"Celebrating
25 years of music with his long time band mates, friends
and musical heroes. Across the Parish Line features the
legendary Paul Simon and the late Rick Danko and Garth Hudson
of the Band, the sultry Marcia Ball and the one and only
David Hidalgo from Los Lobos. Loaded with Simien's signature
eclectic reggae- world-music-infused-zydeco originals, gorgeous
ballads and memorable duets."
“This CD cements Simien's standing as the most creative,
diverse musician in modern zydeco. But what ultimately makes
this album a winner is the beauty of the songs that are
driven purely by Simien's sweet flexible voice.”
–Ted Drozdowski, Amazon.com
“Across the Parish Line is a testament to the diversity
that has become one of the most appealing characteristics
of his music. Simien is one of the finest zydeco artists
to emerge from south Louisiana in the last quarter century,
and he’s absolutely got it going on yet again this
time.”
-Billboard (reporting on
music since 1891)
“Zydeco remains at the core of Simien’s
musical DNA, but his treatment of it continues to be progressive
and innovative. He has hurdled over musical boundaries by
incorporating other genres into his culturally ingrained
zydeco long before such genre bending fusions became fashionable.The
opening and closing tracks hint at where zydeco’s
headed next: an ancient-sounding accordion surrounded by
an avalanche of hip-hop beats, Jamaican dub echo, African
vocals, and looping and sampling. With this crowning achievement
in hand, Simien’s reign of creativity is far from
over.”
–Dan Willging, Offbeat
(lead review in Nov.06 issue)
Voted one of Offbeat’s Top 50 CD’s of 2006
“Singer and accordion pumper Terrance Simien and
the Zydeco Experience walk "Across the Parish Line”
to celebrate the diversity of Louisiana musical culture.”
-Philadelphia Daily News, B+
“Simien’s collaboration with Los Lobos’
David Hidalgo on ‘Cómo Viviré, Mi Cholita’
is a lively blast of blues-y Cuban fare, while his voice
remains the sweetest thing this side of Sam Cooke. Nevertheless,
it’s Simien’s interpretation of Randy Newman’s
‘Louisiana 1927’ that leaves a haunted impression
that not only lingers but also draws the historical connotations
of his wide-ranging influences sharply into focus.
3 1/2 stars (out of 5)
–The Music Box
“Simien has pushed the frontier of zydeco music
forward the past 20 years, taking the reins from Clifton
Chenier and rocking it up just enough to capture the younger
Anglo audience. On Across the Parish Line, he enlisted many
guests to push the songs up a notch, but this is Terrance
Simien’s album all the way. His playing and singing
never sounding better and this shows the music is alive
and well. A bon ton delight from beginning to end this is
living proof that some things will last forever.”
–Bill Bentley, Encino Sun
(note: Bill was w/Warner Bros. Music for
25 years)
“He is blessed with a wonderful voice…always
the innovator… [Across the Parish Line] is Terrance
Simien at his best.”
–Blues Wax Rating: 8 out of 10
“Simien’s biggest asset is his phenomenal
set of pipes; the guy draws obvious vocal influences from
artists as diverse as Jimmy Cliff and Sam Cooke, then combines
it with punctuating stabs of accordion. In Canadian terms,
it’s like listening to Great Big Sea with a singer
who could top the charts in Motown’s heyday.”
4 Stars (out of 5)
-Jeremy Loome, Edmonton Sun
“On his seventh album Simien once again welcomes
both other musical styles and a variety of guest musicians
into his orbit. For all of his eclecticism, he nevertheless
manages to assert both his own identity and that of zydeco.
In fact, he demonstrates that the music is capable of incorporating
other sympathetic styles to its benefit.”
4 Stars (out
of 5)
William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide (pro
review)