Nanci Griffith | ||
| Allmusic Biography : Straddling the fine line between folk and country music, Nanci Griffith has become as well-known for her brilliant, confessional songwriting as her beautiful voice. A self-styled "folkabilly" singer, Griffith began as a kindergarten teacher and occasional folksinger. The country scene took her to heart in the mid-80s, giving her a reputation as a quality songwriter through hit covers of Griffiths songs by Kathy Mattea and Suzy Bogguss. Finding no luck with commercial country radio however, Griffith recorded several pop-oriented albums and then returned to her folk roots by the mid-90s. Griffith was the daughter of musical parents, and she spent her childhood involved with theater and literature as well as music. She began playing clubs around Austin at the tender age of 14 and continued to perform during her college years at the University of Texas, as well as during her stint as a kindergarten teacher in the mid-70s. Griffith finally decided to make music her full-time ambition in 1977. Her songwriting won an award at the Kerrville Folk Festival, prompting the local label BF Deal to record Griffith for a compilation; they also issued her debut album, Theres a Light Beyond These Woods (1978). Griffiths hectic touring schedule took her all over North America, where she played festivals and TV shows in addition to the small clubs that had launched her career. Meanwhile, she recorded albums in 1982 (Poet in My Window) and 1985 (Once in a Very Blue Moon). In 1986, Griffith finally got her big break after moving to Nashville, and a flurry of activity followed. The title song from Once in a Very Blue Moon fared modestly on the country charts, Last of the True Believers was released on the Philo label (which later reissued her first three albums as well) to noticeable acclaim, and -- most importantly -- Matteas cover of "Love at the Five & Dime" reached number three on the country charts. Though Last of the True Believers was nominated for a Grammy Award as Best Contemporary Folk Recording, commercial country radio still found it difficult to accept Griffith. Griffith signed with MCA and released her major-label debut, Lone Star State of Mind, in 1987. With it, she popularized the Julie Gold song "From a Distance" -- later covered by Bette Midler -- and scored her first country Top 40 hit with the albums title track. Two additional singles, "Trouble in the Fields" and "Cold Hearts/Closed Minds," also grazed the country charts. Little Love Affairs and the live album One Fair Summer Evening (both released in 1988) were slight disappointments, though "I Knew Love" became Griffiths second country Top 40 hit. Disappointed by a lack of support from the country music scene, Griffith moved from Nashville to MCAs "pop" division in Los Angeles, where she partnered with noted rock producer Glyn Johns for 1989s Storms. The album included guest stars Phil Everly, Albert Lee, and former Eagle Bernie Leadon. Moreover, it became her best-selling work to date, though it featured no successful singles. A move from rock music to pop characterized 1991s Late Night Grande Hotel, whose transitional sound was aided by producers Rod Argent and Peter Van Hook. By this point, it had become clear that Griffiths move away from Nashville was also compromising her folk and country roots. A move to Elektra in 1992 marked a return to form for Griffith, whose 1993 LP Other Voices, Other Rooms was a tribute to her influences (several of whom -- including Emmylou Harris, Chet Atkins, and John Prine -- made appearances). A compilation of her best work from the MCA years also appeared in 1993. The following year, Griffiths tenth studio album, Flyer, continued her dedication to folk. In March of 1997, Griffith released Blue Roses from the Moons; Other Voices, Too (A Trip Back to Bountiful) followed a year later, trailed in 1999 by Dust Bowl Symphony. Griffith traveled the world over the next few years, flying to Cambodia and Vietnam in 2000 in order to retrace the steps of her ex-husband, Vietnam War vet Eric Taylor, and visited Angola and Kosovo the following year. After four years of travel and activist work for organizations like the Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation, Griffith released a new full-length, Clock Without Hands. A live album, Winter Marquee, followed in 2002, along with a dual-disc retrospective piece, The Complete MCA Studio Recordings. The following year was a landmark for Griffith, as she performed at the Grand Ole Opry for the very first time in 2003. With thoughts of war weighing heavy on her mind, however, she returned to the recording studio shortly thereafter to create Hearts in Mind, which was released the following year. Rubys Torch, a collection of sentimental torch songs penned by the likes of Tom Waits, arrived in 2006. While only two of Griffiths own songs appeared on the album, she wrote the bulk of the material for her follow-up effort, 2009s The Loving Kind. Griffith cut 2012s Intersection at her home studio in Nashville. | ||
 | Album: 1 of 22 Title: Theres a Light Beyond These Woods Released: 1978 Tracks: 9 Duration: 37:40 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 I Remember Joe (04:21) 2 Alabama Soft Spoken Blues (03:44) 3 Michaels Song (04:01) 4 Song for Remembered Heroes (03:23) 5 West Texas Sun (03:40) 6 Theres a Light Beyond These Woods (04:34) 7 Dollar Matinee (04:51) 8 Montana Backroads (05:00) 9 John Philip Griffith (04:06) |
| There's a Light Beyond These Woods : Allmusic album Review : Returning to Nanci Griffiths first album, cut in 1978-1979, provides an interesting backdrop to view her work in the latter part of the 90s. Clearly, the singer/songwriter fans love hasnt arrived yet, but one catches glimpses of future greatness on songs like "I Remember Joe" and "Song for Remembered Heroes." Call Griffith a songwriter-in-training on Theres a Light Beyond These Woods, learning how to shape a melody, pitch her voice, and surround herself with the right musicians. Even on weaker pieces, like the title cut and "Michaels Song," Griffith attempts to write a strong melody, giving each piece a distinctive flavor. She doesnt take a lot of chances vocally though, and many of the songs couldve used a more robust approach. Still, her voice is already singular, and she delivers lots of emotion on pieces like "John Philip Griffith." Most of the accompaniment is simple, as in the guitar and cello that underline her voice in "West Texas Sun." Lyrically, songs like "Montana Backroads" rely on uncomplicated imagery -- pickup trucks, feed stores, and bars -- to paint a lonely portrait of a washed-up rodeo rider. This integrated, low-key approach contrasts sharply with Griffiths later albums, like 2001s Clock Without Hands. While she exudes much more confidence on the latter effort, she forgets many of the basics of songcraft, overreaching lyrically and adding an overly bright production. In retrospect, Theres a Light Beyond These Woods sounds better because it sticks closer its folk roots. Fans only familiar with Griffiths later work will enjoy watching a young poet find her muse. | ||
 | Album: 2 of 22 Title: Poet in My Window Released: 1982 Tracks: 11 Duration: 34:26 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Marilyn Monroe/Neon and Waltzes (02:46) 2 Heart of a Miner (03:39) 3 Julie Anne (03:12) 4 You Cant Go Home Again (04:00) 5 October Reasons (03:22) 6 Wheels (02:49) 7 Workin in Corners (04:04) 8 Waltzing with the Angels (03:07) 9 Trouble With Roses (02:30) 10 Tonight I think Im Gonna Go Downtown (02:35) 11 Poet in My Window (02:20) |
| Poet in My Window : Allmusic album Review : While Poet in My Window is only a small step up from Nanci Griffiths debut, the album finds her inching toward the mature art of Once in a Very Blue Moon. While guitars and an occasional mandolin embellished Theres a Light Beyond These Woods, a fuller country sound graces its follow-up. Pedal steel and multiple acoustic guitars fill out "Cant Love Wrong" and "Heart of a Miner," giving them lots of body. While Griffiths vocals sometimes bordered on timid on her first album, the bigger country-folk sound inspires a more vigorous approach here. Indeed, on "Wheels" and "October Reasons," she shows herself capable of belting out a phrase or two without losing the vulnerable underside of the song. Evelyn Taylor offers a bit of harmony here and there, adding to the "bigger" sound of the album and pleasantly complementing Griffiths voice. Lyrically, A Poet in My Window offers sharp observations and memorable lines on pieces like "Workin These Corners." When Griffith sings "Shes just a hill country girl home from the city/Her pockets full of plenty of those neon lights" on "Waltzing With the Angels," she manages to be both clever and insightful. While all of these elements work together to create a strong impression on Poet in My Window, the songs lack the standout quality that would mark a half a dozen cuts on Once in a Very Blue Moon. The earlier album is nonetheless easy on the ears, and fans unfamiliar with it will appreciate watching a young poet find her bearings. | ||
 | Album: 3 of 22 Title: Once in a Very Blue Moon Released: 1984 Tracks: 13 Duration: 39:11 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Ghost in the Music (02:49) 2 Love Is a Hard Waltz (03:10) 3 Roseville Fair (02:59) 4 Mary & Omie (04:27) 5 Friend out in the Madness (02:41) 6 Im Not Drivin These Wheels (03:17) 7 Time Alone (02:01) 8 Ballad of Robin Winter-Smith (03:15) 9 Daddy Said (02:35) 10 Once in a Very Blue Moon (02:34) 11 If I Were the Woman You Wanted (03:57) 12 Year Down in New Orleans (02:29) 13 Spin on a Red Brick Floor (02:53) |
| Once in a Very Blue Moon : Allmusic album Review : Nanci Griffith finds her voice on her third studio album, Once in a Very Blue Moon. This is the album where she established her musical identity -- she is at home in many genres (which perhaps explains why she never gets played on formatted radio stations), and seamlessly blends folk, bluegrass, and country with a group of stellar musicians, including guitarist Pat Alger and a young banjo player named Béla Fleck. While the music is well-textured with cello, mandolin, Dobro, and fiddle, it is Griffiths lyrics that distinguish her from her peers. Although not a concept album, the main theme explored is travel. She sings about the joys and excitement of the road as well as the longing that comes with extended periods away from home. Nanci Griffith is an excellent storyteller, with detailed, insightful lyrics that vividly portray the hopes and dreams of her characters ("Mary and Omie"). She sprinkles the album with songs of others, as she pays homage to folk veterans such as Bill Staines ("Roseville Fair") and sings a tune by newcomer Lyle Lovett ("If I Were the Woman You Wanted"). This album marks the emergence of a major talent. | ||
 | Album: 4 of 22 Title: The Last of the True Believers Released: 1986 Tracks: 11 Duration: 36:32 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 The Last of the True Believers (02:53) 2 Love at the Five & Dime (04:39) 3 St. Olavs Gate (03:11) 4 More than a Whisper (03:50) 5 Banks of the Pontchartrain (03:46) 6 Lookin for the Time (Workin Girl) (02:47) 7 Goin Gone (04:29) 8 One of These Days (03:00) 9 Loves Found a Shoulder (02:26) 10 Fly by Night (02:42) 11 The Wing & the Wheel (02:47) |
| The Last of the True Believers : Allmusic album Review : This is Nanci Griffiths fourth and final release on Rounder Records folk subsidiary, Philo. At the time Griffith relocated to Nashville, TN, her decidedly Texan sense of musicality had already begun developing subtle hues of Appalachia as well as the cosmopolitan country that would inform her mid- to late-80s stint on MCA. However, it is the overwhelming strength and conviction in the singer/songwriters original material on The Last of the True Believers that remain indelibly impressed upon enthusiasts and critics alike. As such, Griffith has retained a copious sampling from the disc in her subsequent live performance repertoire. Griffiths crystalline vocals are well matched to the warm, earthy acoustic instrumentation on the intimate "More Than a Whisper" and "The Wing and the Wheel." At times, the delicate interplay creates a mutual envelopment of the human vocal instrument with that of the stringed nature -- most notably on the heartfelt "Love at the Five and Dime." By way of contrast, Griffith defies her somewhat introverted image on the tongue-in-cheek (no pun!) love song "Looking for the Time (Workin Girl)" and the effervescent waltz "Loves Found a Shoulder." Lying nestled between are spry melodies such as "Banks of the Pontchartrain," featuring some nice picking from Béla Fleck (banjo), and "Goin Gone," which perfectly captures some of Lloyd Greens finest pedal steel work on the disc. Griffiths pure and otherwise unaffected performance style would continue to carry through her subsequent efforts, most notably Lone Star State of Mind (1987), which in many ways is a companion, rather than simply the follow-up, to The Last of the True Believers. | ||
 | Album: 5 of 22 Title: Lone Star State of Mind Released: 1987 Tracks: 11 Duration: 36:28 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Lone Star State of Mind (04:01) 2 Cold Hearts / Closed Minds (02:43) 3 From a Distance (04:12) 4 Beacon Street (02:54) 5 Nickel Dreams (02:51) 6 Sing One for Sister (03:24) 7 Ford Econoline (02:14) 8 Trouble in the Fields (03:21) 9 Love in a Memory (03:20) 10 Let It Shine on Me (03:03) 11 Theres a Light Beyond These Woods (Mary Margaret) (04:22) |
| Lone Star State of Mind : Allmusic album Review : Lone Star State of Mind was Nanci Griffiths commercial breakthrough, largely because it was her first step directly toward mainstream contemporary country. Instead of diluting her introspective folk songs, the full-fledged production actually enhances her music, as the steel guitars and dobros add body to her songs. Griffith responds in kind, delivering the most textured and nuanced vocal performance of her career, as evidenced by her version of "From A Distance." Of course, her songwriting is as good as it ever was; "Ford Econoline," "Sing One for Sister," "Beacon Street" and a revamped version of "Mary Margaret" called "Theres A Light Beyond These Woods," are all terrific, ranking among her best songs. Lone Star State of Mind is one of the rare commercial moves that actually improves and artists music instead of compromising it. | ||
 | Album: 6 of 22 Title: Little Love Affairs Released: 1988-02-08 Tracks: 11 Duration: 36:25 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Anyone Can Be Somebody’s Fool (02:41) 2 I Knew Love (03:18) 3 Never Mind (03:42) 4 Love Wore a Halo (Back Before the War) (03:23) 5 So Long Ago (04:10) 6 Gulf Coast Highway (03:05) 7 Little Love Affairs (03:09) 8 I Wish It Would Rain (02:39) 9 Outbound Plane (02:39) 10 I Would Change My Life (03:09) 11 Sweet Dreams Will Come (04:25) |
| Little Love Affairs : Allmusic album Review : Little Love Affairs, Nanci Griffiths second MCA Records album, and sixth album overall, was the crucial release in her attempt to achieve success as a Nashville-based country artist, and in that context it was a failure. But it was also an artistic success, containing 11 well-written and well-performed songs in the reflective style that the singer/songwriter had established previously. Griffiths first MCA album, Lone Star State of Mind, had been a moderate seller, reaching the Top 40 and spawning two country chart singles. MCA prefaced Little Love Affairs with perhaps its most overtly country song, "Never Mind," written by veteran songwriter Harlan Howard, and prominently featuring a pedal-steel guitar in its arrangement, but the singles failure to crack the country Top 40 suggested trouble, confirmed when the album peaked lower than Lone Star State of Mind. "Never Mind" gave a good indication of the albums theme, embodied in its title, of carefully examining the romantic lives of common people. Howards lovers were itinerant laborers who came out of the Depression, and other songs also looked back at stories of romance past, such as Griffiths compositions "Love Wore a Halo (Back Before the War)," and "So Long Ago." The music, supplied by Griffiths backup band and New Grass Revival, was in her familiar country-folk style, and her vocals, with their ringing, aching tone, conveyed the songs sense of longing and regret effectively. Country critics and radio programmers complained that, if anything, she was too country, her voice having an off-putting twang and nasality, but that was just an excuse for rejecting her literate lyrics and sophistication. At 33, she wasnt about to become some empty-headed Nashville bimbo willing to mouth romantic clichés, and for that she paid the price of being denied country stardom. Her fans breathed a sigh of relief. | ||
 | Album: 7 of 22 Title: One Fair Summer Evening Released: 1988-11 Tracks: 12 Duration: 40:10 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Once in a Very Blue Moon (02:16) 2 Looking for the Time (Workin Girl) (02:37) 3 Deadwood, South Dakota (04:59) 4 More Than a Whisper (03:46) 5 I Would Bring You Ireland (03:07) 6 Roseville Fair (02:59) 7 Workin in Corners (03:46) 8 Trouble in the Fields (02:52) 9 The Wing and the Wheel (02:15) 10 From a Distance (04:14) 11 Love at the Five & Dime (04:40) 12 Spin on a Red Brick Floor (02:39) |
| One Fair Summer Evening : Allmusic album Review : This is singer/songwriter Nanci Griffiths first live album, and it captures the essence of what has endeared Griffith to fans of both folk and cosmopolitan country. Although One Fair Summer Evening was not an immediate phenomenon at the cash registers, the revealing nature of the performance has secured it a place in the hearts of enthusiasts since its release in 1988. In addition to highlights from her six previous long-players, she also adds a few new tracks -- including her own composition "I Would Bring You Ireland" as well as "Deadwood, South Dakota" by her ex-husband, Eric Taylor -- both of which became standards in her live performance canon. Her backing band, the Blue Moon Orchestra, is known for both its instrumental prowess and its keen knack for subtlety. Examples of this delicate balance range from the intimacy of "More Than a Whisper" and "Love at the Five and Dime" to the boot-scootin fury of "Spin on a Red Brick Floor" and "Looking for the Time (Workin Girl)." In between is a sampling of Griffiths organic folky roots ("Trouble in the Fields") as well as her pensive ballads ("Once in a Blue Moon"), which have become standards for the legions of would-be singer/songwriters who followed. Also included are stunning readings of Julie Golds "From a Distance" and Bill Staines (whom Griffith rightfully compares to a neo-Woody Guthrie) "Roseville Fair." There is also a 45-minute home video companion to One Fair Summer Evening that includes most of the music from this CD; missing are "The Wing and the Wheel," "Trouble in the Fields," and "Roseville Fair," while a whimsical version of "Theres a Light Beyond the Woods (Mary Margaret)" has been added. | ||
 | Album: 8 of 22 Title: Storms Released: 1989-08-08 Tracks: 10 Duration: 37:47 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 I Dont Wanna Talk About Love (04:09) 2 Drive-In Movies and Dashboard Lights (03:14) 3 You Made This Love a Teardrop (03:12) 4 Brave Companion of the Road (03:20) 5 Storms (03:10) 6 Its a Hard Life Wherever You Go (04:01) 7 If Wishes Were Changes (03:47) 8 Listen to the Radio (03:47) 9 Leaving the Harbor (03:28) 10 Radio Fragile (05:36) |
| Storms : Allmusic album Review : Nanci Griffith scored a major crossover hit with Storms (1989). After four long-players for the primarily country-intensive MCA Nashville, she switched to their pop division thanks in part to the overwhelming critical and popular acclaim she had gained from her previous studio effort, Little Love Affairs (1998). Many purists were critical, but along with legendary producer Glyn Johns Griffith unfurled some of her finest musical stories to date. Joining her backing band, the Blue Moon Orchestra, are the intriguing aggregate of Bernie Leadon (guitars/mando-cello/vocals), Jerry Donahue (guitar), Phil Everly (vocals), and Albert Lee (vocals). Once again, Griffiths crystalline-toned resonance weaves almost hypnotically through her realistic and acoustic-based neo-folk Americana. Lyrically, her poignant poetry reveals characters that seem wrought with equal measures of vulnerability and fortitude -- such as "sister" in "Drive-In Movies and Dashboard Lights" or the semi-autobiographical narrative "backseat driver from America" on the international breakthrough "Its a Hard Life Wherever You Go." Former Amazing Rhythm Ace and Blue Moon Orchestra co-founder James Hooker (keyboards/vocals) co-wrote several tunes with Griffith, including "Radio Fragile" -- their upbeat tribute to Phil Ochs. Among the other sides to have gained significant favor as live performance staples are the infectiously melodic "Listen to the Radio" and the more pensive "Brave Companion of the Road." Not to be missed is another Hooker/Griffith collaboration on the stone gem "You Made This Love a Teardrop" -- with the aforementioned Everly on co-lead vocals. While curious enthusiasts have speculated that Storms was a commentary on the artists concurrent life off-stage, it poised her for the even more pop-oriented follow-up, Late Night Grande Hotel (1991). | ||
 | Album: 9 of 22 Title: Late Night Grande Hotel Released: 1991-09-17 Tracks: 11 Duration: 38:38 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Its Just Another Morning Here (04:22) 2 Late Night Grande Hotel (03:36) 3 Its Too Late (02:19) 4 Fields of Summer (04:20) 5 Heaven (03:30) 6 The Power Lines (02:38) 7 Hometown Streets (04:13) 8 Down "N" Outer (02:45) 9 One Blade Short of a Sharp Edge (02:59) 10 The Sun, Moon and Stars (04:25) 11 San Diego Serenade (03:27) |
| Late Night Grande Hotel : Allmusic album Review : Featuring some of Nanci Griffiths best and most original material -- as well as a few equally brilliant cover songs -- Late Night Grande Hotel blurs the lines between the singer/songwriters Texas-rooted folk and the Nashville urban cosmopolitan country scene. Griffith has once again expanded her arrangements to include the five-piece Blue Moon Orchestra and also a few well-placed guest spots from Phil Everly (vocals), Mo Foster (electric bass), Tanita Tikaram (vocals), and Rod Argent (string arrangements/producer). The albums darker pop-oriented material can arguably be attributed to Argents involvement. Of the 11 tracks, all but three are Griffith originals. Among them are some of the albums best material. As she had done with her crossover hit "From a Distance," Griffith beautifully interprets another Julie Gold composition, "Heaven." The cover of Vince Bells introspective masterpiece "Sun & Moon & Stars" is not only one of this albums finest tracks, but it is also among the highlights of all the material during her five-year tenure with MCA. The remarkable intimacy she brings to the piece recalls her days on Philo and songs such as "Love at the Five and Dime" and "Theres a Light Beyond These Woods." The third cover is of Tom Waits somber "San Diego Serenade." While Griffiths vocals dont contain the huskiness and tragedy of the author, they add an even more distressing facet to the lyrics -- perhaps coming from a deeper place within the artist. There are a few all-stars among Griffiths compositions as well. "One Blade Shy of a Sharp Edge" continues the overtly political messages that she often credits to the enormous influence that Lyndon B. Johnson and Pete Seeger have had on her life and work. "Its Just Another Morning Here" is full of the wit and innocuous charm that have continued to make Griffith such an endearing composer and performer. While not her best disc during the late 80s/early 90s, Late Night Grande Hotel is a solid effort with some of her most mature material to date. | ||
 | Album: 10 of 22 Title: Other Voices - Other Rooms Released: 1993-03-02 Tracks: 17 Duration: 1:02:17 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Across the Great Divide (03:57) 2 Woman of the Phoenix (02:41) 3 Tecumseh Valley (04:29) 4 Three Flights Up (03:31) 5 Boots of Spanish Leather (05:18) 6 Speed of the Sound of Loneliness (04:20) 7 From Clare to Here (05:11) 8 Cant Help But Wonder Where Im Bound (03:16) 9 Do Re Mi (02:52) 10 This Old Town (03:00) 11 Comin Down in the Rain (03:45) 12 Ten Degrees and Getting Colder (02:40) 13 Morning Song for Sally (04:55) 14 Night Riders Lament (03:57) 15 Are You Tired of Me Darling (03:11) 16 Turn Around (03:19) 17 Wimoweh (01:47) |
| Other Voices - Other Rooms : Allmusic album Review : Nanci Griffith has the kind of beguiling singing voice thats effortless and easily beautiful -- like a pretty girl who doesnt ever need makeup to be radiant. Sounding a little bit like Emmylou Harris is never a bad thing, but Griffith doesnt stop there. She duets with Harris and a host of other country and folk notables on Other Voices, Other Rooms, her first collection of cover songs. Like Harris, Griffith can climb inside a character-driven song with a simple twist of inflection or a lingering note. This is what she does on Vince Bells "Woman of the Phoenix," deftly painting images of a winter freeze, cacti, and Michael, the "rock n roll hood from the Odessa plains." Dylans "Boots of Spanish Leather" rambles like the Texas countryside and features the man himself on harmonica. The guest list for Other Voices really is incredible. Alison Krauss, John Gorka, Edgar Meyer, Amy Ray, and Emily Saliers -- its a regular homespun whos who. Theres plenty to sigh about here, and occasionally the album can almost be too tasteful for its own good. But raveups like Woody Guthries "Do-Re-Mi" let Griffith trade some serenity for dustbowl grit (the addition of John Prines lascivious gruffness helps a lot, too), and the frustrated anger of "This Old Town" only supports this. What might be most refreshing about Other Voices, Other Rooms is its ability to access the warm tones of country, grassroots, 1960s folk, and the 70s songwriting tradition while still sounding more like it comes from Griffiths Texas roots than anywhere else. This is highly recommended for fans of Griffith or any of the like-minded artists who help out here. | ||
 | Album: 11 of 22 Title: The Best of Nanci Griffith Released: 1993-10 Tracks: 19 Duration: 1:11:50 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Trouble in the Fields (03:21) 2 From a Distance (04:12) 3 Speed of the Sound of Loneliness (04:20) 4 Love at the Five and Dime (07:20) 5 Listen to the Radio (03:47) 6 Gulf Coast Highway (03:05) 7 I Wish It Would Rain (02:39) 8 Ford Econoline (02:14) 9 If Wishes Were Changes (03:47) 10 The Wing and the Wheel (03:13) 11 Late Night Grand Hotel (03:32) 12 From Clare to Here (05:11) 13 Its Just Another Morning Here (04:22) 14 Tumble and Fall (02:41) 15 Theres a Light Beyond These Woods (Mary Margaret) (04:24) 16 Outbound Plane (02:39) 17 Lone Star State of Mind (03:57) 18 Its a Hard Life Wherever You Go (04:01) 19 The Road to Aberdeen (02:55) |
 | Album: 12 of 22 Title: The MCA Years: A Retrospective Released: 1993-10-26 Tracks: 18 Duration: 1:09:24 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Trouble in the Fields (03:21) 2 From a Distance (04:12) 3 I Dont Wanna Talk About Love (04:09) 4 Deadwood, South Dakota (05:10) 5 Love at the Five and Dime (07:20) 6 Listen to the Radio (03:47) 7 Gulf Coast Highway (03:05) 8 I Wish It Would Rain (02:39) 9 Ford Econoline (02:14) 10 So Long Ago (04:07) 11 If Wishes Were Changes (03:47) 12 The Wing and the Wheel (03:13) 13 Late Night Grande Hotel (03:32) 14 Its Just Another Morning Here (04:22) 15 Drive-In Movies and Dashboard Lights (03:14) 16 Theres a Light Beyond These Woods (Mary Margaret) (04:24) 17 Outbound Plane (02:39) 18 Its a Hard Life Wherever You Go (04:01) |
| The MCA Years: A Retrospective : Allmusic album Review : This single-CD compilation from 1993 features a dozen and a half sides from Texas singer/songwriter Nanci Griffith (guitar/vocals) during her four-year/five-disc deal with the Nashville branch of MCA Records, offering a well-balanced selection of her best-known and loved works as well as a few equally seminal deeper tracks. Lone Star State of Mind (1987) is signified by over a quarter of the album, including "Trouble in the Fields," "From a Distance," "Ford Econoline," and a remake of the heartfelt life saga "Theres a Light Beyond These Woods (Mary Margaret)," which had originally appeared as the title composition from Griffiths debut LP, Theres a Light Beyond These Woods (1978). Half of the tunes from the critical and commercial breakthrough Storms (1989) are featured on MCA Years: A Retrospective. "Listen to the Radio," "I Dont Want to Talk About Love," the international hit "Its a Hard Life Wherever You Go," "If Wishes Were Changes," and "Drive-In Movies and Dashboard Lights" are here, and each would respectively remain among the core seminal sides from her performance repertoire. One Fair Summer Evening (1988) -- Griffiths first live album -- is meagerly represented with Eric Taylors (who is also Griffiths ex-husband) "Deadwood, South Dakota." Sadly, the hauntingly beautiful "More Than a Whisper" is not on this collection. By contrast, a healthy sampling of her next studio release, Little Love Affairs (1988), is included with "Outbound Plane" and "I Wish It Would Rain" as well as the deeper "So Long Ago" and "Gulf Coast Highway." Although the uniformly excellent Late Night Grande Hotel (1991) would be her final full-length release on MCA, Griffith goes out in style with help from a notable knob-tweaker, former Zombies leader Rod Argent. While "Just Another Morning Here" and the title song, "Late Night Grande Hotel," are incorporated, sadly absent is her stellar rendition of Tom Waits "San Diego Serenade" or the dark and powerful "The Sun, the Moon & the Stars." There are several anthologies available from Nanci Griffiths mid- to late-80s and early-90s material, and without question, this is an adequate compilation. However, From a Distance: The Very Best of Nanci Griffith (2002) includes an additional four selections, while the double-CD package Complete MCA Studio Recordings (2003) has all four long-players as well as three bonus selections -- which make their first domestic North American appearance. That said, however, MCA Years: A Retrospective is more than sufficient for the average listener. | ||
 | Album: 13 of 22 Title: Flyer Released: 1994-09-13 Tracks: 15 Duration: 56:06 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 The Flyer (04:23) 2 Nobodys Angel (04:15) 3 Say It Isnt So (03:19) 4 Southbound Train (04:31) 5 These Days in an Open Book (03:32) 6 Time of Inconvenience (03:49) 7 Dont Forget About Me (02:58) 8 Always Will (02:42) 9 Going Back to Georgia (04:16) 10 Talk to Me While Im Listening (04:12) 11 Fragile (03:26) 12 On Grafton Street (04:02) 13 Anything You Need But Me (03:07) 14 Goodnight to a Mothers Dream (04:03) 15 This Heart (03:25) |
| Flyer : Allmusic album Review : After getting increased exposure with her exquisite cover album Other Voices, Other Rooms, Nanci Griffith emerged with an album of originals that demonstrated to her new fans that she was more than just an interpreter of songs. She has always been a gifted and versatile songwriter with a knack for stepping inside her characters in story songs, but she writes from a more personal perspective on this album. With the help of high-profile friends from U2, Dire Straits, Indigo Girls, and Counting Crows, she incorporates more rock & roll instrumentation (electric guitar, piano, drums) into her acoustically based music. In fact, many of the highlights of this album involve collaborations. Mark Knopfler (Dire Straits) adds his usual tasteful guitar work in "Dont Forget About Me," and Adam Duritz of Counting Crows delivers perhaps his best vocal performance in the playful duet "Going Back to Georgia." As in previous releases, she wrestles with issues of love and loss; however, the songs resonate on a deeper level as she writes from the perspective of someone who has seen and done a lot but still longs to connect souls with one special person ("Southbound Train," "On Grafton Street"). Although she falters a bit when choosing to tackle politics ("Time of Inconvenience"), this is her most consistent album of original songs in almost a decade. | ||
 | Album: 14 of 22 Title: Blue Roses From the Moons Released: 1997-03-24 Tracks: 14 Duration: 48:58 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Everythings Comin Up Roses (02:55) 2 Two for the Road (03:03) 3 Wouldnt That Be Fine (04:05) 4 Battlefield (03:35) 5 Saint Teresa of Avila (05:20) 6 Gulf Coast Highway (03:30) 7 I Fought the Law (02:37) 8 Not My Way Home (03:55) 9 Is This All There Is? (03:49) 10 Maybe Tomorrow (02:21) 11 Waiting for Love (04:12) 12 Ill Move Along (02:39) 13 Morning Train (03:10) 14 She Aint Goin Nowhere (03:41) |
| Blue Roses From the Moons : Allmusic album Review : Blue Roses From the Moons expands the smoother sounds of Flyer by bringing Nanci Griffith firmly into the adult alternative playing field -- not only does Don Gehman, the producer behind Hootie & the Blowfish, produce the record, but Darius Rucker has a vocal cameo, as well. Though the slick sound is a little disarming for longtime fans, Griffiths songwriting remains skilled and assured, and while there arent as many as standout numbers as before, her graceful melodicism and lyricism and the professional production makes Blue Roses From the Moons a very pleasant listen. | ||
 | Album: 15 of 22 Title: Other Voices, Too (A Trip Back to Bountiful) Released: 1998-07-21 Tracks: 19 Duration: 1:12:29 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Wall of Death (03:09) 2 Who Knows Where the Time Goes? (05:35) 3 You Were on My Mind (02:46) 4 Walk Right Back (02:34) 5 Canadian Whiskey (02:59) 6 Desperadoes Waiting for a Train (04:18) 7 Wings of a Dove (02:52) 8 Dress of Laces (04:58) 9 Summer Wages (04:06) 10 He Was a Friend of Mine (03:13) 11 Hard Times Come Again No More (05:46) 12 Wasnt That a Mighty Storm? (05:01) 13 Deportee (Plane Wreck at Los Gatos) (05:21) 14 Yarrington Town (04:25) 15 I Still Miss Someone (03:35) 16 Try the Love (03:46) 17 The Streets of Baltimore (02:37) 18 Darcy Farrow (02:33) 19 If I Had a Hammer (The Hammer Song) (02:46) |
| Other Voices, Too (A Trip Back to Bountiful) : Allmusic album Review : Trailing five years behind the release of Other Voices, Other Rooms, Nanci Griffiths second collection of covers is that rare sequel which actually surpasses its predecessor. Boasting an even stronger and wider-ranging set of songs, Other Voices, Too (A Trip Back to Bountiful) captures the singer at her most radiant and expressive -- moving easily from the Stephen Foster perennial "Hard Times Come Again No More" to 60s pop hits like "You Were on My Mind" to British folk-rock chestnuts like Richard Thompsons "Wall of Death" and Sandy Dennys "Who Knows Where the Time Goes" -- Griffith stamps each of these 19 tracks with her own indelible signature, revitalizing not only her material but herself in the process. | ||
 | Album: 16 of 22 Title: Clock Without Hands Released: 2001-07-31 Tracks: 14 Duration: 49:15 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Clock Without Hands (03:44) 2 Travelling Through This Part of You (04:06) 3 Where Would I Be (04:29) 4 Midnight in Missoula (04:01) 5 Lost Him in the Sun (02:53) 6 The Ghost Inside of Me (03:06) 7 Truly Something Fine (03:08) 8 Cotton (02:43) 9 Pearls Eye View (03:29) 10 Roses on the 4th of July (03:37) 11 Shaking Out the Snow (04:46) 12 Armstrong (03:34) 13 Last Song for Mother (02:42) 14 In the Wee Small Hours (02:50) |
| Clock Without Hands : Allmusic album Review : Clock Without Hands is Nanci Griffiths first recording of original material since 1997s Blue Roses From the Moon, leading to high expectations by fans and critics. These expectations, however, are also tinged by the disappointment -- by many -- of 1999s The Dust Bowl Symphony, a pseudo-best-of backed by an orchestras strings. Clock Without Hands catchy title track, propelled forward by steady percussion and insistent acoustic guitar, seems, on the surface, to get things off to a good start. But something isnt quite right. The production is a bit too bright and the lyrics metaphor is overextended. "Traveling Through This Part of You," the second cut, sends out other mixed signals: the production, with background strings, varies greatly from the first track. In fact, the changing production from track to track reminds one of a greatest-hits package. This song, along with "Roses on the 4th of July," also attempts to come to grips with the sacrifices that Vietnam War veterans made for their country. While this impulse is admirable, lines like "He still sends her roses on the Forth of July," combining love with patriotic sacrifice, come across as cloying. Two other tunes should be mentioned. On "Shaking Out the Snow" Griffith delivers an agonized vocal, and ones response to it -- that she overreaches or perfectly captures the mood -- will depend on whether one buys the tortured lyric. The album ends with a cover of -- dont even try to guess -- "In the Wee Small Hours," complete with a syrupy string arrangement, once again recalling The Dust Bowl Symphonies. There are a number of things to like about Clock Without Hands, and the album will undoubtedly grow on listeners, but the album lacks the consistency of even a less than great album like Flyer. Fans will definitely want to pay the ticket for admission to find out what Griffiths been up to lately; the unfamiliar, few though they be, should turn to older titles like Once in a Very Blue Moon and Last of the True Believers. | ||
 | Album: 17 of 22 Title: Winter Marquee Released: 2002-09-24 Tracks: 14 Duration: 58:44 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Speed of the Sound of Loneliness (04:40) 2 I Wish It Would Rain (02:36) 3 Boots of Spanish Leather (06:34) 4 Two for the Road (02:59) 5 Listen to the Radio (03:51) 6 Theres a Light Beyond These Woods (Mary Margaret) (04:46) 7 Gulf Coast Highway (03:32) 8 The Flyer (04:46) 9 Good Night, New York (05:05) 10 Traveling Through This Part of You (04:19) 11 Last Train Home (03:05) 12 Im Not Drivin These Wheels (Bring the Prose to the Wheel) (03:39) 13 Whats That I Hear (04:08) 14 White Freight Liner (04:37) |
| Winter Marquee : Allmusic album Review : Artistically speaking, Nanci Griffith has been in somewhat of a funk since 1998s Other Voices, Too. 1999s The Dust Bowl Symphony offered a syrupy greatest-hits package and 2001s Clock Without Hands, her first new material in several years, seemed both over-produced and overwrought. To further muddy the picture, Rounder released three early Griffith albums in 2002, reminding listeners how well she could write. Also released by Rounder, the live Winter Marquee is the first new album Griffith has released on the label since the mid-80s. Following the reissues, it seems like something of a homecoming. The straightforward, hour-long set is made up of old favorites, a couple recent pieces, and a few covers. Accompanied by a country-folk band, Griffiths vocals take center stage to offer fine versions of "Im Not Drivin These Wheels" and "The Flyer." Shes in great voice, and one of the pleasures of her music has always been the way she lovingly lingers over phrases for emphasis. Shes joined by a couple of special guests, including Emmylou Harris on "Good Night, New York" and Tom Russell on "Whats that I Hear" and "White Freight Liner." The set is also strengthened by the inclusion of less-frequently covered pieces like "Theres a Light Beyond These Woods." While Winter Marquee may lack the spark of an early album like Once in a Very Blue Moon, fans will enjoy this live set. | ||
 | Album: 18 of 22 Title: The Complete MCA Studio Recordings Released: 2003-06-17 Tracks: 46 Duration: 2:37:40 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Tumble and Fall (02:41) 2 Lone Star State of Mind (03:57) 3 Cold Hearts/Closed Minds (02:41) 4 From a Distance (04:12) 5 Beacon Street (02:54) 6 Nickel Dreams (02:49) 7 Sing One for Sister (03:24) 8 Ford Econoline (02:12) 9 Trouble in the Fields (03:20) 10 Love in a Memory (03:18) 11 Let It Shine on Me (03:00) 12 Theres a Light Beyond These Woods (Mary Margaret) (04:22) 13 Anyone Can Be Somebody’s Fool (02:41) 14 I Knew Love (03:18) 15 Never Mind (03:42) 16 Love Wore a Halo (Back Before the War) (03:23) 17 So Long Ago (04:07) 18 Gulf Coast Highway (03:05) 19 Little Love Affairs (03:09) 20 I Wish It Would Rain (02:39) 21 Outbound Plane (02:39) 22 I Would Change My Life (03:08) 23 Sweet Dreams Will Come (04:25) 24 Wooden Heart (02:26) 1 I Dont Want to Talk About Love (04:06) 2 Drive-In Movies and Dashboard Lights (03:14) 3 You Made This Love a Teardrop (03:10) 4 Brave Companion of the Road (03:19) 5 Storms (03:10) 6 Its a Hard Life Wherever You Go (04:01) 7 If Wishes Were Changes (03:44) 8 Listen to the Radio (03:47) 9 Leaving the Harbor (03:28) 10 Radio Fragile (05:34) 11 Its Just Another Morning Here (04:23) 12 Late Night Grande Hotel (03:35) 13 Its Too Late (02:17) 14 Fields of Summer (04:19) 15 Heaven (03:28) 16 The Power Lines (02:37) 17 Hometown Streets (04:11) 18 Down "N" Outer (02:45) 19 One Blade Shy of a Sharp Edge (02:58) 20 The Sun, Moon and Stars (04:24) 21 San Diego Serenade (03:27) 22 Stand Your Ground (03:49) |
| The Complete MCA Studio Recordings : Allmusic album Review : The standard line on Nanci Griffiths five-year sojourn at MCA Records is that Griffith, a Texas-born singer/songwriter, earned a major-label Nashville contract after four independent folkie releases on the basis of Kathy Matteas Top Ten country recording of her song "Love at the Five and Dime," at a time when country music seemed more open to new sounds and MCAs Tony Brown was also signing such mavericks as Steve Earle and Lyle Lovett. But after two albums, Lone Star State of Mind (1987) and Little Love Affairs (1988), met resistance, failing to produce a major country hit, Griffith was transferred to the labels pop division, where Storms (1989) showed promise but Late Night Grande Hotel (1991) turned out to be too much of a pop move and turned off her existing fan base without attracting a new one. Then MCA dropped her. After a sojourn at Elektra Records, Griffith returned to indie status with Rounder in 2002, which oddly landed her back at MCA, since the major had a distribution deal with Rounder. MCA has also reissued Griffiths early albums, which gives the label a considerable stake in her catalog. So, there is a full-priced one-disc compilation of her actual MCA recordings (From a Distance: The Very Best of Nanci Griffith), a discount-priced Millennium Collection best-of, and now this two-disc package combining all four MCA albums with a few rarities. And when you listen to it from beginning to end, the standard line no longer seems to hold. The first two albums are no more country than Griffiths early "folk" albums, and the last two are not so "pop." The distinctions have more to do with production approaches, which pale before the dominant aspects of the music -- Griffiths sweet and sour voice with its distinctive twang and the terrific songs. Maybe there was something to the notion that Griffith, who delighted in showing listeners what novel she was reading on her album covers, was a bit too erudite for a Nashville thrush, but the result is a set of songs, written by her and some well-chosen others, that stand up well a decade later and are likely to sound just as good many decades hence. | ||
 | Album: 19 of 22 Title: Hearts in Mind Released: 2004 Tracks: 13 Duration: 46:42 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Simple Life (03:05) 2 Angels (04:33) 3 Heart of Indochine (03:47) 4 Beautiful (04:09) 5 Back When Ted Loved Sylvia (04:15) 6 Mountain Of Sorrow (03:49) 7 Old Hanoi (03:39) 8 Before (02:43) 9 I Love This Town (03:21) 10 Rise To The Occasion (03:17) 11 Love Conquers All (02:50) 12 Last Train Home (03:05) 13 Big Blue Ball of War (04:03) |
| Hearts in Mind : Allmusic album Review : A trip to Southeast Asia and the U.S. invasion of Iraq seem to have inspired much of Nanci Griffiths 12th studio album of new, original material, Hearts in Mind. "I dont want your wars to take my children," Griffith sings in the country-folk opener, "A Simple Life," and at the albums end, in "Big Blue Ball of War," she provides a historical primer of world conflicts that concludes speciously by suggesting that if only women were in charge of things, wars would cease. In between, "Heart of Indochine" and "Old Hanoi" provide her observations on Vietnam, the former pleading, "Deliver me to a river of peace." And while "Before" and "Love Conquers All" do not concern war directly, they do refer to it. Meanwhile, songwriter Julie Gold, who previously gave Griffith "From a Distance" (before Bette Midler absconded with it) and "Heaven," contributes a reflection on 9/11, "Mountain of Sorrow," that treats the loss of the World Trade Center towers as if it were a case of romantic heartbreak. But Hearts in Mind is not a full-fledged concept album about state violence. "Angels" (written by Tom Kimmel and Jennifer Kimball) and "Rise to the Occasion" speak to the ennobling power of love. "Beautiful" is Griffiths tribute to her stepfather. "Back When Ted Loved Sylvia," written by Le Ann Etheridge, is a non-rhyming reflection on the relationship between poets Ted Hughes and Sylvia Plath. And "I Love This Town," a duet with Jimmy Buffett written by Clive Gregson, provides comic relief and a catchy hook. Still, the shadow of war is never far away, even if it is often expressed in historical or impressionistic terms. No longer concerned with reaching a mass audience, Griffith co-produces with Pat McInerney, one of her backup musicians, delivering arrangements that lean more toward folk and bluegrass styles, with occasional string charts thrown in. "Last Train Home," with its Texas two-step rhythm, sounds like something from one of her early albums. Hearts in Mind doesnt have anything to say about war that Griffiths fans dont know (and probably agree with), and it can be a bit simple-minded, but it delivers the familiar reflective, literary goods that those fans will expect. (While this version of the album, released in the British Isles in 2004, has 13 tracks, the U.S. version released in 2005 adds a 14th one, "Our Very Own," a duet with Keith Carradine.) | ||
 | Album: 20 of 22 Title: Rubys Torch Released: 2006-11-14 Tracks: 11 Duration: 41:43 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 When I Dream (03:30) 2 If These Walls Could Speak (03:40) 3 Rubys Arms (05:29) 4 Never Be the Sun (03:55) 5 Bluer Than Blue (03:18) 6 Brave Companion of the Road (03:28) 7 Grapefruit Moon (04:21) 8 Please Call Me, Baby (04:11) 9 Late Night Grande Hotel (02:53) 10 In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning (02:51) 11 Drops From the Faucet (04:07) |
| Ruby's Torch : Allmusic album Review : In her brief liner essay, Nanci Griffith claims that Rubys Torch -- a collection of torch songs, what else? -- is a "dream come true" and something her listeners have requested over the years. Fair enough, but in typical fashion Griffith has put a spin on these nuggets, only two of which are her own compositions (old ones at that). In addition to "Brave Companion of the Road" and "Late Night Grande Hotel," there are three songs by Tom Waits (including his classic "Rubys Arms," which the album title is adapted from), Jimmy Webbs "If These Walls Could Talk," Sandy Masons "When I Dream" (the best-known version is by Willie Nelson, but Crystal Gayles is better), "Bluer Than Blue" by Randy Goodrum (and a hit by Michael Johnson in the 70s), and "Never Be the Sun" by Donagh Long. In other words, what this amounts to is a recontextualizing of songs not normally in the torch repertoire. Theres a great argument for Waits, given his songs now common treatment by singers in this way. To show the juxtaposition, there is one honest-to-goodness tune from the canon in the David Mann/Bob Hilliard number "In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning," which headed a concept album in the 1950s by Frank Sinatra after his breakup with Ava Gardner (and was the closer on Griffiths own Clock Without Hands in 2001). Griffith uses her backing band, the Blue Moon Orchestra, as well as full-on string, horn, and woodwind sections. Shes recorded in front of an orchestra before -- and not only once. Still, this feels both familiar and ambitious. But this time out she really and truly concentrates on being a singer. Her voice has more discipline, more refinement, and she has made her Texas drawl work for her in the most elegant and intimate way. While is in some ways another of her "heroes" records, its a singers record first and foremost. When covering songs in the past, she was highlighting the song first and her ability as a vocalist second. Rubys Torch places equal significance on singer and song, and given her stylized readings of these tunes through a classic "Texas" sensibility, one can hear some of these songs as a soundtrack heard through the characters of Larry McMurtrys novel The Last Picture Show. While its true that "Rubys Arms" is the winner pulling away here -- because while Waits version is very sad, Griffiths plaintive take is more reportorial and therefore devastating -- everything here works in context, and provides as seamless a record as shes given listeners this century thus far. In its way, this is a renaissance album for both the singer and these songs, though neither were ever hidden anywhere at all. This is the sound of passion, albeit one related by intimacy expressing itself in a dusty mirror. Recommended. | ||
 | Album: 21 of 22 Title: The Loving Kind Released: 2009-06-22 Tracks: 13 Duration: 42:23 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 The Loving Kind (02:36) 2 Money Changes Everything (03:09) 3 One of These Days (03:03) 4 Up Against the Rain (03:34) 5 Cotton (03:29) 6 Not Innocent Enough (03:34) 7 Across America (03:05) 8 Party Girl (03:00) 9 Sing (03:18) 10 Things I Dont Need (02:52) 11 Still Life (03:52) 12 Tequila After Midnight (03:12) 13 Pour Me a Drink (03:34) |
| The Loving Kind : Allmusic album Review : On her 19th album, and her first of mostly new material in half a decade, Nanci Griffith seems to have found topics urgent enough to overcome her writer’s block and return to her folkish/country roots. The album’s title cut is indicative of what’s on Griffith’s mind these days. “The Loving Kind” is a midtempo narrative ballad about Richard and Mildred Loving, the couple whose landmark Supreme Court case ended the ban on interracial marriage. Given the current controversy over gay marriage, its theme is especially poignant. Griffith’s writing is spot-on, demonstrating her ability to accent the notion that love itself is the hallmark of justice. Featuring Barry Walsh on accordion and Fats Kaplins fiddle, the song, despite its large historical context, is brought to the listener in a small intimate way, as if it were a story being told in a living room between friends. “Money Changes Everything” is self-evident by its title, with some gorgeous guitar work by Thomm Jutz and Kaplin’s mandolin. “One of These Days,” with a harmony vocal by Todd Snider, is a reprise of a track on Last of the True Believers. Its subject is the homesickness felt by a native Texan living in New York. There is a tribute to Townes Van Zandt entitled “Up Against the Rain,” with lilting fiddles, pedal steel, and acoustic guitars. “Still Life” is a scathing song about George W. Bush, though it never addresses him by name. That said, it also exhorts the listener to gaze into the mirror of self-examination. “Cotton” is about LBJ’s social conscience but also addresses larger environmental concerns. Its languid pace, Celtic melody, and gorgeous interplay of strings compensate for some of the heavy-handed lyrics. There’s also an anti-death penalty song called “Not Innocent Enough," which deals with the case of Phillip Workman, who was executed for a botched robbery and the murder of a policeman, though evidence suggested it was another policemans gun rather than his own that committed the killing. Steve Earle, Elizabeth Cook, and Mary Gauthier add backing vocals, while John Prine contributes a spoken word coda. “Things I Don’t Need” is a rather preachy song about materialism, but has a fine backing vocal by James Taylor. The set ends with two excellent drinking songs in the grand Lone Star State tradition. The first, “Tequila After Midnight,” written by Dee Moeller, is a killer country dance tune -- i.e., Texas two step. And “Pour Me a Drink" is a classic honky tonk ballad in the Ray Price tradition. Despite a few missteps, The Loving Kind is a solid effort. Griffith is back as a songwriter, with her trademark literary and emotional sensibilities balanced by a keen sense of melody and (mostly) lyrical aplomb. | ||
 | Album: 22 of 22 Title: Intersection Released: 2012-02-20 Tracks: 12 Duration: 36:40 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Bethlehem Steel (02:36) 2 Never Going Back (03:16) 3 Intersection (02:36) 4 Waiting On A Dark Eyed Girl (03:34) 5 Hell No (Im Not Alright) (02:22) 6 Stranded In The High Ground (02:49) 7 If I Could Only Fly (05:09) 8 Just Another Morning Here (03:55) 9 Bad Seed (02:44) 10 Daveys Last Picture (02:55) 11 Come On Up Mississippi (01:58) 12 High On A Mountain Top (02:46) |
| Intersection : Allmusic album Review : Songwriter Nanci Griffiths Intersection is the mirror image of her last album, 2009s The Loving Kind. Where that album dealt with issues of hope in struggle and the transformative power of love to overcome even the most monumental of obstacles, Intersection, by contrast, is a record about struggle (personal and political), loneliness, and losses. Recorded at her home studio in Nashville with co-producers Pete and Maura Kennedy and Pat McInerney, the 12 songs here were cut by this small group with a handful of sporadic guests filling out the roster. The centerpiece seems to be "Hell No (Im Not Alright)," which has been branded a political song. Its uptempo, Buddy Holly-influenced shimmy is, in reality, a deeply personal one; a raging kiss-off to a former lover. "Bethlehem Steel" was written immediately after performing in front of the long abandoned mill in the Pennsylvania city that inspired Billy Joels "Allentown"; its images, poetry, and clear focus get to the heart of her subject and remind us that Griffith is no ordinary songwriter. While she gets some of the songs cultural and historical references wrong, they dont distract from its devastating truth. The title cut is a testament to the hard times Griffith has endured -- she doesnt name them but they include two different bouts with cancer, loss of family, friends, and romantic tragedies -- the grit of real life. Her matter-of-fact tenderness in embracing it all is part of what has endeared her to fans; its poetry and warm, seamless meld of acoustic and electric guitars underscore her trademarks. Her reading of Blaze Foleys "If I Could Only Fly," is a fitting tribute to Austins late outsider songman. "Just Another Morning Here" is from earlier in Griffiths career, but this version is definitive, seasoned as it is by hard-won wisdom."Come On Up Mississippi," the only overtly political song on the recording, carries a fife-and-drum band percussive march by McInerney, and features blues slide guitar from Pete Kennedy as well as a backing choir. The set closes with a stomping country-bluegrass cover of Loretta Lynns "High on a Mountain Top." Admirers of Griffiths earliest recordings will no doubt delight in Intersection as much for its familiarity as the quality of its songwriting and performances. | ||