Moonlight Dreams
Nonie Crete
Nonie Crete Productions
2000
11 tracks
A year ago, when I reviewed Nonie Crete's The River Grand, I suggested that, although it was her third release, it had an uneven, eclectic sound that suggested she had not yet found her own unique voice. Now I'm very impressed with what she has accomplished in one year. Moonlight Dreams provides a classy setting which allows this former diamond in the rough to shine.
I was intrigued and impressed to read that Crete's co-writer on several songs is none other than Eugene O'Neill. I soon discerned that this writer is after all not the famous American playright but an Irish poet Crete had met in a pub. In fact, this Eugene O'Neill is a fine writer and storyteller whose words are an ideal match for Crete's composition and performance. Of the songs on this release, eight feature lyrics by O'Neill.
There is a cohesiveness of sound and content to Moonlight Dreams that one rarely hears in releases by so-called singer/songwriters. The sound is full and rich, the music moving and well arranged, and the lyrics evocative stories drawn from the real world in which we live. The songs here are so consistent that without looking it is impossible to tell which lyrics were written by Crete and which by O'Neill.
As a songwriter, Crete captures the characteristic spirit of Irish music, the essence that makes it both vital and unique, so that, while her songs are written in Ontario, they are unmistakably Irish.
"Johnny Kept Me Dancing" is for some reason the ninth track on both The River Grand and Moonlight Dreams. This affords an opportunity to explore the growth of Crete's persona over the past year. The earlier version of "Johnny Kept Me Dancing" is a rather ambient Irish/zydeco blend whose casual sound contrasts with the energy and tension inherent to the story being told. The new version is set to a faster tempo and, while the fiddles and accordion retain some of that zydeco energy, feels pure Irish. The earlier version was just one among fourteen songs that didn't seem quite comfortable together. The new version feels part of a tailored set, both complementing the other songs and enhancing the overall effect of this release.
Where The River Grand is an eclectic and at times mismatched potpourri of genres and styles loosely connected by their shared folkiness, Moonlight Dreams is rich and orchestral, its arrangements bordering on lush and the songs beautifully matched to one another. Where the music before was clearly folky, this new release has moved forward and expanded so that, while still folk-music, it has a broader, more universal sense to it and a more pop sensibility. Now the music is not so much Joni Mitchell as it is Aaron Copland, full and powerful. The arrangements here far better suit Crete's writing and her voice.
Crete has grown vocally too. Here is a strong, confident, and eloquent voice. More often than not, especially in "Everywhere I Go" and "Leaving Old Ireland," Crete's voice and her singing style reminds me of Linda Ronstadt at her best. Somewhere in there can also be heard the influences of Judy Collins and perhaps Sandy Denny. Crete's melodies and the way she approaches her lyrics also bring to mind the work of Susan Jacks. What's important though, is that this is no new singer echoing her influences but a maturing artist who has found her own unique voice.
If Nonie Crete has grown this much in just one year, expect her to be an influential force in Canadian folk music for years to come.
Those who want to learn more about Nonie Crete will find additional information at www.noniecrete.com.
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