Alison Krauss - A Hundred Miles or More: A Collection Review

Bottom-Line: Alison Krauss does it again with something(s) barrowed, something(s) new and something(s) blue.          

A lithe voice; that is the trademark of Alison Krauss, the face of this country's Blue Grass genre of music.  But with that voice and the blonde locks comes an undeniable charm and genuine cadence that is hard to resist; hence her success, mostly with her band Union Station. 

A Hundred Miles or More: A Collection, which contains a total of 16 tracks, is not your usual release.  The CD contains a scarcity of new tracks, nor is it a "Greatest Hits compilation.  The album is instead a collection of tracks that highlight Ms. Krauss's prolific musical career outside of the traditional halls of pure Bluegrass and separate from her releases with longtime bluegrass band Union Station, though some of their musical handiwork is featured throughout the album.

A Hundred Miles or More: A Collection features Krauss's notable collaboration with folk singer James Taylor on track No. 9 How's the World Treating You, and with C&W star Brad Paisley on track No. 11 Whiskey Lullaby a 2003 hit.  And finally two collaborations with the indefinable John Waite; on the single Missing You (track No. 15) as well as Lay Down Beside Me (track No. 16).

Though the songs contained on this CD are an eclectic blend, there is a common thread running throughout that binds them together: the abiding notes of bluegrass that touches each.  And then there is Ms. Krauss's voice, though slight and lacking in range, always seems to rise above the musical chatter, so to speak.  For the most part the duets with various artists turned out surprisingly well considering Ms. Krauss's (limited) vocal range.  She and James Taylor make a good musical fit, while her voice does get lost within Brad Paisley's deep tenor in places in their duet.  The duet(s) with John Waite are also a good fit and their rendition of Missing You is heretofore the only release from this CD thus far...