a mainstage act on Thursday's Mainstage show and Wow! The celloist totally motivated me to pickup this cello I got for christmas and actively try teaching myself a thing or two. Unfortunately there's no cello instructors in Winnipeg, so that's the way it's got to be. When I got the CD I was totally pumped. Been listening to it over and over again for a week and a half straight now. Looking forward to their new CD :)

  • Yeah Baby this is the real thing!
    author: Scum Daddy

    Saw this group at Rockygrass festival and was floored. This CD does not let one down, better than a cold beer on a hot morning. Great song selection, a singer who makes one think wicked thoughts and music that makes your toes curl. One of the better CDs I've bought in recent memory. Well worth the cash.

  • Great stuff!!!
    author: PAul Kaperick

    If you like Bluegrass or Folk music - even if you don't - you'll love this stuff. This group is fresh and talented! They will blow you away!

  • author: Folkie in Winnipeg, MB

    Fantastic! I couldn't wait for the cd to arrive after I saw Crooked Still perform at the Winnipeg Folk Festival and they sold out of their discs! An honest, talented group working together to create a beautiful unique sound.

  • Bloody Amazing
    author: Lea

    From a classical player who has never had the chance to listen to much bluegrass or folk, I think I can confidently say that it will be impossibly difficult for me not to compare every other group I hear to your infectuous energy and delicious new twists on old tunes. Hats off to you all!

  • I'm particular about my bluegrass, but this one nails it
    author: John tinger

    a blend of rich vocals and careful instrumention, played with depth & soul.

  • A WONDERFUL CD, BUT LIVE PERFORMANCE NOT TO BE BELIEVED
    author: Nate Reiber

    This is simply a fantastic CD. I can't wait to get my copy of the new CD--just released. So unique, so beautiful. I can't pick out what exactly I think is the best part of the Cd, as it is just not possible to say any one of the 4 performers is better then the other. That voice, cello banjo, & dbl bass just blend together to perfection I feel so sorry for any of you that have not seen Crooked Still live. I have seen them live 5 times & have a ticket to see them live again in Nov.

  • I heard the group on Woodsongs from Lexington, Ky. and just love the whole CD.
    author: AL Mitchell

    Loved it! Heard the group on Woodsongs and knew then i wanted this CD. So glad i got it. I love all the songs. Please try and come back to Lex, soon. Try playing at the Dame... We'd love to have you back for a full performance!!!!

  • Eclectic sound. Summons ghosts while sounding fresh.
    author: Tom Bernardo

    I picked up Crooked Still's album HOP HIGH after seeing dynamic banjo player Greg Liszt perform with Bruce Springsteen's Seeger Sessions Band. Anyone who has seen those incredible shows knows that Greg brings his own gifts and persona to the stage. I wasn't disappointed with HOP HIGH. The songs are well crafted and moving, featuring Aoife O'Donovan's hauntingly gorgeous voice and anchored by an eclectic sonic landscape that simultaneously summons ghosts while sounding fresh and creative. I'd highly recommend this CD.

  • author: Anne

    Can't stop playing it! I'm so dissappointed I missed them on Woodsong's. I would have driven 3hr. one way to hear them live for an hour!! I don't skip one track on this CD and whodathunk you could get me to jump up and twirl and dance to "Orphan Girl". I look forward to seeing this group live.

  • Great Music!
    author: Calvin Kanning

    I first heard and watched Crooked Still on Woodsongs Old Time Radio Hour. After seeing the group, I had to purchase the album. The blend of the Cello, Bass, Banjo and vocal has such a unique sound. Not your typical whiney Bluegrass album, but a haunting, woodsy blend of talent. The reviews say it all...Great Music! Take it home and enjoy!

  • Love the Crooked Still CD Hop High
    author: P K Celmer

    I bought the CD as a gift for a friend who loves Bluegrass. I listened to it before sending the CD... for quality control purposes. The music overall is easy on the ears but the instrumentation is just amazing. You really get caught up in trying to hear each individual note, in the strings but also in the singer's voice. Great CD.

  • Wow This Band is AWESOME !!!!!!
    author: Bill King

    I first seen Crooked Still 2 weeks ago when the played The Outpost in the Burbs where I volunteer. There sound particular the cello of Rushad Eggleston and lead vocals of Aoife O' Donovan are so unique. I purchaesd the CD a few days later and it's just as good as there live shows. Between one show and one CD they hooked a new fan

  • came to Crooked Still backhanded but love it
    author: StlSusan

    Have to be honest here...Bruce Sent Me to get this CD..seeing Greg Liszt in Springsteen's We Shall Overcome Seeger Sessions in Paris I was very interested in Greg and what else this talented musician had done. I ordered CD and fell in love with Crooked Still. For me it is basic traditional Celtic music updated with new instruments and voices and lovely mystical feel to all songs. I have kept it on my player for many plays. Thanks again, Bruce, for introducing me to more new wonderful music.

  • WOW!
    author: D.H.R.

    The vocals on this cd keep me entranced from start to finish. The music is catchy and refreshing. Keep em' coming please!

  • author: Laura Borrelli

    I first heard of Crooked Still when Greg (banjo) and Rushad (cello) played at the Cantab Lounge on a Tuesday bluegrass night with some other musicians. After buying the CD, I listened to it on repeat all day at work. The banjo, bass, and cello works perfectly. Well worth the purchase. I love the album. Perfect mix of upbeat tracks, and slower emotional tunes. All the songs have distinct character. I think there's a favorite in there for everyone. Flora is my fave.

  • I LOVE Crooked Still
    author: Joe Bonsall

    This is a masterful piece of work. I first heard of Dr Liszt in Banjo Newsletter and then from touring with The Boss. Crooked Still is a magical blend of sound that really works. Kind of a cross between what Bela Fleck is doing and the Cowboy Junkies. (AOIFE’s Vocals are pure MAGIC!) Thanks for a great CD. I await more from CROOKED STILL. Joe Bonsall, Oak Ridge Boy and BANJO student

  • excellent cd and they're great in concert
    author: Bob Weisgerber

    the cd was excellent. We saw Crooked Still in concert and they're high energy and unique. We loved Rushad and his cello play....unlike anything I've seen before.

  • The best album I have bought in a long time!
    author: Timbobothy

    I first heard Crooked Still on NPR's Bluegrass Breakdown, and I was in love! If you are thinking about buying this CD, do it--you will NOT be disappointed! Keep up the good work Crooked Still!

  • Music this good makes life worth living!
    author: Ruth

    I also saw these guys for the first time on Celtic Connections (BBC4) and wished i'd been there. The tunes are full of raw energy and I just can't help but smile and sing along every time I listen to the CD. A fantastic find. I'd just love to know how to pronounce the lead singers first name...any ideas anybody????

  • without equal.
    author: Joe B.

    Well done, Simply put well done!

  • stunning - now buying it for all my friends
    author: Liz Breuilly

    When I first played it, I decided the tracks ranged between superb and off-the-scale stunning. Now I think they're all better than superb. Would be worth the money just for the amazing bluegrass cello, but there's so much more. Will somebody please import it in bulk to the UK so we can all buy plenty. Can't wait for the next Crooked Still album

  • fantastic cd,a treat to hear such class
    author: Shello

    hop high is a cd that will have you singing,dancing and playing air banjo! having seen crooked still on bbc4's celtic connections it was a must buy and the next step is to see them perform live,great album is an understatement.

  • a breath of fresh air
    author: john beard

    after seeing on a bbc program in uk,had to buy album which is a breath of fresh air,well played and sung and well recorded as well.unusual instrumentation which works well.thanks for the music.

  • A wonderful variation on the theme
    author: Neil

    An innovative combination, bringing a cello into the folk/country genre. The band come across as putting everything into their playing and the quality shows. The reason I gave it 4 stars is that the quality of the recording lets it down just a little - the sound is deadened and could have had a crisper depth to distinguish between the instruments more.

  • Truely soulful music making
    author: Tom B Va. Beach, Va.

    The first 3 songs are worth the album, the rest are like bonus tracks. I heard Last fair deal... on hiway 61 revisited on WUMB streaming. This record is reminiscent of Freyda & Acoustic Atta Tude and that is high praise.

  • Excellent! Can't stop playing it! New versions of old tunes are catchy.
    author: Angie from CB

    I've listened to this CD about 5 times now and have decided EVERY tune is a keeper---new tempos for traditional tunes like Darling Corey, Gillian Welch's Orphan Girl, Flora, Shady Grove, etc. The cello and dbl. bass provide percussion, Aoife's vocals are superb--I highly recommend this CD for bluegrass/newgrass enthusiasts.

  • Worth the price.
    author: Kerr

    This is an overall good CD. I enjoy it. It's good in every aspect. Talented playing, great voice, and enough variety in the CD to keep it interesting. Anyone that likes bluegrass or "olde-timey music" should already have it, everyone else should look into it.

  • unique musical instrumentation, lovely voices, great all around
    author: Sharon Martinson

    This album is moving up my pile to be one of my faves. I love the old-timey songs done in such a unique way--they emphasize the fortes of each musician (could use a tad more banjo sometimes) and blend with a lovely ease. I found myself smiling while listening, signing along. Listened to this album at least 3 times on repeat. Love the first half of Shady Grove. beautiful. Keep it coming.

  • Awesome, great !! all kinds of superalternatives are applicable
    author: pieter from Holland

    Awesome Great Thats coming in my mind.Being on the other side of the big ocean, we only get info of new groups through a limited number of channels. I am very lucky that CD Baby informed me that this tittle was available. Great music, a lot of folk, part bluegrass, part pop. Great combination. Add the good looks from Aoife and you have all ingredients to sell this album. I realise that a live show in Europa is far from realistic, but i think there shows to be awesome.

  • Perfectly Amazing In Every Way!
    author: Shannon & Kris B. in VaBeach, VA!

    This is one of the best CD's my husband and I have ever purchased. It is perfect. What an angelica voice and magical sound. Allison Krause doesn't have nothing on you sweetie. We have eagerly shared this CD with almost everyone we know. I am already ready for another one! I am so glad that we found out about it. It was played by a local band (Colin) here in Hampton Roads, VA on a romantic evening my husband and I had together. What a perfect CD to listen to for such an awesome evening and remember the evening by.

  • Really liked it a lot
    author: HHL

    They get a unique sound out of the group. Some of this is bluegrass a cut above the ordinary. Some of it is new ground and way above the ordinary. I hope they make another album soon.

  • meditative bluegrass with a nice bass
    author: Gillian

    If it were possible for Alison Krauss and Margo Timmins to have a love child, it would be Crooked Still's Aoife. She has the sweetness of tone paired with a breathiness that gives some old time standards (Orphan Girl)an energized quality and others a meditative sound that is unexpectedly appropriate. The bass adds a nice grounding that is more at the front than most bluegrass. Very nice.

  • A fine mixture of songs, beautifully performed
    author: Phil Good, Leeds, England

    Happy, soulful, sad, joyous - what a fine mixture of songs, and so beautifully performed. I heard Angeline the Baker just once on the radio (Mike Harding's Folk & Roots show in the UK) and had to order the CD. My current favourite tracks are: Angeline, Look on and Cry, Last Fair Deal Gone Down. Aoife has a lovely voice and it's backed by very skilled musicians. Other points: (1) It's a shame the CD is only 41 minutes long - this would be short even for a 12" vinyl LP! (2) How does Aoife pronounce her name? (3) A CD insert containing the lyrics would have been a welcome bonus. (4) It's a pity that tracks 2 & 10 have a fade out ending - just a personal dislike of mine!

  • addictive arrangements, great performances
    author: Charlie Shafer

    Lots of great reviews here, so I'll keep it short...a highly addictive CD. Outrageously well played, but it's the arrangements that don't grab you untill after the cd's done. Then you go back. Again. And again. And again....you get the picture.

  • This is just lovely
    author: Catherine Chester UK

    My husband heard Angeline the Baker on the radio coming home from work, told me about it, and we got on the CD baby website to listen to a snippet. I was immediately hooked and ordered 3 copies, one for the car, one for the house and one for my sister who loves it as much as I do. It's just lovely. Shady Grove is by far and away my favourite.

  • Refreshingly Different
    author: Graham Manser. Fochabers.Scotland.

    First heard Angeline the Baker on Mike Harding's BBC Radio 2 folk prog. Loved Aoife's (how do you pronounce that?) vocals backed by the unusual use of a cello (in folk music) with banjo, double bass and fiddle. A great album, a great sound, though not easy to get hold of in the U.K.

  • Great CD!
    author: Lynn Michaels

    I am really enjoying Hop High. I especially like "Look on and Cry" and "Rank Stranger".

  • As good as seeing them live!!
    author: Tara Marshall

    i've been wanting to get my hands on this CD since seeing Crooked Still at the Phila. Folk Fest this summer. Great CD. A nice mix of songs and Crooked Still stays true to their bluegrass roots with Hop High. At the same time, a distinct and unique sound is maintained!!!! Gotta see them live if you get the chance!!!!

  • Hop High Crooked Still
    author: Cindy Marabito

    When I first heard Flora on Folktown, I was politely entertained. As I began to hear the song more often, I became drawn into it and astounded at the cello and banjo work which reminded me of a Zeppelin jam session. I have never heard anything quite like this band and ordered the cd when Folktown was suddenly cancelled and I was longing to hear my Flora and pierce my own aching breast. When I got the cd, I was absolutely shocked at the youth of the band members and even more shocked to find they were from Boston. I am giving this cd to everyone I love for Christmas, so they can be as shocked and happy as I am. I am waiting to see what the band has in store next. I hope most certainly that they continue to put forth a sincere and genuinely unique and brilliant sound for the rest of us to enjoy for many years to come and not to fall prey to record company packaging that has consumed so many other greatly talented people through the past.

  • Aoife has such an angelic voice!!!
    author: Rachel Platten

    I have always loved this girls voice, such incredible soul and passion beyond her years... I am so happy to get to hear it again, and with such beautiful music!

  • This band makes me like folk/bluegrass music!!
    author: Jon Youse

    I caught their act at the Black Swamp Arts Festival in Bowling Green, OH and I was mesmerized by the music! The melodic voice of the lead singer combined with innovative instrumentation and playing styles of the other band mambers makes this a truely ground breaking act. How they are not signed to a major label dumbfounds me, they're that good! Even if you're not a fan of folk or bluegrass music, this band can make you change your mind. I look forward to further releases from Crooked Still! Keep up the good work guys!!

  • Flowing Imaginative Musings
    author: Paul G.

    Some classic old American folk tunes that have been reworked in a most interesting manner. The beautiful voice of the singer melds with the banjo, the bass, a guitar, and the sometimes eerie sounds of the cello. An excellent interpretation of some classic tunes by the musicians of Crooked Still.

  • fabulous, fantastic, fortuitous, freaking spectacular, friendly
    author: Ruth

    I absolutely adore this cd. Crooked Still is bringing a new vibrant energy to a very old medium, with their outstanding vocals and arrangements. Rashad's cello is a cause for celebration whenever I point it out to the cello players I know (all 17 of them!). They all say "That's REALLY a cello?" I find myself singing along with Shady Grove everytime it comes on. My neighbors don't always appreciate that but who can resist Crooked Stil when they are on the cd player? I certainly can't. My advice to the world? Just go buy this cd - support independent fabulous artists and feed your ears great music!

  • Fantastic!!!
    author: Betsy

    These folks are extremely gifted musicians - creative and with amazing chops. What they do with strings is out of this world. This is an excellent CD all around.

  • Hypnotic
    author: Fisher

    There's an old adage about great musicians: they make familiar songs sound like you're hearing them for the first time, and they make originals sound like old favorites. This saying holds very true for Crooked Still and their excellent CD, Hop High. With their dreamy vocals, rock solid base, spacey cello, and crispy banjo intertwining with a sense of timeless inevitability, each track breathes with its own unique tonal colors. Be sure to check out their take on the classic Rank Stranger (Wow!), Old Virginia, and Gillian Welch's Orphan Girl to hear one of the more exciting CD’s to come out in some time.

  • Absolutley AMAZING...Gotta Buy It
    author: Kristyn, Milford, PA

    Hop High is an awesome cd. My favorites are definitely Darling Corey, Orphan Girl, and Old Virginia. I find myself always humming the tunes. I love listening to this in the car especially because of the percussionistic bass, the amazingly fast banjo playing, the soulful vocals, and the skillful cello fiddling. This is a must have CD.

  • ALL PROFITS DONATED TO HURRICANE RELIEF
    author: CROOKED STILL

    Hello everyone- This is the band writing here- we want you to know that ALL profits from September sales of "Hop High" will be donated to the Red Cross (through CDbaby). Thank you for your help.

  • Fabulous
    author: Beth, Stoneham, MA

    This is a great CD, even if you're not a real bluegrass fan. It has great richness and depth, and the tracks just pull you along one to the next.

  • Just Wonderful !!!
    author: Susan Martin, Mansfield, Notts, UK

    First heard the track Last Fair Deal Gone Down on Mike Harding's radio programme. Loved it right away but couldn't get a copy in the UK so purchased from the website. Aoife has such an amazing voice and the whole thing is just a delight from start to end.

  • great has'nt been off the cd player since it arrived
    author: Steve Johnson, Kingswood, Bristol UK

    refreshing just when you think you've heard it all before something comes along to revive your enthusiasm, thats what 'Hop High' did for me. Whats more it seems to have the same effect on everyone I play it to.

  • Absolutely stunning debut album. Buy it now!!
    author: Neil Ross, Bristol, UK

    I heard a couple of tracks from the 'Hop High' CD on the BBC's weekly folk music radio show and I was totally knocked out. Couldn't find a stockist in the UK so I ordered it online via the band's website. Every track is superb, the quality of the musicianship is stunning, and Aoife has a voice to die for. As a long-time fan of Alison Krauss and Union Station, and Nickel Creek, it's great to hear bluegrass played this way. Brilliant!

  • Breaking New Ground with Classic Bluegrass
    author: Robin Patt-Corner

    I heard a single cut of Crooked Still's "Look on and Cry" and was immediately drawn in by the breathy immediacy of the lead singer's voice. If that air-over-steel tone doesn't activate whatever rescue fantasies that lurk in your heart, you may be absent a vital organ! When I gave a full listen to the CD things got better. These folks appear to be Conservatory musicians who have brought a string quartet-and-banjo instrumentation to the old Bluegrass form, but without any of the stiffness that classical musicians often show when they take a quick dip in the collective unconscious. They know the folk and bluegrass idiom, up and down. Cello and Bass work wonders as a bottom end; the banjo has all the immediacy you want, and the arrangements are at once simple and elegant. I'm a big fan and hope to hear them live one day. And oh, that voice.

  • An excellent new group
    author: Steve in Brunswick, Maine

    This is a fantastic album! I haven't gotten this excited about a new CD in a long time. Crooked Still's sound is fresh, inspired, and real. Aoife's voice has the same effect on me as Margot Timmins from the Cowboy Junkies...smokey & sexy. I can't stop playing this CD!

  • An absolutely excellent album
    author: Josh from Rocklin, CA

    I cannot find a single fault with this record. It's been stuck in my CD player for weeks now, and I'm listening to it over and over like a mental patient. The song selection is excellent, the players are excellent, and Ms. O'Donovan's voice is infectious. I'm extremely curious as to where they'll take thier next album. If you're a traditional bluegrass lover, you're sure to love this album.

  • author: Erin

    A lovely album...I like every song on the CD, but I particularly love "Orphan Girl." I've been playing it a lot for friends and family, as well, and it's gotten great reviews from them too.

  • Great CD, Great Musicianship and Arrangements
    author: Kathryn Davidson

    The CrookedStill CD hit the floor of our house and I knew exactly what it was. From that moment it's never been off the player. In a house of Bluegrass, country, oldtime, english folk, scottish folk and irish, this CD fitted well. From the amazing 'cello fiddle lines to the smooth and silky vocals to the running and flowing banjo it fits. An odd combination that works so well. If you like it then check out The Wild Band Of Snee - it'll erm, make you think. there is a waltz that Aoife sings and it makes me melt.

  • Loved this CD !!!
    author: JoeMarieWolfe

    I don't have the reviewer vocab to do it justice, but we loved this CD, the energy, the vocal purity, the cello (of course, but not to disparage the other instruments, which were all terrific as well), the whole thing. I hope there will be more CD's from Crooked Still.

  • Very Good
    author: Lee McFall

    As a bluegrass/new acoustic music fan for 30 years, I thought this music was extremely good. What I hear is the Cello substituting for the guitar in a typical bluegrass ensemble. Great musicianship. Some tunes very hot. Great arrancgements.

  • Very interesting and pleasing approach to traditional music
    author: Berry Kenny

    First heard them live on Clare FM in Ireland and thought this is something different. Looked them up on the web and bought the CD, which is just as good as anticipated. Substitution of a cello for the normal fiddle is very effective.

  • Awesome Album
    author: AS

    this album is AWESOME! i particularly like their version of 'Orphan Girl,' played fast and absolutely thrilling! The cello in the intro to many of the songs immediately grabs you and hooks you in... i can't wait to hear more from Crooked Still.

  • Excellent, addictive album
    author: RF

    I have been listening to this CD for 4 days straight. Took me a while to get into it, but I'm loving it now! Aoife's voice is stunning and the interesting style and mix of instruments is incredible. Great renditions of some great tunes!

  • Excellent!
    author: Greg Dirscoll

    The combination of the instruments on this albumn provides engaging depth and feel. Aoife O'Donovan's voice is sultry and wonderfully expressive. A genuinely new perspective for folk music lovers.

  • Great debut album
    author: Ed Goodstein

    A real treat I think. This group is in definite 'sync' with each other. Aoife O'Donovan has one of the sweetest AND sexiest voices in folk to come along in awhile-- & great,ingenious playing from the guys. They even make that ol' chestnut "Shady Grove" sound interesting again :). I think you'd like if you like Nickel Creek, Alison Kraus, The Mammals, even 'Brit folk' group like Pentangle, etc.-- though they definitely have their own unique style too.

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