Irene Kelley

Irene Kelley takes the "Simple Path" (Oct 2001)

It's not too far-fetched to surmise that there are times when art reflects the nature of the artist herself. Over the phone, Irene Kelley's voice is quiet, slightly sweet, yet self-assured; her answers are brief yet never tentative. She puts across the impression, albeit modestly, that she knows what she is about. And such are the 11 songs Kelley co-wrote on her album "Simple Path": direct but unassuming, resonant without being verbose. The music that accompanies the lyrics - straight country with a tuft or two of bluegrass tossed in - is neither raw and edgy nor overly polished, which fits the unfrilled wisdom of the songs.  ...