★★★★★
Sara Watkins' Sun Midnight Sun begins in "The Foothills" - a flurry of nearly Celtic-sounding fiddling. The instrumental could be an ode to the low green peaks that border her hometown of Vista, California, or the landscapes she's seen in her travels. More likely, though, it's an introduction to the ascent to come; the gentle but energetic climb into a record that hangs out high in the hills outside of town; just close enough so you can still see and feel the city, but far enough that there's...
- www.americansongwriter.com
2013-04-25
★★★★★
Nonesuch Sara Watkins puts you through the ringer on her second solo album Sun Midnight Sun, produced by Blake Mills. The singer/songwriter seduces you with the help of Fiona Apple on the Everly Brother's "You're the One I Love." She complains you only love her "When it pleases you." She begs you for one more shot ("Be There"). She agrees to marry you but grows unhappy ("Lock and Key"). And then, she reminds you that it's a new day with new promises ("Take Up Your Spade")...
- www.relix.com
2012-08-15
★★★★★
There are times when the country scene appears homogenised, with winsome vocalists assembled as though they were part of some cookie-cutter assembly line. With her second solo album, effortlessly bucks this depressing trend - alongside producer Blake Mills, she's created a sound that's gritty and determined to avoid clichés. As a member of , Watkins shone as a consummate performer, adding both depth and rigour to a blend of bluegrass and fine contemporary songwriting...
- www.bbc.co.uk
2013-04-23
★★★★★
Sun Midnight Sun is the second sold album from talented fiddle player and singer/songwriter Sara Watkins. Watkins' work seems to be high in demand; she's a regular podcaster and you can hear her accompanying The Decemberists on their recent tour and subsequent live LP. This disc contains a variety of guests and collaborations to more than whet your appetite, but where her peers pitch their tents in the indie-folk camp Watkins seems to be leaning more towards a country sound...
- www.musicomh.com
2012-05-28
★★★★★
Country music has never really taken off in the UK, there's something about the Stetsons and line dancing stereotype that we just can't get past. The reality however is very different. I once heard Natalie Maines of The Dixie Chicks describe country music as the most honest genre because it just says it how it is and covers any subject it wants to. So with that in mind, Sara Watkins debut solo album can kick in...
- www.louderthanthemusic.com
2010-12-28
★★★★★
I love the way the opening track 'All This Time' repeats the key line 'All This Time' over and over again. It's hypnotic like the Country & Western version of a strobe in a techno gig. Drug-like it numbs one part of the brain to let other parts that enjoy the unexpected freedom. The song is the stand-out along with the eerie violin driven and 'Bygones' which is also one hell of a lovely song; powerful but quietly spoken. Is this conventional Country & Western music...
- hangout.altsounds.com
2010-11-02
★★★★★
Sara Watkins is a fine fiddler and
guitar player—as tenure in Nickel Creek demands—but as a vocalist
she might be even more compelling. Her voice is lush, warm and
perfectly controlled, and she puts it to good use on her debut solo
album. Singing about a lost love whose ghost haunts even the
cupboards of her home, she slays on tearjerker "All This Time,"
and later she gives Tom Waits' homesick travelogue "Pony" a
fittingly cinematic scope...
- www.pastemagazine.com
2009-07-21
★★★★★
As likely to be listening to Wilco as Willie Nelson, Sara Watkins' eclectic credentials as a member of Nickel Creek were never in doubt. With that band having disappeared under the radar, she steps out with a confident stride with her debut solo release, preserving those broad tastes and good judgement when it comes to choosing a set...
- www.bbc.co.uk
2009-06-12
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