Amazon.com

Few folk albums indulge in mood swings more severe than the ones on Defying Gravity. "A woman my age, sittin' here cryin'" are the first words Cheryl Wheeler sings on her first album of new material in six years. During the next four older-but-sadder songs, bittersweet is as chipper as it gets. Even the comparatively sunny "Summer's Almost Over" finds the veteran troubadour confiding "I'm crying but I don't know why." But then comes the Caribbean lilt of the title track--written by Jesse Winchester--and the mood lightens, as the instrumental "Clearwater, Florida," and the jazzy syncopation of "Here Come Floyd" continue to chase the clouds away. By the time the album shifts into a couple of live tracks of Wheeler regaling the audience with the cell-phone absurdities of "It's the Phone" and the travails of air travel in "On the Plane," she has her crowd on the verge of tears of laughter. As the reflective "Alice" and redemptive "Blessed" attest, Wheeler is a folksinger for all emotional seasons. --Don McLeese ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

Prine's 1971 self-titled debut set the tone for the rest of his career. A critical smash and a commercial disappointment, the record contains many of his best known compositions. Proving himself capable of tackling folk balladry, country, and rock with ease, Prine seems to spring into being as a fully formed singer-songwriter at age 24. Lyrically diverse,Prine offers topical songs such as "Sam Stone," the tale of a drug addicted Vietnam vet, achingly sad songs, such as the oft-covered "Angel from Montgomery," and, of course, his trademark wit gets ample time in the spotlight. Produced by the legendary Arif Mardin (Aretha Franklin, the Modern Jazz Quartet, Hall and Oates), the record is understated, letting Prine's comfy voice drive things. When needed, the famoushouse band at American Recording Studios in Memphis kicks in tasteful backing. --Ian Landau ... Read more

Reviews (32)

Give John His Due!!!!!
Here is how brilliant John Prine is. Bette Midler covered Hello in There" and it still comes off well!!! I remember seeing this album in a stack of vinyl when there was only vinyl. It was the era where flag decals were given with copies of Reader's Digest. I remember hearing the song "Flag Decal" and thinking how awesome it wass that I understood the song. Last year I bought the tape of John Prine for my car. I hadn't heard it in twenty five years...but it seems as relevant today as it was twenty five years ago. Songs laced with pathos, sardonic humor, and most importantly.,heartbeats of the human condition, John Prine is a treasure still, managing to be both a time capsule, a record of the time is was written in and a current event lesson. I listen to alot of music and am not a John Prine head, nor am I a John Prine groupie. I have this album, and this one only...but it is an exceptional one. I say hooray to all kinds of music, but let's give folkies like John Prine his due. Here is one fabulous songwriter that deserves a listen

One of the greatest, if immensely unheralded, debuts ever!
When one thinks of Paul Anka, they immediately get visions of the bright lights and sequined costumes of Las Vegas. This may be the prevailing image, but little do people know that if it wasn't for Anka, we wouldn't get the tremendous talent of John Prine. Until Warren Zevon came along, Prine would be the lone voice of quirkiness among the singer-songwriter movement of the 1970s. But while Zevon's music bordered on the mean-spirited, they were no dark sides to Prine's humor, and whenever he got dark, it was deeply honest. JOHN PRINE was released when he was only 24, a time when some artists are barely finding their feet as creative people. But his first album is the work of a fully-formed, young but not precocious talent. The songs on here are some of the first that come to mind when one thinks of Prine: "Illegal Smile" (the closing seconds are some of the most humorous ever recorded), "Hello In There" (sad-but-true account of aging), "Sam Stone" (an anti-Vietnam War anthem which will have new recruits thinking twice about their enlisting), "Angel From Montgomery" (Bonnie Raitt's theme song it seems), and "Donald & Lydia" (a heartwarming tale of young love, and soon-to-be romance). Songs like this make JOHN PRINE every bit of an unofficial greatest hits album, and one of the rare first albums that new fans ought to buy the first time out. Unlike another folkie favorite of mine, Joni Mitchell (whose albums would always be quite consistent), John Prine's catalog is not exactly perfect and would occasionally slip up a time or two in his career. But this early, Prine could hardly do any wrong with this debut that probably contains more soon-to-be-covered songs than any I can think of. Thumbs up to Paul Anka for bringing us this wonderful artist.

Heck of a strong debut from 1971...
I bought this LP when it was first released, and I've heard a heck of lot of John Prine tracks in the past 33 years. I still think this is his most successful album overall. His voice here is young and full of raw vigor, and his songs mix humor and tragedy in a balanced fashion. In recent years John has moved closer to traditional country material, and he does it well. This one, however, is the folk/protest/social commentary record that pretty much capped the '60's for me. If you like John's later work but have not heard this, you are missing some of his finest writing and singing.

John Prine "John Prine"
"Illegal Smile" 5/5
"Spanish Pipedream" 3/5
"Hello In There" 5/5
"Sam Stone" 5/5
"Paradise" 4/5
"Pretty Good" 4/5
"Your Flag Decal Won't Get You Into Heaven Anymore" 4/5
"Far From Me" 3/5
"Angel From Montgomery" 4/5
"Quiet Man" 4/5
"Donald And Lydia" 5/5
"Six O'Clock News" 4/5
"Flashback Blues" 4/5

The amazing self titled debut by the father of Americana, John Prine. Features timeless songs like "Hello In There" and "Sam Stone." There are no real flaws on this album.

Overall rating: Four stars

Where have you been all my life?
My great musical regret is that I somehow missed this album growing up in the 1970s. It might have changed my life. Prine can be witty, moving, or irreverent, and never patronizing. Some of the most intelligent music I've ever heard, and his understated delivery will have you tapping your toes. A true gem and original. ... Read more

Amazon.com's Best of 2001

The considerable promise carried forth on Gillian Welch's first two albums is thoroughly fulfilled on Time (The Revelator). Welch has traded the guidance of her previous producer, T Bone Burnett, for the sympathetic studio skills of her longtime guitarist-harmony singer David Rawlings, who loosens the reins just enough to allow moments of spontaneity to sparkle within the duo's spare, eloquent playing. "Revelator" is an instant classic, perhaps the first great folk song of the 21st century. "I Want to Sing That Rock and Roll" is three minutes of Louvins/Everlys-style bliss. "April the 14th, Part 1" haunts its historical context with an achingly melancholy melody. It all leads up to the epic 14-minute "I Dream a Highway," one of the finest closing tracks ever put on record. --Peter Blackstock ... Read more

Reviews (96)

Simple and beautiful...who needs a band?
This is the best new releases I've heard in a while.

On one end of the musical spectrum, you have all the stuff that comes out today sounding really over-produced and over-edited. Sometimes it's hard to tell whether the artist you're listening to really sounds like how they're portrayed on the CD you buy. "Can she really sing like that, does his guitar really sound like that, or are those studio 'tricks of the trade' I'm hearing?"

On the other end of the spectrum, you have Gillian Welch and David Rawlings, both on guitar and vocals. No effects...not even any electric instruments. True "roots" music. It doesn't get much simpler than that. The whole CD is so sparse and desolate sounding. You can just tell it's all real. Gillian's vocals (as well as her lyrics) leave you with this haunting feeling, particularly "Revelator," "Dear Someone," "Elvis Presley Blues," and the long and driven out (maybe a bit *too* long) "I Dream a Highway."

I'll definately be checking out her other works soon; I like this style.

Beatuful, sparkling music!
Gillian and Dave have done it again! They have created an album of simple, early American style folk music, and churned out an album, timeless in quality and as attention grabbing as an album can be.

First, all 10 songs here are arranged for the duo of two accoutsit guitars (the second track, "My First Lover" substituting a banjo for a guitar). There are no effects (or so it sounds like) and a few tracks sound as if they don't even have windscreens on the microphones; all of these tracks, it is safe to guess, werer recorded with no overdubs. (Of course, track 6, "I want to sing that rock & Roll was recorded live at the Grand Ole Opry on what sounds like one and only one stage microphone).

All of this, on another record, could add up to real crap, but on a Gillian Welch record, I could imagine it no other way. It sounds as if the two are literally playing these in your living room and when you think of that possibility, your heart breaks because you wish they truly were.

And what about substantially? My favorites are "My First Lover", a strange mix of appalachian banjo-like bluegrass and 70's rock sensibility; "My Dear Someone", a complete and sparkling throwback to the old country ballads a la Patsy Cline; "Everything is Free Now", a more modern folk tune with bobbing-and-weaving lyrics that I suspect are about napster; and last but not least "I Want to Sing that Rock & Roll", which appeared in a studio version on the CD of music inspired by "Oh Brother, Where Art Thou".

A favorite of most listeners is the 14 minute ending track called "I Dream a Highway". It consists, really, of one chord progression with lyrics that gradually and sweetly unfold to reveal a Dylan-like landscape (almost a story but not quite). While it is a great track that can easily put you in a achingly sweet trance, it is not quite a favorite of mine, particularly as its already slow pulse gets periodically slower as the track was recorded without a click-track. If that makes me snobby, my apologies.

In conclusion, I first heard the album last week and have yet to get most of the songs out of my head for any more than an hour at a time.

Hold your breath...
This is a gorgeous album. Like many people, I first learned about Welch & Rawlings through their work on "O Brother Where Art Thou" and "Down by the Mountain." Despite having little previous interest in bluegrass, I was instantly hooked. I finished collecting their albums this year, and was delighted to find out that "Time (The Revelator)" was the best of a very good body of work.

I'm especially fond of the eerie title track, "Revelator," a contemplation of Welch's own success. The songwriter successfully walks a fine line between invective and self-pity, and her refrain -- "Time's the revelator" -- is at once fierce yet chilling. Rawlings's guitar accompaniment is equally fantastic; he's an astonishing musician. Together, they make the song into a small masterpiece.

(Incidentally, I saw the two of them play this at a venue in Atlanta several months ago. When they got to a particular four-letter word towards the end of the song, the seemingly grave audience cheered with delight).

Other highlights:
The sweetly seductive "Elvis Presley Blues" will get to you even if you've never cared for Elvis. It seems like pure heartland at first, but has a touch of Lou Reed-like suggestiveness.
"I Want to Sing That Rock And Roll" was the first Welch/Rawlings tune I ever loved, and it's still a good one. Like other reviewers, I wish they had re-recorded the track for this album; the ovation at the end is a little disconcerting.
"My First Lover" is the album's most leisurely and enjoyable song; thudding power chords recall a lazy, stupefying roll in the hay.
"I Dream a Highway" is the album's other masterpiece, a 14 minute ballad with a narcotic, haunting intensity. Despite its length and repetitive melody, it never gets boring; instead, it invokes an eternal road trip through loneliness and revelation. It's a great song -- the thrillingly slow finish to a marvelous album.

instant melancholia / addictive, haunting poetry and music
Welch's voice and Rawlings' guitar sound as intense, beneficent and honest as music can get. I enjoy an extremely addictive mixture here of haunting poetry and music that comes straight from the heart, in an American country/folklike-style that reverberates and finds refuge in my soul immediately. A music of 'instant melancholia', or, if I may borrow some of Welch's own beautiful lyrics here- a music that's like '(..) morphine' that 'will be the death of me'. Very impressive and highly recommended!

Gillian Welch is vvvvvvvvvvvvvs!
Hearing her music is like hearing the calls of an extinct bird, or the passionate cries and moans and laughs of the men and women who inhabited the old lands, the wild frontiers, the shotgun shacks of the hill countries, who lived on the back of Ford pick up trucks chasing the seasons round the country, like a bunch of people sitting round a campfire in a desolate wilderness, yet it has a modern day twist which makes it sound relevant in today's world that has moved on in leaps and bounds from those early days, which makes it sound like she's singing about today's troubles the same as yesterday's troubles the same as last year's troubles the same as the troubles of all men and women who came before and will come after. Gillian Welch taps into all that, yer. ... Read more

Album Description

Reissue of the late British folk icon's 1969 debut album.Ten tracks. Island. ... Read more

Reviews (57)

Autumnal Beauty
Looking for an album to go with your favorite sunset? Nick Drake's debut encapsulates a mood of tragically transient beauty. The acoustic guitar style drifts between folk, country blues and Celtic flavored finger picking (I'm not much of a musician, so that's kind of a guess-ta-mite), with accompanying instruments that are simple and subtle: piano riffs, conga drums, and the occasional bass. On several tracks chamber music string sections and various wind instruments add a surprisingly effective and eerie compliment. Mostly, however, the album's mood and tone is created and sustained by Drake's ethereal voice. Only several notches louder than a whisper, it sounds as if it comes from a half remembered dream or a nineteenth century opium haze. "Three Hours" and "The Cello Song" are particularly haunting. A playful piano part belies the uncomfortable lyrics of "The Man In The Shed" that sting of the depression that would eventually consume him (he committed suicide in 1974). Drake released only three studio albums, his second "Bryter Later" contains a number of good songs, but many of the jazzy arrangements don't work as well. On his third, "Pink Moon", he is alone with his guitar; it's an excellent album, but his vocals take on a harsher more pained edge, which can be a little uncomfortable considering his previously mentioned exit. On "Five Leaves Left" all the elements come together in a gorgeous sonic whorl. Percy Bysshe Shelley would have dug this album.

"Time has told me you're a rare, rare find.."
Whether you know it or not, you've heard Nick Drake before. Maybe it's from his other albums, maybe it's from that VW commercial, maybe it's just the sound of that quiet bleakness we all feel when sadness comes to the door and doesn't want to leave. This music lives with all of us. It exists in quiet lonely nights, chilly autumn evenings, and the muted grey of the world when it's been raining all day. During his too-short musical career, Nick used music to look at those little feelings we all have and give them an exquisitely beautiful voice.

Ok, fine, I'll start talking like a normal person now. I realize those comments seem a little silly. It's easy enough to describe how this music sounds, but it's not as easy to convey the emotional impact it might have. Everything about this 40-minute jewel is beautifully composed, elegantly performed and topped off with Nick's simple understated lyrics, which read as well as poetry. His voice and guitar (pretty tricky guitar work, too) are backed up by changing accompaniments: some electric guitar and bass at times, some flute, some quiet conga percussion at others, and most often a smooth string section providing just the right bittersweet background. It's quiet folk melancholy with an addicting quality that can't really be explained. Not everything here is quite as sad as "Way to Blue" or the eerily prophetic "Fruit Tree," either. "Saturday Sun" adds some relatively upbeat jazzy piano, although it remains low-key to the end. "Time Has Told Me" is uplifting in its timeless simplicity. "Man in a Shed" is a wistful boy-girl tune, but the theme is as un-cliched and downright humble as I've ever heard it.

Five Leaves Left was Nick's first album, and overall the most realized - he took over a year putting it together after all. If you don't like the sound of strings and flutes you'll probably want to hear the later Pink Moon instead, which is basically just Nick and his guitar. Either way, just make sure you check him out somehow. Any Drake offering is a treasure not to be missed.

boy this guy could write a song
A lot has been said about Nick Drake. I recall a Rolling Stone quote calling him "The saddest songwriter ever" or something to that effect. I think the fact that he died so young, possibly by suicide, tends to make people comment on how sad he was and how dark his music is. Well, some of his music may be dark, like Three Hours or Black Eyed Dog, but much of it is light. So don't expect this to be a depressing album.

With that said, this is an incredible album, although I feel it pales slightly in comparison to Pink Moon. While some people have said the strings hurt the album, I have a feeling they are only looking for a guitar shred-fest. While Drake was an excellent guitarist, his music was not based on technique and thank God for that. Most of his best stuff (on Pink Moon) was a lot simpler, guitar-wise. I for one think that the string arrangements really help some of the songs.

The words perfect, beauty, and sadness weaved into song.
This is one of three albums by the best musician, in my opinion, to ever step within this world of confusion, rushing, and absence of relaxation. Nick Drake may have made this album in the 1960's but the sounds have not aged at all, and will remain forever in my mind as the most beautiful songs ever recorded. This would go perfect for sitting alone at night, relaxing in light afternoon sun, or watching the hazy colors of a sunset replaced by the black calm of night. Get this CD, my friend, you will not regret it.

First of too few leaves...
...in the book of Nick Drake, "Five Leaves Left" is one of two fairly lush (by folk standards) records he committed to the listening public - such as it was, for him, at the time - before (as legend has it) mounting depression over his lack of commercial success played its role in the creation of the bare-bones guitar beauty "Pink Moon," his final record before dying of an overdose of antidepressants in 1974 at age 26.

My first Drake record was "Pink Moon." Within a few days, and about 35 listens, I'd rushed back to the store to liberate this record, "Bryter Later," and the just-released "Made to Love Magic." Such is the power of Drake's melancholy grip on the dynamics of wispy voice, intricate guitar, wrenching lyric and mood-perfect accompaniment. I'm still listening - I've heard every record at least twice - but the jury is no longer is out in my mind: the world overlooked a genius here, just as he predicted it would in this record's second-to-last cut, "Fruit Tree." He wasn't, one thinks, singing of himself, although he did that almost too well. But he might as well have been: "Safe in your place deep in the earth/That's when they'll know what you're truly worth.../They'll all know/That you were here when you're gone".

"Five Leaves Left" has painful, hopeful, joyful (too few), and despairing bolts like this all through it. "Time Has Told Me," the opener, celebrates a great love while already lamenting its future loss, Drake's and Richard Thompson's guitars weaving a beautiful country atmosphere: "Time has told me/Not to ask for more/For someday our ocean/will find its shore." The second song, "River Man," is apparently overproduced for many, but I found the background strings but a natural extension of the emotional strain Drake's voice always seems just too slight to hold. It's too easy to confuse his vocal treatments with lack of emotional commitment, I guess; it's the only way I can explain the rare such accusation I've heard. I simply consider it the best voice at conveying soul-empty ache bound up with wonder that I ever heard on a record. At the end of "Cello Song," he does an almost-perfect vocal duet with the title instrument, such that I at first couldn't tell one from the other. I could go on; you could read most of the rest of the day. I haven't come up with favorites yet. I thought I was about to, then every one I didn't get on first listen suddenly started striking home. Nick Drake is like that, at least he is when you didn't fall in love with the song on first listen. Which seems to happen less than half the time. Given that I'd consider this far from "easy" listening, that's nothing short of remarkable. His stuff draws you in; it seems to fit the mood. Play this record, wherever you are, and it will work to draw out the best - and the most beautifully painful - of wherever you are and whatever you are doing. I don't tear up often when listening to music. I am happy, really, to say that Nick is making this a rather common occurrence. The pain you hear in his records, you've felt many, many times. It just never had a soundtrack before.

You just have to hear it. You just have to hear this record, the next and last two he made - in short, all the Drake you can lay your hands on. (There's so little that your excuse just got eliminated.) I don't think anyone came closer to creating a complete record collection with so few albums. Nick Drake is that good. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Stephen Collins Foster is sometimes called America's first great songwriter, but you could make the case that he was also the country's first real pop star. Writing songs such as "Camptown Races" and "Oh! Susanna," Foster, a college dropout, was self-destructive, couldn't keep a marriage together, and ended tragically. Living on the Bowery, he gashed his throat in a fatal fall in 1864 at age 37, dying with only 38 cents in his pocket. The idea of a Foster tribute record may seem staid and archaic, particularly as his lesser known tunes are parlor and stylized minstrel songs. But minstrelsy was a lot like rock & roll, and the Pittsburgh native left behind an impressive body of work that draws upon the diverse branches of music brought to America by settlers and slaves from Europe and Africa. Beautiful Dreamer, on which 22 artists celebrate 18 of his compositions, surprises with its breadth of subject matter, tempo, and interpretation, including the use of the glass armonica and santour.Most of all, the album is uncommonly soulful--Mavis Staples's dignified but heartbreaking performance of "Hard Times Come Again No More," David Ball's elegiac "Old Folks at Home (Swanee River)," and the feathery rendition of "Slumber, My Darling" by Alison Krauss, Yo-Yo Ma, Edgar Meyer, and Mark O'Connor resonate in both the heart and the head. If Foster, the pop star, were alive today, he'd likely sit at the piano in shades and gelled-up hair. But he'd be playing these same songs, timeless and achingly poignant. --Alanna Nash ... Read more

Amazon.com

For anyone who suspects that record companies will soon be releasing EvaCassidy's voice mail messages, it's extraordinarily pleasing to note thatImagine is more than just a bottom-of-the-barrel-scraping exercise. Allof these tracks are previously unreleased and most are live recordings, butlisteners who already own Live atBlues Alley know just how refreshing Cassidy's live performances were.Check out her take on SandyDenny's "Who Knows Where the Time Goes?" to feel a shiver of delight atanother effortlessly ideal cover, or listen to her laid-back "You've Changed"from the Blues Alley sessions to experience more of her soulful jazz.Elsewhere, the solo acoustic reading ofGordon Lightfoot's "EarlyMorning Rain" shows off her guitar skills, and if "Imagine" doesn't ever scalethe heights of Songbird's"Over the Rainbow" it still demonstrates how she always had something new anduniquely compelling to say when performing a familiar standard. Studiorecordings "Still Not Ready" and "I Can Only Be Me" are, oddly perhaps, theleast successful cuts. Happily, the album concludes with another lovely solostandard, "Danny Boy." The recording quality varies noticeably from track totrack, and there are a few awkward fade-outs--presumably to remove audiencenoise--but still the sparkling music comes across quite vividly. Imaginemay not be the best way to discover Eva Cassidy for the first time, butestablished fans will warmly welcome this new collection. --Mark Walker ... Read more

Reviews (67)

Imagine---A Spiritual Awakening
I knew nothing of Eva Cassidy until I heard the first track to "Imagine" in an antique store. I had chills from head to toe and demanded to know who the singer was. After purchasing the CD, I could not stop listening, and immediately got online to purchase more CD's via Amazon. Eva Cassidy's voice is so riveting, so original, so stellar, that I can think of no one who even comes close to her. She ranges from folk in "It Doesn't Matter Anymore" to traditional in "Danny Boy," and every note in between is a work or wonder. Though her life was brief, there is something of her very present in her CD's. And though some would think her story tragic, it seems to be exactly as she would have had it. The beauty, the spirit, the musical magnificance---is all captured in this CD by this beautiful soul.
I would buy it 1000 times!

Imagine will take you away on the Wings of an Angel
Eva Cassidy is a song stylist.
She made every song she sang her own.
All her songs were originally made popular by famous recording artists such as Judy Garland, Sting, Paul Simon, Cyndi Lauper, Joni Mitchell, Paul Anka, Sandy Denny, and John Lennon, to name a few.
When she redesigned the song's pacing and melody to suit her own beautiful voice, she topped them all, and made each song her own!
She is a songstress of unmatched quality, and that is why
5 million Eva Cassidy CD's have been sold after she left this world in 1996. This CD is my favorite. It has golden songs, sung by an Angel.
Hear Eva Cassidy sing EVERY song from the samples, and once you're hooked, buy it and play the complete CD, you won't stop playing it! "Danny Boy," may make you cry a little, but that's alright. Just start it over again from the beginning, then later ask everyone you meet, "Do you know the Eva Cassidy story?"
Turn them on to the songs you love the most, and why Eva Cassidy, is the best singer ever.

Imagine Mott
Obviously Mott the Dog does not know how Angels sound like, but he would not be disappointed if Angels sounded like Eva Cassidy. Without doubt, she is the female vocalist of our time.

It is one of the cruelest tragedies that Eva Cassidy never lived to enjoy her success. In fact, with Cassidy's natural shy personality (yet strong character) that kept her from rocketing to superstardom in her short life, she was never sure of her stage presence. She shunned the spotlight till it was nearly too late, or preferred to sing backup vocals or duets as she did on Chuck Brown's wonderful album 'The Other Side', released in 1995, which although is a Brown album, it is the wonderful voice of Eva Cassidy that grabs your attention. Eva Cassidy refused to limit herself to one style, taking on jazz, funk, blues, rock, pop, and folk, all with that ethereal voice, turning each song into something magical.

Eva Cassidy released only one solo album in her lifetime, the wonderful 'Live at Blues Alley' (1996). It was recorded in Washington's most famous blues club after which it was named, and then it only got a local release.

It was one of the cruelest blows that by the end of that year the dreaded cancer had whisked this beautiful girl with the heavenly voice away from us. Fortunately for those of us left here on our very mortal planet, Eva Cassidy left many recordings behind which are now being released to great critical and commercial acclaim internationally. All of Eva Cassidy's recordings are lovingly managed by the Eva Cassidy estate. So far we had 'Eva By Heart' (1998); 'Songbird' (1998); 'Time After Time' (2000); 'Imagine' (2002); and 'American Tune' (2003). These albums have sold over three million copies worldwide and still counting.

It has to be remembered that Eva Cassidy did not write songs herself, but was able to take other people's great skills and twist them into something even greater. At the moment (although I admit it does vary) 'Imagine' is my favorite Eva Cassidy collection.

The album opens with a solo version of 'It Doesn't Matter Anymore' by Paul Anka (who also wrote 'My Way', made famous by Frank Sinatra, Sid Vicious, and then Nigel of the Bastards). This is followed by a version of Little Willie John's 'Fever', not done as Peggy Lee did it in 1958, but as it was originally intended to be, when written in 1956, with Eva's brother joining her, adding violin to Eva's scratch vocal.

You also get a track that has been salvaged from the Blues Alley sessions 'You've Changed', and when you hear this, you realize how high the quality of music was on that particular album. Eva Cassidy's voice sends shivers up and down your spine. She would surely get a nod of approval from the person who first recorded this song, the great Billie Holiday.

Sandy Denny's 'Who Knows Where The Time Goes' gets redefined here, giving the song a whole new lease of life. Eva even gets a little bit country with her true to the roots version of Patti Page's hit 'Tennessee Waltz', which in its days in the 1950's was one of the first cross over country/pop hits.

To finish the album is one of those "enough to make a grown man cry" moments as Eva Cassidy breaks into an emotional solo version of 'Danny Boy'. Still, with all these moments of magic, I think the stand-out track is the title track, a tribute to John Lennon in a touching version of his masterpiece 'Imagine'. Play this song in any room and in seconds it will reduce people to silence as they listen to Eva Cassidy's voice caress the air.

(...)

Add some beauty to your life
I first heard Eva's rendition of "Early Morning Rain" at work, listening to a jazz internet station. It absolutely stopped me dead in my tracks. I immediately bought the Imagine album, and I'm very happy I did. It's wonderful.

Eva's voice has a haunting quality that seems to reach into your soul. I'm here at Amazon again buying more Eva Cassidy CDs.

I commend this album to you. It has added some beauty to my life.

Nope
I never heard of Eva Cassidy before, and picked this CD up blind. Ms. Cassidy sings in a smokey, lounge-singer sort of way that works wonders with "It Doesn't Matter Anymore" (the first track). The second track is "Fever", which is a real lounge-classic, and she does it very well but I have heard that song at least 1,000,000 times. After that, the songs seem to alternate between sleepy/forgettable and some sort of country music gone lounge thing.

Worse, some of the songs picked for this album just don't fit in with the lounge-singer style. John Lennon's classic "Imagine" is ***PAINFUL*** to listen to and seems to drag on for 4 hours rather than 4 minutes, and "Danny Boy" brings tears to your eyes as you wish that Danny was buried and long forgotten.

I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but this album is really not a good album. The first song is great, but the album crashes right after that. Skip this one, folks! ... Read more

Amazon.com

It shouldn't be surprising that Lucy Kaplansky's music is infused with complex emotional detail when you consider that she worked as a clinical psychologist before deciding to pursue music full time. On the six songs she and Richard Litvin, her co-writer and husband, composed for The Red Thread, she never shies away from the conflicting feelings that accompany the profound moments in life. On the title track, for example, she sings movingly about the joy, wariness, and worry she felt when she and Litvin adopted a daughter from China. On "Land of the Living," which was inspired by the tragedy of 9/11, Kaplansky's sharp eye for detail creates a harrowing, but ultimately hopeful vision of that horrible day. Like many good songwriters, Kaplansky has an excellent ear for the right song to cover, and here she has chosen fine ones from Buddy Miller, Bill Morrissey, James McMurtry, and Dave Carter. The sonic territory on The Red Thread is subtle and subdued, with spare, mostly acoustic arrangements that perfectly frame the powerful emotions contained in Kaplansky's songs. --Michael John Simmons ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Lucy is in the Sky with Diamonds
Beautiful! Lucy's latest CD "The Red Thread" is an emotional gem. What a storyteller, Land of the Living, I Had Something, The Red Thread, This is Home, etc. they will make you think, they will make you sing. As any Lucy fan will testify, buy any Lucy CD and you will end up with the collection. Thanks Lucy.

Solid
Lucky me, I was in Pittsburgh the other day and so was LK. At a truly awful, smokey, overcrowded club (to the point of near fistfights breaking out if i didn't walk away from the local troglodites), Lucy managed to promo her new CD and tell gushing new-mom stories. 50% less reverb sure would have been nice.....

Lucy is so charming and so very, very talented. I think this collection, much like the last CD, however, is full of gems and a few ho-hums. Not nearly as consistent as Ten Year Night, but that is probably an unrealistic comparison---I think it will be a career highlight impossible match, let alone improve upon.

Land of the Living is worth the price of the CD, and with Red Thread, outshine the rest. Maybe is a degree of inaccessibility can develop from deeper and deeper exploration of very, very personal issues (adoption/motherhood in this case)...perhaps....

Then again, if she comes back to a GREAT club (MuckyDuck in Houston), I might have a chance to wipe the Pittsburgh show from the hard drive.

A great CD!
This is just a great CD. Her version of Dave Carter's "Cowboy Singer" is worth the price of the CD alone.

What a wonderful woman
having been a fan of lucy for many years, I'm never let down by her new releases and her live shows. and she's a wonderfully nice person to boot.

Wow...stunning!
Arguably the best of what has already been a superb career. Some may say this collection is more commercial and radio-friendly than her folk outings of the past but, to me, it just seems more realized, mature and emotionally satisfying. I immediatly felt at home with almost every track on the cd. If you're new to Lucy's music, start here, then go back and discover her from the beginning. ... Read more

Amazon.com

One of the many Nashville-based singer-songwriters whose respected stature among critics and fellow artists stands in stark contrast to his rather meager commercial acclaim, Greg Trooper has quietly built a catalog of superbly crafted albums. On his second release for the Sugar Hill label (his eighth overall), Trooper teams up with legendary songwriter/producer Dan Penn for a collaboration so natural, it's a wonder it hadn't happened before.

Trooper's music already combines strains of R&B, country, and folk, which Penn acknowledges by infusing a subtle yet palpable tenderness into these songs. Sung in a honeyed, gritty voice that combines the tough, yet resigned style of Guy Clark and longtime friend Buddy Miller with the vulnerability of Paul Simon, Trooper's songs straddle the dusty roads between Austin soul and Nashville twang--both of which cities he has called home. The lyrically provocative "When I Think of You My Friends" is one example of a typical Trooper setup where the protagonists are "out of luck, out of work, never out of dreams." Yet he won't settle for weepy sentimentality in either his words or stirring melodies. These twelve tracks flaunt the soul in the singer's emotionally rousing tunes and show him as one of the most talented contemporary acts on the roots scene. Credit also goes to Penn, whose warm, sympathetic production allows Trooper the room he needs to shine. --Hal Horowitz ... Read more

Amazon.com's Best of 1998

A ghost, a band, a troubadour. Easily the strangest co-op project ever, and easily one of the finest and most evocative albums of the year. British socialist and folkie Billy Bragg was given unprecedented access to Woody Guthrie's unrecorded lyrics. Teaming up with alt-country band Wilco and quoting from more than 50 years of country, folk, and rock music, Billy and company bring Guthrie's politics, poetry, and morality to the end of the century and prove he's as necessary now as ever. --Tod Nelson ... Read more

Reviews (119)

I'd buy 10 cds to find this one.
I'd buy 10 cds to find this one! Billy Bragg and Wilco have created the feeling that Woody Guthrie is alive and well and enjoying a little rock and roll. Their use of Woody's lyrics with original music is still true to an evolving Woody if there could be one. The music grabs you emotionally, hard and holds you through each cut. It's riveting. The range is amazing from Woody in love with living cuts such as "Walt Whitman's Niece" to serious political tunes like "Eisler on the Go" that focus on the witch hunts of the '40s and '50s in a very human way. And then there's what could have been a children's song--"Hoodoo Voodoo." Who else but Billy Bragg with help from Nora Guthrie could have done this? The album is a real album. It's all there. You can feel Guthrie writing 1000 songs in twenty years and then spending the next twenty years trapped in a deteriorating body in a state hospital. Sadness but not desperation, Guthrie never gives! up. Bragg extends Woody's contribution by pulling music from the lyrics, many of them written after Woody realized he faced a horrifying disease. Whatever else you do, listen to Mermaid Avenue and love it!

Do you know how hard it is to JUST ADD LYRICS to music?
Especially if those lyrics are over 50 years old, practically poetry, and created by a master songwriter? Or put another way, imagine someone handing you the lyrics to a tune from "Nebraska" and saying, "OK, now just sing it real good." JESIS, I don't think so. And if that doesn't put this stellar effort by Bragg and Wilco into perspective, what more can I tell ya? [Eh, keep yer shorts on, there'll be another 3rd Blind Biscuit Korn Hole album out 'terrectly.] So i'm amazed they pulled it off? And with such interesting results -- there really is something here for all kinds of tastes: from the breadth of musical influences displayed [a bit of Dylan, Lennon, Garcia, the Band, it could on and on] to the lyrical content [from the personal to the political].

Essential? You'd have to agree.

Remember; this is not Woody's music.
This cd at least makes me wonder how Woody would've done it. I think the vocals would be edgier, and clearer,easier to understand and remember, even after one listening, as I can when listening to actual Guthrie recordings. Perhaps some of the sappier melodies here might have been a little harder, a little more manly, for lack of a better term. As for the choice of Bragg; I'd sooner have some digitalizing freak collect all of the appropriate Woody syllables, and put them back together into the 'new' material. Second choice, Dylan. Third choice, somebody who's not Billy Bragg.

4.5 Stars.... Masterful Mix of Guthrie Lyrics and New Music
Nora Guthrie, Woody's daughter, thought it might be fun to have new music set to Woody's "lost songs" (lyrics to which Woody had music set in his head, but he never published the music). Billy Bragg and Wilco may make a curious, or at least not a very obvious, choice for the task, but boy, are they up for it!

"Mermaid Avenue" (15 tracks, 49 min.) is a true collaboration between the artists. Some songs find Wilco's Jeff Tweedy at lead vocal, Bragg on others. Music on some tracks is written by Bragg, others by Tweedy/Bennett, yet others by Bragg/Wilco. While I'm a huge Wilco fan, I must admit that the Bragg-written songs are more coherent within the Guthrie legacy. Check out for example the sparse "Eisler On the Go", and "Another Man's Done Done" (with Tweedy on lead vocal). The best is "Way Over Yonder in the Minor Key" (with Natalie Merchant on back vocals). Natalie also sings lead on "Birds and Ships". (So you really shouldn't be surprised by Natalie's fab collection of folk tunes "The House Carpenter's Daugther", issued independently last year).

In all, this is a terrific collection, which deservedly received a second volume as well. Recommended for fans of Billy Bragg, Wilco, Woddy Guthrie, and of course Bob Dylan.

I'll try to be brief, for a change
. . . If you are a Wilco fan and you don't have this album (and Vol. II), you should feel very silly, and buy this right now. It is absolutely sublime. ... Read more

Album Description

Damien Rice has quite simply taken the music world by storm.From ecstatic reviews to winning the third annual Shortlist Music Prize honoring the most adventurous and creative albums by emerging artists, Damien offers his new legion of admirers and friends in the States an EP of B-sides previously released outside the U.S. These seven stunning tracks will undoubtedly whet the appetite while fans await his forthcoming record. ... Read more

Reviews (89)

An amazing debut from an amazing talent....
I've heard Patty Griffin say that her debut wasn't exactly her style, that she didn't really want to do an acoustic studio album. However dissatisfied she may be, she has created a masterpiece. Her tremendous voice and poetic lyrics carry the CD beautifully. From the pain of heartbreak in 'Every Little Bit' to the whimsy of 'Mad Mission,' Patty writes songs that tell stories, and then she conveys them with a clear, strong, gorgeously terrific voice.

This album is definitely one of the best I've ever owned. It's hard to imagine that someone can exhibit so much range within a pretty narrow genre, yet Patty manages to do it. Each individual song can stand on its own as vividly and poetically written, beautifully sung and performed; together, they become a seamless, smooth, coherent album, one with enough different pieces to suit whatever mood I'm in. Living With Ghosts is one of the few albums I can listen to over and over and still enjoy the surprises and nuances of every song.

It's become quite common now for other artists to cover Patty's songs, from the Dixie Chicks to Emmylou Harris to Ben Harper (whom I heard sing my all-time favorite Patty song, 'Mary,' which is on her second CD). But no matter how good these other versions - and singers - are, they never quite achieve the power that Patty does. And this is the place to begin getting to know Patty, discovering what others have about the beauty of her music. This CD is innovative yet classic, mellow yet powerful, simple yet complex... it's almost beyond description except to say, again, that it's one of the best I've ever heard or bought and one that everyone should give a try. And after this one, there's the very different treat that is 'Flaming Red,' but that's a whole different story... Just buy this one, settle down, and enjoy the ride of truly great songwriting, singing and music.

First review that I have written...
I just feel compelled to write this. What an incredible CD! I came back to buy two more copies to give to friends. I heard "Not Alone" on LA Radio 103.1 (Sunrise Sunday) and I had to have it. My favorites: "Time Will Do the Talking" for anyone who has tried to connect with someone who wasn't ready for a relationship, this is the perfect "letting go" song...lyrics "I don't believe there is such a thing as saying too much, there are those who like to look and those who aint afraid to touch". The song "Forgiveness" I put on repeat and listened to for days. Incredible! Other favorites: "Mad Mission", "Every Little Bit", "Not Alone", "Let Him Fly"...funny, I am listing them all. They are all masterpieces. Patty Griffin, if you read these reviews, thank you for these songs. Others, buy this CD and go through every emotion in the book. You won't be disapointed. Enjoy!

Kept getting it as a recommendation....
So I finally bought it and found out that on at least one song, she yells! That is not signing. Some of the other songs sound OK, but that yelling song grates on my nerves and is making it hard for me to be objective. Singers shouldn't have to scream.

Buy this CD!!!!
Spectacular debut album from an incredible talent. I had the privilege of seeing Patty on the Concert for a Landmine-Free World tour. Despite being on stage with stars like Steve Earle, Emmylou Harris, Nanci Griffith, Bruce Cockburn, and Mary Chapin Carpenter, Patty stole the show. I was completely unfamilair with her before the show, but I came away with 2 reasons to believe I had just heard something special --1) Earle had to follow her in the rotation, and at one point simply reacted to her song with a "yikes" and 2) my ex-wife hated her.

I am in awe of every little bit of Patty Griffin ...
and that's also my favorite of her songs. I bought the CD after hearing a track on headphones at a music store. It turns out this was not the CD I had heard, so I was shocked by the raw, edgy solo performance, wasn't sure I liked it. Now I LOVE this CD. The lyrics are intelligent, poignant, and insightful and the melodies, the voice intonation, and the guitar licks match them perfectly. She is masterful. Sometimes it seems she can take my deepest, most hidden emotion and then yank it out and place it in front of me. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Many bluegrass musicians have incorporated contemporary elements into their work,Jim & Jesse, the Osborne Brothers, and Mac Wiseman among them., but Krauss's contemporary bluegrass contains particularly heavy doses of pop, folk, and modern country. Whatever style she chooses, her flawless voice and her crack Union Station cohorts usually maintain a high standard. The instrumental "Little Liza Jane" and the traditional "I'll Remember You, Love, In My Prayers" prove their instrumental chops, and songs like "No Place to Hide," with an impressive fiddle turn from Krauss herself, effectively mold modern elements into the bluegrass idiom. However, others such as "It Doesn't Matter" and "Deeper Than Crying" have very little to do with bluegrass at all. A mostly solid contemporary-bluegrass album, except when the contemporary drowns out the bluegrass. --Marc Greilsamer ... Read more

Reviews (46)

Pain of a troubled life
As of this writing, Alison Krauss continues to grow as both a roots-oriented performer (O, Brother and O, Sister) and mainstream roots-tinged singer (New Favorite). This CD was my introduction to her and Union Station, acquired somewhat by chance a few years ago when I discovered it at a music store listening station. I bought it because I loved the sound of it, and while I've listened to a lot of bluegrass since then (live and recorded), this remains both fresh and soulful, with a style that is distinctively different from the usual.

If you like really bright and upbeat bluegrass, the music on this CD tends to be darker and more mournful than Bill Monroe ever envisioned. The recording volume is even low; you have to crank up the system to hear it. The finest and most touching song on the album for me is "Looking in the Eyes of Love," sung so yearningly by Krauss that you'd swear she's pulled it up out of her own bitterest experiences. If my copy of this song was on vinyl, the grooves would have been worn out by now.

The theme of pain deeply felt and slow to recover from is reflected in many of the titles: "Deeper than Crying," "Pain of a Troubled Life," "Blue Trail of Sorrow." Monroe would do these songs fast and make them sound like a day at the beach, but here they are sung and played for all the pathos in them. Thankfully, resolution of sorts comes in the final cut, "There is a Reason (for it all)."

Is it a concept album? Hard to say. The band seems to have wanted to roll back the sunny, upbeat sound of traditional bluegrass and expose the sadness often underlying it. As an experiement, it's worth a listen because the group is so darn good, and the musicianship is so fine. Buy it, and feel the songs seep into your soul.

Balancing Act
Sometimes an abundance of talent can be a curse - take Alison Kraus, for example. On one hand, she has bluegrass afficianados (like me) begging her not to give in to the lure of almost certain pop/country superstardom, while the rest of the world is screaming, "Get rid of those hayseeds!"

I've already tipped my hand, so I will tell you that the bluegrass component of this album is about the best that can be heard in the genre's more contemporary incarnation. And while Alison is clearly the star, the boys in the band more than hold their own, both vocally and instumentally. Dan Tyminski is a terrific singer and guitarist - his voice blends superbly with Alison's on "Blue Trail of Sorrow" and particularly "The Road is a Lover," which also features some great train-like bowing from Alison. Banjoist Ron Block takes Scrugg-style picking to a higher level - his driving solo on the title track blows me away every time I hear it. And Adam Steffey's mandolin playing ranks among the best.

What more can be said about Alison's voice? It's clear, emotive, and haunting. My only complaint about Alison these days is that she is growing less and less inclined to cut loose on the fiddle. I've read her statements of getting away from "flashy playing for its own sake," but she's far too talented on that instrument to let it collect too much dust.

For those whom skip over the non-Alison tracks, or complain that the guys sing to much - Alison is following in the best tradition of the original bluegrass bossman himself, Mr.Bill Monroe, who handed over the reigns repeatedly to such (later) stars as Lester Flatt, Jimmy Martin, and Peter Rowan. Alison Kraus and Union Station is a BAND - and a damned fine one at that. I just hope that she doesn't follow the path of the late Keith Whitley, Marty Stuart, Dolly Parton, and Ricky Skaggs (although we got him back), forsaking bluegrass completely.

Alison stays true to Her Artistic Vision
Ever since Elvis began his famed recording career with a Rockabilly cover of Bluegrass Bossman Bill Monroe's signature "Blue Moon of Kentucky" Bluegrass has been regarded by *some* as the poor barefoot hayseed step-child of Country Music. Acoustic Guitars and Banjos and Fiddles were overwhelmed and swallowed up by Electric Guitars and Peddle Steel Guitars. A successful Bluegrass album sold maybe 30,000. The "dirty little secret" in Nashville was that the Bluegrass musicians were the ones who could really PLAY, so talented bluegrassers who wanted to make a decent living became Nashville studio musicians. Bluegrass fans, who are often as fanatical about the music as a religious zealot is about their religion, considered such musicians to have "sold out", and so it was that artists like Ricky Skaggs, Bill Keith, Marty Stuart and Vince Gill were considered. Once big fish in the small Bluegrass pond, they were thought by Bluegrass Purists to have compromised their artistic integrity to become Country successes. (Was it ironic that Ricky Skagg's first Country Hit was a "countrified" version of Lester Flatt's "Don't Get Above Your Raisin'?")

The purpose of this review isn't to give even a thumbnail history lesson of the evolution of Bluegrass and a comparison to more popular and "mainstream" forms of music, but it is important in having a complete appreciation of this album to recognize the historical rarity of a "popular" or "breakout" Bluegrass artist or band or recording. In the past half-century before Alison Krauss the number of Bluegrass recordings which received any degree of popular airplay could be easily counted on one hand:
Flatt and Scruggs "Foggy Mountain Breakdown" - the music used as the musical theme to "Bonnie and Clyde".
Flatt and Scruggs "The Ballad of Jed Clampett" - the theme to "Beverly Hillbillies"
"Dueling Banjos" - from the soundtrack to "Deliverance"
"Rocky Top" - by the Osborne Brothers
"Fox on the Run" - by the Country Gentlemen

Then along came Alison Krauss, with her stunning crystalline voice that caught the attention of the Bluegrass community while she was still a teenager.

She recorded several albums which were among the most well-received in the Bluegrass community leading up to 1995 when her label, Rounder, persuaded her to put together a few new recordings with mostly previous releases, some as "guest star" on other CDs to come up with the compilation "Now That I've Found You"(It may have been called "Greatest Hits" for an artist that had HAD a "hit").

That CD stunned everyone, sold 6 million copies and suddenly Alison Krauss was the hottest female voice in Nashville - winning a handful of CMA awards.

Under the expectations of THAT success Ms. Krauss and her band, Union Station, went to the studio to record the follow-up album.

Many on either side of the "Bluegrass Purist" fence were expecting the next CD to be the "Sell-Out" CD - full of steel guitars and guest duets with Barbra Streisand.

What came instead was THIS CD, "So Long So Wrong", an album that celebrates the Bluegrass heritage that these musicians hail from in addition to showcasing the extraordinary contemporary talents of Alison and Union Station.

Newcomers to Bluegrass expecting a recording with nothing but Alison's voice were likely put out a little that some GUY was singing the lead vocal on several of these cuts. Alison knew that Dan Tyminsky was an extraordinary vocalist YEARS before Dan was chosen to do the singing voiceover for George Clooney in "O Brother Where Art Thou?"

The CD is one of the prominent ones that Alison jokes about in which her lead vocals are predominantly on beautiful but sorrowful ballads like "Deeper Than Crying" and "Find My Way Back to my Heart." These tracks are beautiful and they're NOT "straight bluegrass" for you purists - Ron Block trades in his trusty 5-string for some tasty acoustic guitar work and these are closer to folk or even just "unplugged pop" than to bluegrass. The Dan Tyminski tracks are rollicking rip-roaring bluegrass monsters like "I'll Remember You, Love in my Prayers" and "The Road is a Lover".

This CD is one of the very best by Alison Krauss and Union Station, and that is saying something. If you're a fan of Alison, or maybe you just heard something about "those musicians on the O Brother soundtrack" this is a recording you just have to add to your collection.

A+: Excellent Songs, Singing, Musicianship
If you like New Grass or folk, spirited American acoustic, banjo and fiddle, you'll like Alison Krauss. If you don't have anything by her yet, So Long So Wrong is the album to get. I've listened extensively to her albums, and I rate this one the best so far. Excellent selection of melodic numbers. She's never sung better. Her musicians are in very top form.

An outstanding set.

Great bluegrass and folk sound
Alison Krauss and her Union Station bandmates do a fine job on So Long, So Wrong. Alison's singing and fiddle playing dominate, especially on the ballads "Looking In The Eyes Of Love", "I Can Let Go Now", "Deeper Than Crying", "It Doesn't Matter", "Happiness" and "There Is A Reason". However, Union Station's guitarist, Dan Tyminski, who sings lead on "No Place To Hide", "The Road Is A Lover", and "Blue Trail Of Sorrow", also is a strong singer. Furthermore, Adam Steffey(mandolin), Ron Block(banjo and guitar), and Barry Bales(acoustic bass), the remaining Union Station members, really shine on this one. The instrumental "Little Liza Jane", on which all the band members get into the act, is a driving bluegrass tune. There's no percussion anywhere on the record, but thanks to Barry's thumping bass lines, the songs have a rhythmic, flowing feel to them, which more than makes up for the lack of a drumbeat. There aren't any musical gimmicks here, but there is a great bluegrass and folk sound. So Long, So Wrong is a fine collection of songs from a truly talented group of singers and musicians. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Blessed with a soulful and expressive voice and an innate grasp of the melodies and themes of traditional country music, Gillian Welch has made three beautiful, often brilliant, albums. Yet, one can make the case that she's still searching for her own true artistic voice. Soul Journey brings her ever closer to that elusive goal. After 2001's austere, solemn, at times inscrutable Time (The Revelator), this follow-up finds Welch showing more warmth, ease, and openness as both singer and songwriter. As the title portends, the concept of travel (physical and emotional) is a prevailing thread throughout these 10 tracks; she sings of rolling stones "on the road to sin," travelers on "black highways," girls "running around with the ragtop down" and "at the station rolling slow." These characters, perhaps autobiographical, are simultaneously searching for and running away from their pasts, while soft drums, fiddles, organs, and Dobros add a welcome bit of lightness. With the trusty David Rawlings again at Welch's side, the songwriting and production till the earth between their old-time heroes and more modern troubadours like Townes Van Zandt and Neil Young (both the bucolic strummer and, on the closing "Wrecking Ball," the ragged electric wanderer). For Welch and for us, Soul Journey is yet another fascinating rest stop on the never-ending road to self-discovery. --Marc Greilsamer ... Read more

Reviews (43)

Wanted more from a "Soul Journey"
Gillian Welch is one of our most interesting songwriters and artists, whose career arc, so far, has been just about right (reminicent, in a way, of Bob Dylan's early career -- from solid roots imitation to something more personal, expanded and potentially exciting). But Welch's latest album, "Soul Journey," seems to be a minor detour, and not an entirely satisfying one.
True, her singing continues to be soulful and beautifully clear. And some of the songs are little gems, with the subtle progression in perspective and sensibility that gives her songwriting depth and accuracy. But, she takes few chances here and doesn't even attempt the lyric exploration that seemed to make her last album a harbinger of wonderful things to come. And almost as disheartening is the fact that the riveting and jazz-like instrumental (acoustic) interplay from "Time the Revelator" is almost entirely absent here. Maybe this is just a career rest stop. That's fine. But, please, next time -- more David Rawlings and more Gillian Welch.

The fourth stop on Welch's musical Journey!
There's something about Gillian Welch's music that is enough to make any listener believe that she is a walking anachronism. Her low, haunting vocals, combined with acoustic, traditionally styled songs create music that sounds as if it came right out of the era when the recordings of Jimmie Rodgers and the Carter Family gave birth to country music over seventy years ago. In short, from her lyrics to instrumentation to appearance, Welch seems decidedly out of place in a culture where the very mention of country music conjures up images of Faith Hill and a skankily clad Shania Twain. Despite the fact that she is one of the most underrated musicians in the music world, Welch, along with her musical partner David Rawlings, is apt at producing music that consistently wow her fan base.

Thus, it is no surprise that Soul Journey, Welch's fourth album, is no exception to this rule. The follow up to 2001's critically acclaimed Time (The Revelator), Welch once again delivers a collection of beautiful original songs sure to impress any listener of great folk music. While it fails to match the diversity and overall quality of Revelator, Soul Journey makes for a stunning album and excellent continuation of the style she has established over the last several years. Tracks such as the bluesy "Look At Miss Ohio" and "I Had A Real Good Mother and Father," with its soaring vocals as the prominent focus of the song, seem to echo the finest moments of Revival, Welch's debut album, while "One Little Song" and "Make Me A Pallet On Your Floor" conjure up thoughts of "Dear Someone" and "Everything Is Free" from her preceding release. While the album includes far more production (namely, the frequent use of drums) than her previous records, it does not overtake or drastically alter the sound, and in fact adds a folk/rock flavor to tracks such as "Wrecking Ball" (not to be confused with the title track of Emmylou Harris's 1995 album-this one is a Welch/Rawlings original).

While the entire album, from lyrics to arrangements to music, is the product of Welch and Rawlings' own creativity, the echoes of Welch's greatest musical influences cannot be hidden. Tracks such as "Lowlands" are reminiscent of songs by Neil Young and other musical geniuses of the early to mid-'70s and "Wayside" could easily be covered by Nanci Griffith with little differences between the two recordings. Most obviously, "No One Knows My Name" is strikingly Carter-esque, the tune even being an exact copy to the note of "Motherless Children," one of country music's first family's classic songs.

Whether one is a fan of traditional country, contemporary folk music, or beautifully crafted lyrics and songs, Soul Journey is a must for any CD collection. In the album's first track, Welch sings, "Oh, me oh my-oh-look at Miss Ohio." Look at Gillian Welch. This album, just like her previous three, is going to go far.

Definitely could have been a couple of songs shorter...
There's some great stuff on this CD. "Look at Miss Ohio," Wayside/Back in Time," "One Little Song," "Wrecking Ball" and "One Monkey" being among my favourites. There's a couple of songs, though, that just don't rise to Welch and Rawlings usual genius and you wish they'd held back until they came up with better ones. "I Had a Real Good Mother and Father" and "Make Me a Pallet on Your Floor" particularly just don't do anything for me. They're not bad, but they just don't go anywhere and ultimately detract from what could have been a really great CD. It's frustrating to listen to therefore as I find myself skipping past the ones I don't like.

My favourite Gillian Welch album yet
Simple, direct, beautiful songs, sound and production. I've always admired Gillian's music but this is the first album I've loved all the way through. Less melancholic than her others, it reminds me of when another melancholic artist, Townes van Zandt made what I think is his best album in the similarly direct and simple "At My Window". More please

Real talent keeps on changing
It's probably the sincerist, hippest tribute that Welch is now criticized by some of her duller (if definitely sincere) admirers for the crime having surprised them - it's *so* Bobbie Dylan in 1964...

In the meantime, Soul Journey sees Welch bring her trademark combination of angelic voice and hellish insight to an album that includes (oh the horror!) songs that sound like they were written after World War 2. ... Read more

Amazon.com

In an age when the old-timey soundtrack to O Brother, Where Art Thou? sells 5 million copies, it's hard to imagine how revolutionary Will the Circle Be Unbroken seemed upon its release 30 years ago. The triple album (now rereleased as a two-CD set) paired many of Nashville's venerable country and bluegrass performers (Roy Acuff, Mother Maybelle Carter, Earl Scruggs, Doc Watson, Merle Travis, Jimmy Martin, Vassar Clements) with the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, or as Acuff called them, "a bunch of long-haired West Coast boys." The idea seemed nearly as foreign as Martians setting down in Tennessee, but the Dirt Band were Colorado hippies steeped in the genre, so there was no disputing the authenticity of the music, or its earthy appeal. Aside from the sheer joy of the performances (listen to Jimmy Martin's "whoop" on "Sunny Side of the Mountain"), there's great fun in hearing Roy Acuff give the boys a lesson in doing a song right the first time (and using the word hell before launching into a religious number). And Mother Maybelle wafts through like a benevolent ghost, or at least a patron saint. One caveat: The boast of four previously unreleased tracks is balderdash, since three are really between-track conversations and rehearsals, and only "Foggy Mountain Breakdown" qualifies as a real song. But that's nitpicking. Buy it. Love it. Wallow in it. O brother, that's country music! --Alanna Nash ... Read more

Reviews (27)

you are there....
As Will the Circle Be Unbroken came together I was living the dream of a young picker: getting to play with the people who created the form of music I had grown to love and yearned to emulate. The story on how this came about is available, but the result is what counts here. It was one of the best experiences in my life, and captured a young band at its best, shining our spotlight at the time on our heroes. And boy, did they shine back.
Vassar set the benchmark for fiddlers to aspire to with his hot inspired approach.. Earl as always defined the 5 string banjo ... Roy sang great and his performances stand as some of his best work. Travis and his songs bring you in to a different branch of the country folk world with his genius guitar style matched by his wise words written from his Kentucky background. Doc shares with everyone his joy of hot music, and makes everyone feel at home. (The first time meeting between Doc and Merle helped us out, as when we saw it happening we realized we were in a group of great people who were all truly fans of each other as much as we were of them.) Jimmy Martin demonstrated to us between cuts that he knew what his music should sound like, and cordially let us in on the secrets. He is one of the best bluegrass/country singers, and here shows why that is said. Maybelle was like an angel and, never realizing her impact on music in general, just wanted to do her songs in a way that would 'please everyone... the more the merrier.. ' She would laid down the spirit of the whole project . This was not something she could teach, but from her we learned.

This is a great album, and I say this not because I am a part of it. I do not listen to a lot of albums. I rarely listen to other Dirt Band music, although I like it. And, I play it live. But, after I remastered this from the original masters, and having heard it over the years, it seems like I would have had enough. I have listened to this probably 50 times since remastering, and look forward to the next flight where I can take a trip back to a time that was in a space where we all are frozen in the moment.

Circle represents much of the best of American music, songs, picking, singing, writing... and still draws me to it. I am sure anyone who likes acoustic music of the Americana type will find themselves drawn to it also. Circle becomes a welcome part of your life.
Thanks to the 96/24 mastering, it sounds better than ever, too.

The new pieces I put in are all equally important to me. I am proud that the Washington Post's great review mistakenly said Earl played Foggy Mt. Breakdown. The talking cuts showcase Jimmy Martin and his way of getting to the point, and gives us further insight to the true bluegrass great: funny, natural, strange.. and a definite opinion of exactly where he wants his music. And he is right.

The piece around Sunny Side is there to show all who have asked over the years "what was it like?" It captures the true spontaneity of the sessions; the constant chatter of all the players, uncertain of who was going to play where, how it starts, if one should wear picks or not... and it all of a sudden blends in to the start of such a touching piece of great music that now obviously comes from real people who are creating it from the heart.

The perfect closing song for this remastered work I found in the hours of the constant running tape, the bit of song where Doc asks us to "Remember Me when the twilight begins to fall.." and seems to speak for everyone. As I sat in the control room on the third day of running the tapes I said to the engineer "I hope today we come across the perfect closer for this" and it was the next piece of music.

So here it is - this journey back in time we were so very fortunate to make and be a part of - Will the Circle Be Unbroken in time I believe we will find to be as well known in American culture as has Wizard of Oz, Dark Side of the Moon, The Music Man, Citizen Kane, The Tonight Show, The Grand Ole Opry, and ...

A Bluegrass work of art!
In 1971, the boys of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band got together with some of the all-time greats of Country music (including Earl Scruggs, Mother Maybelle Carter, Merle Travis, Roy Acuff and others), and produced a three record album that was one of the greatest Bluegrass Country music albums ever made. Some thirty years later, this album has been re-released on two CDs, with four bonus tracks (three are dialogue and the other is the Bluegrass classic, Foggy Mountain Breakdown).

This is a great CD collection. The music is absolutely wonderful to listen to, a real work of art, sure to be enjoyed by any Bluegrass fan. Though the title might suggest that this is a collection of religious songs, in fact only a few are overtly religious, while most are simply Bluegrass tunes played by real experts. I loved listening to this album, and highly recommend it to you!

The Circle Will Never Be Broken
Before there was "O Brother, Where Art Thou," there was "Will the Circle Be Unbroken," the time the masters taught the long-haired boys how to make music. Now 30 years after its original release we have this marvelous album remastered for CD. Like wine and friends, these songs just get better with age. The great country/bluegrass musicians are all here-- Maybelle Carter, Doc Watson, Roy Acuff, Jimmy Martin, Earl Scruggs et al. I had forgotten that wonderful improvizational feel of this live album. If you close your eyes, these musicians appear to be "pickin" and "sangin" in your living room. The original album closed with a beautiful guitar solo by Randy Scruggs of Joni Mitchell's "Both Side Now." I'm not sure much is gained in this version by adding the four previously unreleased tracks. The producers should have left well enough alone. With that minor gripe, I know of no better country music CD than this one. It ought to be placed into a time capsule for future generations.

Just bought my third copy!
I loved this album when it came out, and it's one of the few recordings from that period in my life that I still listen to as Good Music, not just an exercise in nostalgia. Growing up in San Jose, CA, 50-plus years ago, I cut my teeth on this music (my father moonlighted as a drummer in a country-western band), so the album made me feel right at home. But the quality of the performances is outstanding, the give-and-take between the musicians is fun to listen to, and the warmth and rapport in the studio comes through on every track. (I'm especially fond of "Soldier's Joy," which makes "Dueling Banjos" sound like a pallid imitation, but there literally isn't a single bad track on the whole album.) I wore out copies on 8-track tape and vinyl, so I'm delighted that a new, remastered version is now available on CD. (Note: Two versions are available, a CD/DVD combo including live studio action, and a 2-CD set with just music. The latter, which I bought, includes four previously unpublished bonus tracks, mostly conversations between the musicians, but John McEuen's breakneck rendition of "Foggy Mountain Breakdown" is pretty impressive.)

perfect
This album is as good as it gets for more reasons than I care to iterate. If you care at all for classic blue grass performed at an unsurpassed level of perfection, get it. ... Read more