"Elouise – Deep Water"

This is the third of six blog posts in a series of female artists or female-fronted bands that will be published under 2024. This blog post deals with Elouise. The band name has nothing to do with the irrepressible Eloise who lives in the penthouse at the top of the Plaza Hotel in New York City. The band Elousie is led by Elouise Walker on vocals, bandoneon and accordion. This is blackgrass, the antithesis to bluegrass. To be honest, it’s more of "included but not limited to" blackgrass. Elouise's music is varied. The common denominator is the darker side of folk, bluegrass and country. Over time, I have developed an ability to distinguish the wheat from the chaff. Contrary to popular belief, music doesn't start to grow on you. At least, not if you are a connoisseur as myself. In some cases, I find inspiration from a renowned writer and/or website. This is the case here. A review in American Roots UK caught my attention: "This incredible album takes deep dark old time hillbilly, gospel and blues (race music) to a depth of sinister unearthliness that has not been heard or even imagined for many decades and yet running counter to that it is also a recording of dark beauty." The debut album "Deep Water" was released in 2015. I's a creepy album with both covers and originals. The take on the covers are so different that they could be mistaken for originals. The best songs are "I'll Fly Away, "Amazing Grace", "Oh Lord", "I'll Be Good To You", "Black Horses", "East Jesus" and, last but not least, a cover of Link Wray's "Fire And Brimstone. The arrangements are spooky, hanted and haunting. This is so much better, than all the copiers, fakers, imitators, impersonaters and imposters out there. A cd copy can be bought from their website (opens in a new window).