Ollabelle - Neon Blue Bird

Ollabelle - It's been five eventful years for this rarified, acoustic roots/Americana band since 2006's Riverside Battle Song, a period of personal change, side projects and beginning a fresh DIY, label-less existence...new self-produced indie project includes five original tracks, two traditional songs arranged by the band, plus covers of Paul Kelly, Taj Mahal, Chris Whitley and an Ollabelle take on Stephen Foster's "Swanee River" // Release: Neon Blue Bird (August 16) // Sounds like: gospel, blues, country and folk seamlessly merge in graceful harmony throughout an album that moves easily from traditional to contemporary self-penned and cover songs...Amy Helm, daughter of The Band's Levon Helm, has the pedigree but each of the band's singers and players (and esteemed musicians like guitarist Jimi Zhivago) bring their own skills and particular vision to the proceedings...

Quote: "We try our damndest to be honest with each other and to the music, and I like to think that people can hear that. We're still basically a group of friends who love to play music together." - Glenn Patscha of Ollabelle // What we like: The rich keyboard underpinning the shuffling version of Taj Mahal's "Lovin' In My Baby's Eyes"..."One More Time" manages to evoke a lost CSN+Y song and some Appalachian mountain classic...led by Fiona McBain, tragic Brit folk chestnut "Butcher Boy" becomes a delicate, soaring and sorrowful hymn to despairing love...

Ollabelle - "One More Time" (from Neon Blue Bird)

Ollabelle - "Be Your Woman" (from Neon Blue Bird)