Havre native Alana Damron was raised in the south, traveled a bunch in her gypsy life as a freelance photographer, migrated back to Haugan where her folks run a Christian ministry, and crowdfunded this stunning debut album.
Producer Jacob Paul Phaneuf provides all the tasteful instrumentation, including guitar, banjo, and mandolin, and sings back-up; Marcus Sugg adds percussion, and Emile Phaneuf, violin.
“The Miss Alaneous” Damron sang as a tot, later honing her rich, silky sound in church choirs. Her spirituality permeates her being, and it all comes out in her velvety voice. I want to say she’s an alto, but better not: she glides easily into just about every octave.
She wrote some pieces, co-wrote others, and co-arranged a couple hymn-and-praise medleys with her guitar-playing mother, Sarah. Damron sings all the female harmony on the CD.
She moves around the musical landscape here. There’s a thigh-slapping backwoods gospel feel to “Brighter Life,” set to “Will the Circle Be Unbroken”; “Hist’ry Here,” co-written with Bradley Noblitt, has a slow, bluesy beat and a nifty banjo riff. With great technique, Damron slips effortlessly into an upper register on this pretty melody.
Amy Grant’s “Baby, Baby,” done as a waltzy lullaby, gets a smooth and whispery delivery. And on Neil Finn’s “Don’t Dream It’s Over,” I hear wisps of Adele and Jewel here and there, Damron’s voice softly trembling as she makes sleek transitions. This is one of my favorite songs anyway, and what an interpretation this is!
The “Wayfaring Stranger”/”I’ll Fly Away” medley is killer as well. Within its riveting and ethereal layout, nuances of Amy Winehouse float about, Damron’s voice breathlessly swooping and wailing, kickin’ out the bent notes. Whoo!
I hear everyone in her voice. And sometimes she throws all her technique at the lines. That’s OK. When you’ve got it, flaunt it. When it all distills, and it’s all Alana, watch out!
Visit the artist at www.missalaneousmusic.com.
– Mariss McTucker