Movin' It On

AMG Review of Movin' It On

John Dougan
All Music Guide

...This is Odetta's first recorded work in nearly 12 years. If you've taken this folk icon for granted and feel guilty about it, this in-concert performance is as good a place as any to make up for lost time. What separates Odetta from the usual claustrophobic smugness of Old World folkiedom is her rich alto, swooping into a nasally upper falsetto, only to come crashing down into a growling bottom. It's a thrilling thing to listen to, especially when she really pulls out the stops and lets it wander up and down the scale in a blues yodel. The a cappella "Lowlands," a tale of forced labor and racism, bears this out. From a soothing croon to a rumbling roar she plays with notes, clipping them, crushing consonants, and stretching each syllable to the breaking point...