Round My Door

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Review An immensely satisfying and timeless body of work that mixes the celebratory with the thought provoking, this is a CD that can be enjoyed at every level by anybody with ears. The writing is excellent, the acoustic settings work really well and the material is both varied and nicely paced. Unreservedly recommended. --Mick Dunne - Maverick MagazineThe analogy with the spirit of backwoods America and the neo-traditionalist tag aren t without foundation and over six albums, songwriter Dana Robinson has displayed a distinctive sturdiness, an unflinching readiness to stoically gaze at the darkness whilst eagerly celebrating life s contrasting shafts of sunlight. Just listen to the road-musician s lot on 1994s Billy Wilson, the stark landscape of Hoosac Tunnel, as opposed to the warm embrace of Safe Home from 2002 and the old-time readings of songs like Lazy John and you find a person that knows where his roots lie and where he s branching off to. It s a compelling approach and Round My Door more so than the first duo album 2004 s Native Soil finally pitches the Robinsons off the metaphorical dirt roads and into the wider world. Not before time. The Oregon-born Dana might have generated critical acclaim, festival honours and pages of favourable reviews but there has always been the feeling that a truly great record was still hovering overhead. Until now that is. Paul Simon may have claimed to have gone to look for America but instead of counting cars on the New Jersey turnpike, he should ve listened to Guthrie. Dana and Sue Robinson did. What would Woody do? He d record varied, vital and totally absorbing music such as is contained here. --Clive Pownceby - Living TraditionThe North Carolina-based Dana and Susan Robinson deal in full-bodied traditional and tradition-inflected music. Hearing them, one thinks -- as the best neo-traditionalists always encourage us to do -- how nearly inexhaustible a resource folk music is. To keep from growing stale, it needs only the right performers and performances. Here it's the Robinsons doing it up right. For that, they deserve our gratitude and our attention. 'Round My Door highlights mostly Dana's originals, set in a range of American landscapes, from their rural Southeastern home to the Pacific Northwest. He also tackles all the lead vocals, playing guitars (acoustic and electric), mandolin and harmonica, while Susan backs him on banjo or piano. A small folk-rock band tastefully accompanies them, affording the arrangements a warm and distinctive texture. Dana's voice is a marvelous instrument, both weathered and butter-soaked, and he is one exceptional composer. --Rambles.net Reviews