Alouwenja Reviews

Sing Out! - Vol. 40 #4 (Feb./March/April 1996)

“For a first album, this one is striking in its sincere application of poetic wordings, sympathetic outlooks on dysfunction, and gently catchy folk-pop melodies. A self-defined eco-feminist – one who views all oppressions as eventually linked with natural resources and solvable through a humanitarian feminist philosophy – her philosophy shows in the songs. Most subtly, this approach is captured in tunes like `Turning My Life Over’ (with its nature imagery) and `Puddles In The Rain’ (with its metaphysical message); most blatantly, D’Anna offers herself as an eco-feminist link (a nude woman appears on the front cover, curled in a sand hole).” -- Laura Post

Dirty Linen - Vol. #65 (August/September 1996)

“ Californian Jo D’Anna focuses on eco-feminist themes on her first album. In the accompanying material, she identifies herself as a poetess. Her lyrics do seem to work as poems backed by music rather than songs with an integration of music and words.” -- Kerry Dexter

The Healing Woman - September 1996

“Jo D’Anna’s first recording, Alouwenja, offers glimpses of a number of aspects of a healing survivor’s life. Looking back and looking forward from the perspective of a strong, aware, healing woman, many of these songs are inspired by people in Jo D’Anna’s life who have lived through incest and healing. All speak to women today.”