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Review: Brooklyn Rail (excerpt)
Name: Violet
Label: Wine & Vinyl Records
Title: We Both Know It's Out There

Violet is a mostly acoustic duo memorable for its folk-pop melodies and warmly lyrical voice of singer Meredith Minogue. Not at all deconstructionist or even particularly " indie", their stuff is nevertheless engaging by virtue of itsŠaw heck, it just sounds good! They¹re a solid rock-folk band in the mold of Fairport Convention, interspersed with Crazy Horse romps. Sure there¹s only on Sandy Denny, but Minogue¹s voice is really quite distinctive; this gal can carry a song. At times she reminds me of pure voiced plangent tenors like Tim Buckley and Emmit Rhodes-weird because the second song (Tangled Root) is almost a dead ringer for the Merry Go Round¹s "Live". Mostly, Violet feels caressing,an effect attributed not only to Minogue¹s singing but also the careful arrangements. Partner Jim Barry produces an impressive array of obbligatto parts: acoustic twelve string, overdriven electric, slide, mandolin. Adam Lasus¹ production is both full sounding and transparent. The backup musicians include Deni Bonet (violin), Joe McGinty (piano), Byron Estep (banjo), Skip Ward (bass, and Antonio Graci (drums). These songs capture a whole set of feelings, difficult to define, but each quite memorable in its way. We Both Know It's Out There rewards repeated listening.

-- Dann Baker

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