Jon Wolfe - Capital News, January 2012
If the saying "success breeds success" is a truism, then Clelia Adams sixth studio album is abundant proof of this award winning artist's talent. Again produced by Stuie French, this album is the high point in a career that spans three decades, and like that good "home-made" Italian wine that she mentions in The Italian Cowgirl, she just gets better with age. From the well-chosen covers like Hank's Baby We're Really In Love to originals like her own Rainbird Yodel or Hometown Boogie, Clelia shows why she has always been regarded as a singer's singer and she socks that fact home on songs like River Valley Express, Peel Street Buskers Lament and the moving version of La Paloma sung in her native Italian. There's plenty of country chutspah and something so pleasantly original in a most traditional way with any Clelia recordings, and it's all there in spades. Couple this with a second CD that brings together 18 wonderful reminders of her past catalogue and you can't go wrong.

Rosie Adsett - Country Update, December 2011
Clelia has produced another wonderful 14 track album with Stuie French and her sixth and latest CD. It's accompanied by an 18 song anthology The Archives, revising her  wealth of recording history dating back to early recordings under her own name in l985. River Valley Dreaming has 8 self-penned songs convering traditional country styles  to swing, but always very Australian and reflecting her northern NSW home base. The beautiful "Golden Butterflies" is a fine example of this; a cross between the Great Smoky Mountains and the New England Range. Clelia's Italian Cowgirl is another fine song that validates country music's globalisation. Well, actually there is one that doesn't fall in that characterisation...the last track, revisiting the Italian Cowgirl image on an earlier song on the album, is in her native Italian tongue, La Paloma. One of my favourites is the witty comedy of the Peel Street Busker's Lament...the pot pouri of Festival time music expression.


John Butcher - Bay FM 102.8 & Forest FM, Bournmouth, UK, Nov 30, 2011
Many thanks for River Valley Dreaming which arrived this morning and I have listened twice so far. The cover notes say it is your "best yet" which is something that I try to avoid saying, however this is an exceptional album. The title track sets the scene for a very well produced album, the song content reminds me of Jean Prescott. Your vocals are nothing short of brilliant and whoever plays the steel guitar sent shivers down my spine...wonderful!
Let nobody say the American country is better than Aussie country. This will be played on The Bay and Forest FM

Paul Riley - Country Music People UK, Nov 1, 2011
Included on Paul Riley's Top 10 album list for 2011 - FIVE STARS

Talented traditional Aussie singer Clelia Adams, who was born in Italy, has been making albums since l985. She should be a lot better known but despite recording
since the 80's, this new release is only the singer's sixth. The main reason for this appears to be bouts of ill health, including brain surgery, from which she has now
recovered and released a double CD. The Archvies has 18 tracks plucked from the singer's back catalogue. The new songs include eight written/co-written by the
singer.

The opening track River Valley Express is a chugging mid-tempo train song, with fantastic guitar. It is obvious from this first song that Clelia Adams understands
real country, and is a fine songwriter and singer. The Italian Cowgirl, which is even better, has a unique Aussie traditional country feel, with a nod to the singer's
special Italian roots. You don't find lyrics like "the billabongs will have to wait, there's lasagna for tea" on any American album. This special song is one of this years
very best tracks. Also special is Rainbird Yodel, an old timey yodel gem about various Australian birds. Like Audrey Auld's disc earlier this year, this album has many
references to nature, like the beautiful ballad Golden Butterflies.

The very moving My Baby's Love, is a sad song about Clelia Adams' daughter Jessie, who gave her hope and inspiration during dark times. This is one of music's
most personal songs and is fantastic. Another highlight of the self-written tracks is the bluesy Hometown Boogie. This disc also features some interesting covers
versions. The best of which is Jeopardy, the Jean Shepard song (my personal favourite female singer of all time). There is also a very interesting version of Hank
Williams' Baby We're Really In Love which keeps Hank's spirit alive. She also includes Half As Much on the second CD. The final track of the CD is the tradition La
Paloma, sung by Clelia Adams with great pride, in her native Italian. It sounds almost like a Tex-Mex song and provides a perfect ending to one of 2011's very best albums.

There is a second disc of 18 tracks packed with very interesting songs from the singer's back catalogue. Here we have three originals, plus 15 cover versions and
obscure songs that include a strong version of Bob Dylan's Forever Young with a wonderful guitar solo. Heather Myles' You're Gonna Love Me One Day gets an
interesting re-boot, with a fine vocal. There is also a strange song called My Sisters and Brothers which blends reggae and gospel, and it works! Best of all is an
amazing version of Lloyd Price's Just Because, with a sensational backing track. It is so good to see that Clelia Adams isn't afraid to take a few risks. Another
unexpected delight on disc two is a stunning jazzy song called Never Let Me Go. Even at over five minutes, it never outstays its welcome, and what a vocal! The three original songs are all very good, the best is the moving tale My Mothers Wedding Band.

Clelia Adams is an incredible major talent. How she has such a low profile is amazing. She should have been a massive country star since the 1980's. Hopefully its
not too late, and with this astonishing release she will finally break out.


Max W Achatz - Country Jukebox Round-up, October 25, 2011

You can make it short: River Valley Dreaming, the sixth album by Australian with Italian roots, is rightly hailed as her best ever. Momentum, varied, fresh, bold,

modern and traditional, that is wonderfully entertaining is what Clelia Adams presents. Besides her own songs, you also get three cover pieces, Hank Williams,

Randy Travis, Jean Shepard, and a new rendition of the world famous La Paloma is heard. A nice idea about the new CD, there is an addition CD containing songs

from her 30 year career as a singer.

Miroslaw Desperak - Country DJ - Catholic Radio Fiat 94.7FM - POLAND, October 13, 2011

You have done it again, fantastic job. Congratulations to you and all your very talented musicians. "River Valley Dreaming" is a masterpiece, and more spectacular
than your classic collection on "Wildflowers". It is gorgeous, first-rate, unique, and interesting that you can sing any kind of song. All 14 are great with no fillers.

Beautiful songs and many styles - blues, country, western swing, honky tonk, and jazz, which makes your albums so interesting. I was speechless when I finished listening to all the songs. You are #1 singing female star in Australia and Europe. There is no doubt about it. You have a gifted bunch of musicians, they sound as good as any of those Nashville sidemen. I admire the great sounds of Stuie French's electric and acoustic guitars. He sounds as good as Grady Martin to me.

Your voice is so strong, so clear and so beautiful. You are one of a kind. I have good news for you, Believe it or not, five of your songs are on the Top 20 list already.


Ann Pascoe - New Zealand Country Music Network Ltd, October 1, 2011

Congratulations! What a beautifully presented album "River Valley Dreaming". The photography is natural and pretty, like you in your primrose dress and bare feet,

so sunny and lighthearted. The selection of songs is very interesting, and I especially like "Peel Street Busker's Lament", "My Baby's Love" and " Italian Cowgirl". All

songs are beautifully sung, and the music matches the presentation of the album, light, bright, almost delicate, so clear and very beautiful to the ear and to the mind.


Bert Everett - Country Pickins - BUNDABERG GUARDIAN October 5, 2011

My first reaction when I took at the postpac out of the mailbox was, "This is great, I've got  Clelia Adams' new album and this was good news, as I have been

following the lady's recording career for a number of years now, and have always considered ir curious that, although she is very popular here in Australia, this is

outstripped by her standing on the European scene, where she has picked up many awards. My real surprise came when I opened it and daw that it was a double

album set, featuring "River Valley Dreaming", backed up by her "Clelia - The Archives" disc.


Lets look at what has to be the focus of attention here, " River Valley Dreaming", and we find fourteen very diverse tracks which work their way from almost

traditional country, throuhgh country ballads, blues and a touch of top country rock, then winds up with a real surprise on track fourteen.


The "almost traditional"  track one, "River Valley Express" lulls one into a comfort zone, which is quickly pushed out of the road by the lady's driving version of Hank

Williams classic  "Baby We're Really In Love" and this diversity sets the scene for the rest of the album. Yodelling fans are nicely catered for with Clelia's self-

penned "Rainbird Yodel". There are so many high spots on this CD that its hard to find any low spots, mainly because there aren't any. The folksy "Captain and the

Gypsy", followed by the very much up tempo "Jeopardy", continues the contrast until the last track really caps it all off.


There are a few who would remember Elvis Presley's massive hit "No More" which of course was an adaptation of the Italian track "La Paloma", and this is the last

track on the album. Not only is it the original "La Paloma", but Clelia sings it entirely in Italian.


This is the sort of album that should have all tracks commented on, but we don't have much space left, so we'd better move onto the Archives disc, which contains

selected songs from her Angel Band, Fine Company, Bring it On, Heartbeat Highway and Wildflowers albums. Grab a listen, I'm sure you won't be disappointed.