The Duel - Allison Moorer

A rock influenced “alt-country” album that finds Allison inching ever closer to the sounds which made Shelby Lynne a “Best New Artist” Grammy award winner.

Allison Moorer always has had a penchant for recording songs that come off more cerebral than the average song. Throughout her career, Allison has received rave reviews on each album yet somehow radio and commercial success has been elusive. So, after recording four major label albums Allison has found a comfortable new home (Sugar Hill Records)where she’s free of any worries and can concentrate on the music.

On “The Duel” Allison’s recorded 11 tracks that blend well together, with most of them getting even further from the rootsiness of 1998’s “Alabama Song.” The rockin’ “I Ain’t Giving Up On You” opens up the record and finds Allison singing about finally not running away from a relationship when the goin’ gets tough. “Melancholy Polly” is a short song about a singer who uses music as a psychological device. “One On The House” tells of the power alcohol has on people. The title track, “The Duel” is a haunting track that focuses on Allison’s fight with God after losing someone special to extreme circumstances, much like how her parents died. “Once Upon A Time She Said” is a song that tells of Allison’s struggle to reach the top while on that major label. Vocally the song is a stunning track that ranges to a higher octave that’s higher than anything she’s ever done before.

Stripped of the major label “hassles,” Allison Moorer has constructed a stunning collection of songs that any alt-country fan can enjoy. It’s definitely her best album to date.