"Diving for Pearls….a beautiful debut album."
MOJO
"…a really exceptional release." MUSIC WEEK
"…a really nice album." BOB HARRIS, BBC RADIO
2
Diving for Pearls
is the landmark debut album of singer-songwriter and guitarist
Allie Fox.
Since its release in
October 2000 Diving for Pearls has attracted major national media
acclaim including Q, Mojo and Music Week. Bob Harris has given
it airplay on his BBC Radio Two programme. Press reviews include
Folk Roots, Rock'n'Reel, Traditional Music Maker, The Independent,
The Musician, Making Music, The Edinburgh Evening News, Daily
Herald and The Sunday Post.
Diving for Pearls
is a classic collection of Allie's "warm, accessible compositions...."
(Mojo) including "Joe Louis Blues", Allie's powerful
and epic tribute to the great American boxer, and the haunting
"I Was Wrong" about homelessness. Characterised by her
"distinctive voice and meticulous guitar work" (Folk
Roots), rich layers of vocal harmony, multi-textured arrangements
and full-bodied production, Diving for Pearls has received
almost universal praise. With songs full of catchy hooks and well-crafted
lyrics, and a warm emotive voice at times reminiscent of the late
great Sandy Denny, Diving for Pearls is a truly eclectic
album appealing to a wide audience, transcending genre barriers
and defying categorisation.
The album features
some of Scotland's finest session musicians, including jazz guitarist
John Rutherford (Mike Heron Band), percussionist Dave Haswell
(Fish, Capercaillie), Gavin Dickie on fretless bass (Eclectic
Shock, The Boogie Band), Ron Shaw on cello (Cauld Blast Orchestra,
Boys of the Lough), and record producer Iain McKinna on keyboards.
There are also special guest appearances from "Braveheart"
piper Jimi McRae and The Capriccio String Quartet from Glasgow.
Diving for Pearls
was produced by top Scottish producer Iain McKinna of Offbeat
Scotland Studios in Edinburgh. His work has been described as
"state of the art" by Ohm magazine and includes the
acclaimed "Where the Mystics Swim" by ex-Incredible
String Band member Mike Heron and Solas by Talitha MacKenzie which
reached No 3 in the European World Music Charts.
It is unusual for a major UK record distributor to give an exclusive deal to a small independent label on the strength of just one release, but in 2000 Vixen Records was signed to leading independent distributor, Koch International, for exclusive distribution in the UK. Koch (now RSK) was an international company with divisions in the USA, Canada, Europe and the UK, where it represented artists ranging from Jimmy Page & The Black Crowes, Motorhead and Paul Rodgers to Lesley Garrett, Lucy Kaplansky and Thea Gilmore. This ensured that Diving For Pearls was on sale in all major chains and record shops throughout Britain.
Allie
Fox gratefully acknowledges the support of Scottish Borders Enterprise,
HSBC and Jedburgh Press.
