Emmylou Harris- Ballad of Sally Rose

Ballad of Sally Rose

This is an interesting album from Emmylou Harris. Released in 1985, it stands as one of her best. Avid fans will want to get their hands on this cd, it's pretty rare to find but worth the search! This is the first album in her career where she wrote or co-wrote all of the songs, something she is more inclined to do on her newer albums. She is an excellent songwriter in my opinion. The album works as a concept album, telling a story of a girl from a small town who gets taken under the wing of singer that takes her (and her angelic voice) out on the road. Which is sort of like what happened with her and Gram Parsons. To get the story of the album though you need to read the liner notes. She truly shines on the slower ballads such as "Diamond in My Crown" and the closer "Sweet Chariot." Not an essential album for casual fans, but the hardcore Harris fans will either already have this, or be looking for it.



Emmylou Harris- Cimarron

Cimarron

 

A lot of people are lamenting the sorry state of country music today, with it making more and more concessions to popular tastes. While I admit to being one of those naysayers, I go for country music that takes risks, but still has enough twang to truly be called country. And sure enough, Emmylou Harris can best be called one of the first country artists to venture outside the confines of the genre, and still be accepted as one of country's own. A protege of the legendary country-rock godfather Gram Parsons, Emmylou has been bringing her distinctive style to just about every song from country to folk to straightahead rock. Thanks to that, some of the most unlikely songs have become country standards in spite of their non-country pedigrees. By 1981's CIMARRON, Emmylou had been making music for well over a decade (although her first album PIECES OF THE SKY was released in 1975). As a hitmaker, her days were coming to an end, but as an innovator, she hadn't yet begun to quit. Emmylou can take even the most well-worn country standards, and make them sound as if they were written yesterday like that old warhorse "Tennessee Waltz", a short 2:30 song in an album filled with numerous 4-minute tunes (which is near-epic-length for country music). I'm sure every country singer worth their salt has attempted "Tennesee Waltz" at one time or another, but Emmylou does what she has done numerous times before, making it sound like it was written for her all along. Other country greats given a new lease on life by Emmylou include "The Last Cheater's Waltz" (originally a hit for T.G. Sheppard), which is a much longer version so as to showcase the excellent musicianship of her band, "Son Of A Rotten Gambler" (written by Chip Taylor, who also penned such disparate ditties as "Wild Thing" and "Angel Of The Morning"), and the traditional "Spanish Is A Loving Tongue". But to prove that Emmylou was more risk-taking than her fellow country-ites, CIMARRON has its share of more modern, contemporary numbers. "Rose Of Cimarron" was originally a hit song for the country-rock band Poco; "If I Needed You" (a duet with country great Don Williams) was written by legendary folk singer-songwriter Townes Van Zandt; "The Price You Pay" originally appeared on Bruce Springsteen's double album THE RIVER (1980). All of these are given enough country sound to make one forget the fact they were written by people far from the country radar as possible. The other songs on CIMARRON were probably written especially for the album: "Another Lonely Morning" is a great song just looking for someone to cover it (even if it may not be better than Emmylou's); "Born To Run" (NOT the Bruce Springsteen classic) was written by Paul Kennerley, who would later become Emmylou's third husband; "Tennessee Rose" was written by Emmylou band member Hank DeVito. With all those wonderful songs, CIMARRON was a wonderful album already, but because it has been released on CD for the very first time, the deal is made even sweeter with the inclusion of a rare song called "Colors Of Your Heart", written by former Emmylou bandmate Rodney Crowell. While he had long went solo from her, this song proves why Crowell is one of Emmylou's favorite songwriters, and also a fellow "modern traditionalist" like her. After CIMARRON would come the live album LAST DATE, which was unique in the fact that it contained songs Emmylou had not yet recorded in the studio. Unfortunately, that would be her last truly successful album on the charts. But that allowed Emmylou to experiment even more with her music, resulting in such uncategorizable masterpieces like WRECKING BALL (1995) and RED DIRT GIRL (2000). For those who were introduced to Emmylou Harris courtesy of those classics, earlier albums like CIMARRON will help show that she's had it in her for more than 3 decades, and hopefully, is not thinking of slowing down any time soon.



Emmylou Harris-Old Yellow Moon

Old Yellow Moon

Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell are perfect duet partmers. Each song communicates a different aspect of human emotion. My two favorite songs are "Hanging Up My Heart" and "Open Season On My Heart". The first song is a rather pleasant country song about being heart broken. It features great steel guitar playing. "Open Season On My Heart" is also about feeling heart broken, but the tone is much slower and sad. I can feel the pain in Rodney Crowell's voice on this song. I love the song."Black Caffeine". It is a bluesy country song. I can relate to the lyrics because of my personal addiction to caffeine in all forms. "Bull Rider" is a song about taking life by the horns and hanging on for the ride. I love the fiddle playing on this track. "Spanish Dancer" is not a country song. This song was written by Patti Scialfa. She is known for writing rock and pop songs. The musical arrangements with the accordion and acoustic guitar make this song definitely country though. This song is about falling in love with a male Spanish dancer. Emmy Lou sings about being smitten by this man's charms so well on this song. "Bluebird Wine" is a song that spark my interest simply because I did not know that such a drink existed. This song makes me want to drink some. Maybe I can be happy like Rodney Crowell after drinking some bluebird wine. "Back When We Were Beautiful" and "Old Yellow Moon" are two songs that touch my heart. "Old Yellow Moon" is a superb duet album.

Emmylou Harris-Quarter Moon in a 10 cent town

Quarter Moon in a 10 cent town

This album has much to recommend it and has a similar country rock styling to Emmylou's previous album, Luxury liner. It features three of her own country hits and two other songs that were major country hits for others soon afterwards.

Two more bottles of wine was originally written and recorded by Delbert McClinton, but the song remained obscure for a couple of years. Emmylou made the song her own and topped the country charts with it. In the nineties, Martina McBride covered it and included it on her Wild angels album.

To Daddy was written and recorded by Dolly Parton but plans to release it were dropped when Dolly heard Emmylou's rendition of the song. Dolly's original version is brilliant - it eventually appeared on the compilation Essential volume 1 I will always love you - but despite her exuberance, Dolly is very modest about her own talents and it is entirely in character that she withheld her own version to allow Emmylou to have the first publicly available version of the song. It was another huge country hit for Emmylou, peaking at number three.

Easy from now on, the excellent ballad that opens the set, was another single released from the album, just failing to make the country top ten. Carlene Carter later revived it by including it on her album, I fell in love, one of my favorite albums of all time.

Leaving Louisiana in the broad daylight (a huge country hit for the Oak ridge boys) and I ain't living long like this (a huge country hit for Waylon Jennings) are both outstanding up-tempo songs that could have been Emmylou's own hits - she recorded them first - but you can only release so many singles from an album as a single and it is a tribute to the strength of this album that others could have hits with covers of her album tracks.

Among the other tracks are two excellent Jesse Winchester songs (Defying gravity and My songbird), while Willie Nelson puts in an appearance on One paper kid. Two other excellent songs, Green rolling hills and Burn that candle, round off this masterpiece.

Emmylou Harris-Evangeline

Evangeline

For whatever reason, there has been a delay in releasing a digital version of this album that I have owned in both vinyl and cassette formats. Fortunately, it is available now for both longtime Emmylou fans and newbies who have learned to appreciate her through her recent Alternative/Americana releases. Originally released to mixed reviews, the album as a whole has held up well and is worthy of inclusion in Emmylou's catalog of quality music, with her voice in fine form while continuing to push the boundaries of conventional (at the time) country music. Worth noting: "Spanish Johnny" has backing vocals by Waylon Jennings, "Hot Burrito #2" was written by her mentor Gram Parsons, "Mister Sandman" contains all vocal overdubs by Emmylou herself, and "Evangeline" was, allegedly, the impetus towards the Trio album, as both were recorded with Dolly Parton and Linda Ronstadt singing harmony. Oh, and "I Don't Have To Crawl" actually had a video that played on cable's WTBS Night Tracks, for those of us old enough to remember those early basic cable days. A classy good album by a classy artist.

Emmylou Harris-Spyboy

Spyboy

This is an astonishing album -- not only does it capture the essence of who Emmylou Harris is (as a singer and songwriter), but it showcases her wonderfully as a live performer. Spyboy is a brilliant title for this live CD. The spyboy is the young lad who leads off the Mardis Gras parade, which is a great metaphor for Harris' career. She has always been at the forefront of defining and redefining the confluence of country, rock, and folk music.

Here, she and her band beautifully reinterpret songs that she has made into classics. My Songbird, a Jesse Winchester gem, is delivered in classic Harris style -- aching, plaintive, and with an air of resignation. It doesn't matter that the song is written in the first person and spoken by a man. This is a haunting and painful song about separation that only Harris could deliver so sweetly.

This theme of pain, separation, and moving on permeates this recording, and is exemplified by such songs as Daniel Lanois' Where Will I Be, the traditional Green Pastures, and her own composition about Gram Parsons, Boulder to Birmingham. But this is not sappy sentimental country-folk-rock. Instead, it is intelligent music making in the same way that is true of other performers such as Richard and Linda Thompson, Mary Black, or Mary Chapin Carpenter.

The aura cast by the musicians is somewhat ethereal, being clearly influenced by Daniel Lanois, long-time producer of U2's recordings, and of Bob Dylan's Oh Mercy. Lanois' influence on Harris is most pronounced in her Wrecking Ball recording, a style that overflows into this live concert. In fact, Harris sings two Lanois compositions, in addition to Deeper Well (a song I have yet to appreciate), which they co-wrote. I have to admit that I'm getting a little tired of the Lanois style (he's also produced a recent Willie Nelson recording), however, there's no denying his success. My other pet peave is that any recording that Lanois produces includes one or two of his songs. He seems great at marketing himself and his production style. Mercifully, a performer like Harris is so transcendental that one doesn't notice such seeming trivialities. Rather, this (or any other Harris recording) is an experience not to be missed.

EmmyLou Harris

Emmylou Harris

Emmylou Harris (born April 2, 1947 in Birmingham, Alabama) is an American singer-songwriter and musician. She has released many chart-topping albums and singles over the course of her career, and has won 12 Grammys and numerous other awards.

In addition to her work as a solo artist and bandleader, both as an interpreter of other composers' works and as a singer-songwriter, she is a sought-after backing vocalist and duet partner, working with numerous other artists including Gram Parsons, Linda Ronstadt, Dolly Parton, Roy Orbison, The Band, Mark Knopfler, Guy Clark, Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan, Rodney Crowell, Little Feat, and Neil Young.

 One night in 1971, members of the country rock group The Flying Burrito Brothers happened to be in the audience. Former Byrds member Chris Hillman, who had taken over the band after the departure of its founder Gram Parsons, was so impressed by Harris that he briefly considered asking her to join the band. Instead, Hillman ended up recommending her to Parsons, who was looking for a female vocalist to work with on his first solo album, GP. Harris toured as a member of Parsons' band, The Fallen Angels, in 1973, and the two of them shone during vocal harmonies and duets. Harris was quite pleased, and invested a lot emotionally in their relationship. Later that year, Parsons and Harris worked on a studio album, Grievous Angel. Parsons died in his motel room near what is now Joshua Tree National Park on September 19, 1973 from an accidental overdose of drugs and alcohol. Parsons's Grievous Angel was released posthumously in 1974, and three more tracks from his last sessions with Harris were included on another posthumous Parsons album, Sleepless Nights, in 1976. There was one more album of recorded material from that period of time that was packaged with the name, Live 1973, but was not released until 1982.

Already celebrated as a discoverer and interpreter of other artists’ songs, 12-time Grammy Award winner Emmylou Harris has, in the last decade, gained admiration as much for her eloquently straightforward songwriting as for her incomparably expressive singing. On Hard Bargain, her third Nonesuch disc, she offers 11 original songs—three of them co-written with Grammy– and Oscar–winning composer Will Jennings—that touch on the autobiographical while reaching for the universal. She recalls the storied time she spent with her mentor Gram Parsons (“The Road”) and composes a sweet remembrance of the late singer-songwriter Kate McGarrigle (“Darlin’ Kate”) and the time they spent together, right up to the end. Harris locates poignancy and fresh meaning in events both historical and personal. On “My Name Is Emmett Till” she recounts a violent, headline-making story from the civil rights era in a heartbreakingly plain-spoken narrative, told from the murdered victim’s perspective; on “Goodnight Old World,” she fashions a bittersweet lullaby to her newly born grandchild, contrasting a grown-up’s world-weariness with a baby’s wide-eyed wonder. “Big Black Dog,” with its loping canine-like rhythms, is also a true tale, about a black lab mix named Bella. Harris, who runs a dog shelter called Bonaparte’s Retreat on her property, rescued Bella from the Nashville Metro pound and provided an especially happy ending to her story: “She goes on the tour bus with me now, along with another one of my rescues. I think of all the years on the road I wasted without a dog. They make it so much more pleasant. I’m making up for lost time now, that’s for sure.”

www.emmylouharris.com

Emmylou Harris- Roses in the Snow

Roses in the snow

In 1980 "country" music was going the way of "Lookin' for Love in All the Wrong Places" and "9 to 5". The old "country" sound of the 1960s and 1970s was giving way to a new "country" sound that would eventually produce Garth Brooks and ultimately make "country" the dominant music genre in the United States.

Emmylou Harris did not follow this trend, in fact she seems to have fled from it. In 1980 she and the band left the electric guitars at home and recorded an absolutely gorgeous acoustic country/bluegrass album. The road less travelled bore far more fruit than expected in this case. From the first ripping fiddle notes that open the title track the album takes you in with its sound, atmosphere and beauty. I first heard this album in headphones (I was at work and needed to filter out the usual nonsense going on around me), and was simply dumbstruck. Being relatively new to "country music" (I hate categorizing music) I wondered what I had been missing all these years. Now I know.

This album owes as much to folk and bluegrass as it does to country. Its sound is significantly different from Harris' previous album "Blue Kentucky Girl" which tends toward electrified country. The themes are sometimes heartbreakingly sorrowful ("Wayfaring Stranger", "You're Learning", "Miss the Mississippi and You"), sometimes religious ("Green Pastures", "Jordan"), sometimes hopeful ("The Darkest Hour is Just Before Dawn"). It is also easy to be skeptical about "country" covers of "rock" songs, so I was pleasantly surprised at the version of "The Boxer" which complements the other songs incredibly well. There are no duds on this album, only great and greater songs.

The CD booklet contains in-depth information on the making of the album, and it's place in the "country" genre of the time. We can all be happy that Emmylou Harris is not a follower.

Emmylou Harris-Pieces of the Sky

Pieces of the sky

There was a unique sound that hit the ground running here, with a perfect album in which every song was a solid winner.

This isn't today's "alt-country", and indeed it may well be more country than some of Emmylou's 21st-century fans are comfortable with. Back in the day, the hippie sorts had nothing to do with official country music, and the official world of country music would have nothing to do with Emmylou. She was nowhere near to moving to Nashville yet, and was played on the same FM stations that played rock music. Her music was a continuation of music we then put in the country-rock genre, which was considered every bit as cool as any other sort of rock in the early 70's. In a rock historian's book, maybe the driving force was Gram Parsons joining the Byrds and helping create their "Sweetheart of the Rodeo" album. But out in the real world, no one had heard of Gram Parsons, was unlikely to have heard more than a song or two from that album, and what brought country-rock into our worlds were later incarnations of the Byrds, Bob Dylan doing "Nashville Skyline", and lesser bands like New Riders of the Purple Sage or Commander Cody. Those are the sounds that primed us for the far more enduring music of Emmylou Harris.

Without denying Gram Parsons his due, he is known today largely because of the work Emmylou Harris started so brilliantly here. Some have said below that her covers of other people's songs were often superior to the originals, and I agree. I'll go a step farther and say that it's her covers of music that Parsons wrote or loved that not only put it on the map, but that made it sound good enough for it to acquire what eventually became a huge audience. I don't think that detracts from his talents, but it speaks to the beauty of her voice and the arrangements and production on this album and those that followed.

Listening to this CD, it is striking how country it is, and hard to remember how easily they accepted this music in the rock world way back when. It's nearly as hard to imagine why her work wasn't accepted at the time by the country audience. And nowadays, when her voice is an entirely different sort of instrument, it's impossible to imagine why reviewers at the time thought her voice wasn't strong enough for a solo artist, and that she was better suited to being a backup singer. Though I was a huge fan, I felt there was some truth to the criticisms, and what drew me in were her soft, unspeakably sweet, angelic interpretations of slower songs. Tastes were just so different then. Compared to all the lovely and popular, but much-weaker, girlish voices of today's alt-country world, the Emmylou of the 70's belted songs out with a voice whose strength I had nearly forgotten. It is stunning to listen to today, after years of spending much more time with Wrecking Ball. Emmylou really rocked country long before "crossover" was invented.

This is probably an essential Emmylou album for anyone who is a fan of her 70's and 80's work. If you're browsing because you have a love affair with Wrecking Ball or later work, this may not be your cup of tea. To those of us who were there, this is the voice we loved doing the music we loved, and represents Emmylou at her peak - or, rather, one of her many peaks.

Emmylou Harris-Cimarron

Cimarron

Thank goodness and thanks to Eminent Records for having the intelligence to release this outstanding Emmylou Harris album on CD. CIMARRON is one of my favorite Emmylou Harris albums, and it isn't had to understand why each time I listen to these ten magnificent songs. Emmylou Harris' vocals are exceptional, as usual. The packaging on this reissue is superb: excellent linear notes, lyrics, and quotes from Hot Band members. The music is what makes CIMARRON exceptional. The guitar intro to "Rose Of Cimarron" starts the album off with spirit, it's a remarkable interpretation of the Poco hit. The traditional "Spanish Is A Loving Tongue" is gorgeous. Emmylou and Don Williams are perfect vocal partners on "If I Needed You". These marvelous duet was a #3 hit. "Another Lonesome Morning" is one of my favorites on this album. "The Last Cheater's Waltz" is brilliant. "Born To Run" the first Paul Kennerley song on one of Harris' regular albums (Kennerley would contribute many songs to her albums later, as well as co-write THE BALLAD OF SALLY ROSE with Harris). She would also cover many Bruce Springsteen songs in the future, but "The Price You Pay" was the awesome first. Chip Taylor, who also penned "Wild Thing" and "Angel Of The Morning", wrote about Emmylou Harris' cover of "Son Of A Rotten Gambler". It's a fabulous version. Harris brings new life to the classic "Tennessee Waltz". Former Hot Band member Hank DeVito co-wrote "Tennessee Rose", the albums outstanding closing song, a #9 hit. The Crowell penned bonus track "Colors Of Your Heart" is excellent. CIMARRON was a Grammy-nominated album, and was a high-charting release for over 42 weeks. It represents how Emmylou Harris is an extraordinary artist, lightyears ahead of the rest of the music business in talent, creativity, and intelligence. Be sure to check out the equally outstanding reissue of the classic LAST DATE. Hopefully Eminent will also apply their terrific reissue format to EVANGELINE and THIRTEEN, to give those incredible releases a CD hearing.

Emmylou Harris, Linda Ronstadt- Western Wall

Western Wall, the Tucson Sessions

Being a longtime Linda Ronstadt fan, as well as a very devoted Emmylou Harris fan, I anxiously awaited this CD from the time I heard it was being done. When I heard of all the wonderful songwriters contributing to the CD, I was even more excited. Now, after four listens, I am ready to make a few comments but let me first say, I love the CD. The choice of songs is interesting and intelligent and I don't care if there's not a top-40 song on it. I like it and would guess other like-minded people will enjoy it as well. Unlike the recent Trio II CD where my favorite cuts were where Emmylou sang lead, there are several cuts where she sings harmony that I like just as well. Probably my favorite cut is RAISE THE DEAD where Emmylou's vocals are particularly strong. FOR A DANCER (written by Jackson Browne) is fabulous. I'm so glad to hear Linda's voice hasn't diminished in all these years and am also glad to see them recording a song of her old buddy Browne.

LOVING THE HIGHWAY MAN, the first cut on the CD, isn't my favorite but perhaps just because I have to turn down the volume about 20 second into the song! It was interesting to note Emmylou's ex-husband, Paul Kennerley on back-up vocals. And note he actually wrote HE WAS MINE, another great cut with lead vocals by Linda.

The title track, WESTERN WALL, a composition by the talented Rosanne Cash is very nicely done with Linda and Emmylou alternating on lead vocals.

1917 is an interesting song by a songwriter I'm not very familiar with, Paul Olney. I note he has also penned other songs covered by Emmylou and this is an interesting arrangement with a Spanish flair, even though the lyrics allude to a French theme. I would be interested in knowing the background of this hauntingly beautiful song.

SWEET SPOT initially was my least favorite cut off the CD, but even that's growing on me the more I listen. FALLING DOWN is another one I don't care much for -- more the arrangement and the background music overtaking the vocals. Much more likely to appeal to my teenagers than myself, I'm afraid.

Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Springsteen's songwriting skills add a depth to the CD with Patti's VALERIE and The Boss' ACROSS THE BORDER. Both are a welcome addition to the CD.

SISTERS OF MERCY shows the genuis of Leonard Cohen but I'm not that excited about the arrangement. Perhaps this will grow on me as well - I'd like it too.

Sinead O'Connor is an underestimated talent. Her songwriting skills are quite apparent in THIS IS TO MOTHER YOU. What a beautiful song. Another favorite.

ALL I LEFT BEHIND is one of the highlights of the CD. Written by Emmylou along with Kate and Anna McGarrigle with leads by Emmylou and harmony by Linda as wellas Kate and Anna, it reminds me of early Emmylou, and I couldn't be happier to hear something like this on the CD.

All in all, an outstanding CD ( did I ever have any doubt about this?).

Emmylou Harris-Luxury Liner

Luxury Liner

This still gets as much play as any recording in my collection because it simply is a timeless set of American music by an ensemble of rising young stars who were on fire with creativity. Luxury Liner was the vehicle that allowed Emmylou Harris and the Hot Band to show the world the amazing complexity -- and greatness of their musical soul. Harris, Lee, Skaggs, Crowell, DeVito, et. al. -- Man, what a crew!

The album itself doesn't have a weak track. But obviously I like some tunes more than others. Here are my personal favorites: Track one, side one, the title track -- and immediately you get hit upside the head with Harris' vocals and Albert Lee's incredible Telecaster licks. I remember reading where Joe Walsh called Lee's playing on this tune "incomprehensible." As in really, really hard to try and duplicate. Try James Burton on speed, playing flawlessly and maybe you might come close to Albert Lee's work on Luxury Liner. The next tune, "Pancho and Lefty," features Emmy's haunting vocals, that give this great song just the right treatment. No other recorded version even comes close to this performance. It's one of the all time great country tunes and it very well might make you cry. When I Stop Dreaming, You're Supposed to be Feeling Good (another highlight tune), and I'll be Your San Antonio Rose round out the first side.

Side two starts out with the Chuck Berry opus, C'est la Vie (You Never Can Tell). It's a rollicking, fun tune that is probably better than Berry's original. Harris vocals are sassy and strong, and the band rocks the tune just right. The next tunes are Making Believe and Hello Stranger, followed by Rodney Crowell's, She, that just might be the sleeper tune on the entire album. It's a ballad, and simply a great performance by Ms. Harris, who paints beautiful word pictures with Crowell's lyrics. The Hot Band provides a spare, tastefully beautiful backing. In point of fact, one of the real strong points on the album is Emmylou Harris credibility with a song. She makes you believe the tunes are autobiographical -- the hallmark of a great vocalist. The album closes with Tulsa Queen -- another haunting tune that for some reason or other always brings to mind hot summer nights at lonely train stations somwhere out on the High Plains. I usually listen to this tune several times because of that lonesome quality that this tune brings out. More great work here from the Hot Band. But what can I say? This was one great group of musicians!

This CD should be owned by any serious collector of American music. It was great when it came out -- it featured some outstanding young musicians who all went on to become stars in their own right -- and it really moved Emmylou Harris into the forefront of country/rock artists. The album came out in the late/mid-seventies -- a period that I call the "cosmic cowboy" era that had alot of movement in country music toward a more rootsy, hip sound. There were alot of young artists, Like Gram Parsons, Chris Hillman and the Flying Burrito Brothers -- combined with the older rebels, like Willie Nelson, Jerry Jeff Walker,and Waylon Jennings that were putting out music that was the antithesis of the more lush Nashville "countrypolitan" sound that was dominating country music top-40 in the 70s. Emmylou Harris and the Hot Band were kind of at the vanguard of this movement, and Luxury Liner stands out as one of the great pieces of work of this period.

I think that when people look back on Harris' career, they'll look to Luxury Liner as her breakout album that demonstrated most emphatically that Emmylou Harris was/is an important artist of great depth.

Emmylou Harris-Red Dirt Girl

Red Dirt Girl

It's unfortunate that this is going to get stuck in the country section of the music store, because like it's predecesor "Wrecking Ball" (one of the few undisputed GREAT albums of the 90s), Emmy's new music is beyond any classifications. Is it rock? Is it folk? Is it tribal? Is it country? None of the above, but all at once, really.After flexing her songwriting muscles again with "The Western Wall" album with Linda Ronstadt (a skill which had more or less remained dormant for over a decade), Emmylou manages to come up with 11 new songs of her own for this release, and they don't pale beside the great tunes she recorded on "Wrecking Ball." In fact, it makes it even more poignant that these words are coming FROM her rather than just THROUGH her like last time around, and on previous 90s outings.
While Daniel Lanois provided a rejuvenation in Emmylou's creativity, he's absent her -- stuck somewhere in the studio with U2 far far away, a band that takes a notoriously long time to finish an album. His "Wrecking Ball" partner in crime, Malcolm Burn, takes over instead -- and pushes the sound they were going for last time even further. And while some complain that the Lanois sound is muddy or difficult to wade through, I say "Too bad for you!" Lanois has coaxed some of the best work out of artists as wide ranging as Peter Gabriel, Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan, U2, the Neville Brothers, Robbie Robertson and many others.
Burn, who participated on many of those artists albums, had a few of his own tricks as well. He seems to have learned quite a few things from Lanois and the latter's sometimes-partner Brian Eno. "Bang the Drum Slowly" features a beautiful Eno-esque soundscape. "I Don't Want to Talk About it Now" is a mean wall-of-sound groove featuring looping polyrythms and telephone answering machines. Background vocals from Kate McGarrigle, Julie Miller, Bruce Springsteen and others are layered into the mix to make everything blend together into a harmonious blend rather than isolated parts. The results are magnificent.
The playing of Daryl Johnson, Ethan Johns and Burns is magnificent, and accents from Buddy Miller and others only add to a rich mix.
While she might not be selling millions of records any more, I'm glad Emmylou Harris is being brave enough to make the music she wants to make, regardless of commercial appeal.

Wrecking Ball- Emmylou Harris

Wrecking Ball

The main thing that has always been interesting about Emmylou Harris is her choice of material. She has written and co-written some good songs ("Boulder To Birmingham", for example), but succeeds primarily as an interpreter. This album can be singled out not only for its interpretive qualities, but for the incredible atmosphere created by producer Daniel Lanois. The recording has a similar dark, introspective ambience familiar from Lanois' work with Bob Dylan, and it works wonderfully with these songs.

There are no weak track on the disc. High quality songs by Neil Young and Bob Dylan ("Every Grain of Sand") are here along with lesser known gems by Lucinda Williams ("Sweet Old World") and Steve Earle ("Goodbye"). However, for this listener, the songs penned by Lanois himself are the real high points. All three are unforgettable. "Deeper Well", a collaboration with Harris, will haunt the listener long after a single hearing. These songs are nothing short of brilliant and deserve to be known by all interested in any kind of contemporary music.

Many of the songwriters featured on this recording participate in the performances as well (Dylan, is of course absent, but it is hard to imagine his song being any better than it is here).

An indispensible CD.

Emmylou Harris- Hard Bargain

Hard Bargain is Emmylou Harris' first release in almost 3 years and it was worth the wait! Her vocals are smooth as honey and hugely emotive and her voice still has that irresistible frail breathlessness. The songs are well written with meaningful lyrics and the music, as always, is beautiful and intuitive. It's hard to believe there are only 3 musicians, including Harris, making all the music. Long, weeping fiddle notes and chunky, contemplative piano chords are balanced only by the occasional tentative brightness of a banjo or mandolin. The percussion is distant, if there at all, but always clever. "Darlin' Kate" is about her close friend Kate McGarrigle who died last year of cancer. "The Road" looks back to her formative years spent with the late Gram Parsons at the start of her career. "Big Black Dog" is inspired by her animal shelter philanthropy and is the only almost-happy song on the album. "My name is Emmett Till is the true story of a 14 year old black boy killed in Mississippi for talking to a white woman. Overall the strength and sincerity of Harris' songs make this just another reason to love and respect her.