Editorial Review

Most artists who appeal to adult listeners tend to settle into a comfortable niche, but Lucinda Williams refuses to play it safe. Instead, her music stings like an open wound, as she continues to strip away the protective layers from her art's emotional core. Though Williams has long been prized for the naked honesty of her music, this collection is even rawer than its predecessors. From the down-and-dirty bar-band blues of "Atonement" to the Rolling Stones-style swagger of "Bleeding Fingers" to the tricky balance of debasement and transcendence in "Ventura," Williams leaves the nerve endings of her music exposed. With the band opting for first-take immediacy rather than polish, some of the most powerful material is also the neediest, as the singer addresses lovers who have disrespected her ("Righteously") or abandoned her ("Those Three Days," "Minneapolis"). Though her attempts at rap on "Sweet Side" and "American Dream" might cause diehard fans to wince, her willingness to take creative chances reaffirms her position at the vanguard of a rootsy progressivism that transcends musical category. Simply put, there's more Patti Smith in her than there is Patsy Cline. Read more

Reviews (136)

For me, the Rhythym Wasn't There
This is my least favorite of Lucinda Williams' albums. "Essence" and "Car Wheels on a Gravel Road" and even her latest release (not even sure if it's been released, but I have heard some tracks - she's in love during this record, gossip news has it) share a common thread of story-telling, sexiness and evocation not found in World Without Tears, which is hard, rockin' and disjointed.
Lucinda's best yet
Lucinda just keeps getting more raw and better. She definitely is breaking new ground here, and I think it's her best work to date.

My vote for Album of the Century!
Just finished my third listening of this album, and it is fantastic. Lucinda's lyrics are more powerful and emotional than ever. Musically, she continues her push into new realms, and some songs can initially be uncomfortable - but really start to rock with additional listenings. For those looking for a rerun of Car Wheels or Essence - you won't find it here. But then Lucinda Williams fans aren't looking for comfortable, are they? "Those Three Days" and "Ventura" are absolute classics! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Adult Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Alternative Country-Rock    3. Americana    4. Folk-Pop    5. Folk-Rock    6. Pop    7. Rock    8. Rock/Pop    9. Roots Rock    10. Singer/Songwriter    11. Urban Folk   

Reviews (38)

Great, just great
I am now listening to this cd for the first time, and i have to say I love it!!!The music is mesmerizing, almost putting me into musical nirvana.I recommend it highly, as highly as I have ever recommended any cd!!!

Greatest album, maybe not even from this planet.
If you read my title, it sounds like I may be strange or just looking to be goofy, but after I saw My Morning jacket this year at Bonnaroo, I'm not totally convinced that Jim James and the rest of the crew is entirely human.The sound of Jim James and the dynamic sound of the band in full is beyond anything that should ever be possible from a mear mortal human being.The album, AT DAWN, has been one of my favorite five albums of all time for well over a year now, but it's an album that may possibly grow on a person for years, or maybe lifetimes, or maybe even reincarnated lives, etc.It hits the soul in ways I didn't think possible.I really don't think (aside from MMJ themselves) that any album will ever be made again that reaches this deeply into the human spiritual core.This album leaves me trembling and feeling reborn after every listen.I was late getting into My Morning Jacket, and now I can't stop thinking about them and it's almost odd how integrated their music is with my life.Appropriately enough, they have possibly the most fitting song in the history of life to describe how I feel about Jim James and the way the music makes me feel.To take an exact quote from the song "The Way That He Sings":
The perfect transition to "It Still Moves"
My Morning Jacket has rapidly evolved over its 4 albums, and the evolution is fascinating to follow. Its 1999 debut album "Tennessee Fire" was a journey into Americana, almost entirely based on dreamy, accoustic songs.
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Subjects:  1. Alternative Country-Rock    2. Dream Pop    3. Indie Pop    4. Neo-Psychedelia    5. Pop    6. Rock    7. Rock/Pop   

Editorial Review

Nomadic Southern evangelist Leon Followill may take soap suds to the mouths of the kinfolk wunderkinds--his three sons and a nephew--in Tennessee quartet Kings of Leon, whose second album spins enough cuss phrases and sexual allusions to leave Dolly Parton flushed. But the peculiar 20-something longhairs also fuel up on a filthy shotgun bass and relentless guitar riffs, complementing the delightfully discordant drawl of vocalist Caleb Followill to whittle a 35-minute grab bag of garage rock, English blues, sixties psychedelia, London Calling-ska, spaced-out country waltzes and front-porch, red-state revelry. Without revising its 2003 debut Read more

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Reviews (133)

Grating
I'm not under 13, I just don't want to sign up.
"So far so good/ she's absolutely wasted"
First of all, I can't relate to the content/copy protect problems that a lot of people seem to be having with the CD edition of Aha Shake Heartbreak; I got my copy off of iTunes, you see. So this is going to be review of the music found herin, not the technical issues surrounding it. Okay... *deep breath*... here goes:
if you think the copy-protection is bad, wait till you hear the music
"Four Kicks" is one of those singles that comes out and makes you think the rest of the band's tunes are just as awesome, yet in reality they have a completely different style. The band's all soft and the lyrics are pretty sleazy and bad. I usually can find goodness in soft tracks but Kings of Leon aren't any good at making'em. Kings of Leon are more like the Jesters of Leon for me. Don't buy the CD, but if you must then be aware that just a press on shift will make the copy-protection lift (that was a poem). ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Alternative Country-Rock    2. American Trad Rock    3. Garage Rock Revival    4. Pop    5. Rock    6. Rock/Pop    7. Southern Rock   

Editorial Review

The kings of Canadian turbo twang bend genres like they bend strings on this 40-cut, star-studded extravaganza. On the original numbers that open the two-disc live recording, the quartet appliy their giddyup gallop to the instrumentals and soaring harmonies to the songs, before sharing the stage with dozens of luminaries who make this a "last thrash" equivalent to the Band's Read more

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Reviews (3)

Like No Other
Probably the best live album in decades. Also being a Jon Spencer fan, he doesn't hurt the perfomance, great intro JS. Buy it, Listen to it, nuff said.

Sadies Are The Best Too Bad About The Guest!
I love this band. In fact they are among the best combos around today. I love their brew of country, Spaghetti Western and surfish instros,Byrdsy Burritos country rock, etc. They are also a great presence in concert and this collection shows that in spades. The inclusion of Garth Hudson proves to be affirmation of their status. The Canadians all jam together with great chemistry and synergy . In fact as I write this, I'm looking forward to hearing them tonight with some band called The John Hardy Boys and.....ahem Jon Spencer, which leads me to my next point. Boy does he drop a couple of logs on the second disc. I don't get the appeal of this guy. Like the other reviewer says, it's just not my taste. It seems that bands that I dig always open for this dude and I wind up leaving early. Zzzzzzz. This is a five star CD except for the Spencer stuff on disc 2. At least they're at the beginning and easily skipable. Rock On Sadies!

An evening with The Sadies and friends
It is hard to believe that no one has reviewed this cd by now.It was recorded over 2 evenings in Toronto this past February.The first cd is primarily The Sadies covering songs from their albums.This cd alone provides proof that The Sadies are the best live band around right now.As good as the songs sound on their regular cds- they sound better live.CD 2 is the icing on the cake.Neko Case, Gary Louris, Jon Langford, and the members of Blue Rodeo all offer great renditions of covers and their own hits.Jon Spencer also appears and to be honest I was less than impressed with his tunes but this is just my personal preference as they are well performed.Well worth the 15 bucks Amazon is charging. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Alternative Country-Rock    2. Canada    3. Pop    4. Rock    5. Rock/Pop   

Editorial Review

Though he has often shown a debt to REM and the Smiths, Grant Lee Phillips's most successful recordings--both solo and with Grant Lee Buffalo--represented a break with the sonic largesse and studio affectations of the 1980s. These 11 tracks serve to reconnect him with the bands and songwriters of his 20s, when he was just discovering his own voice--still one of the most expressive and supple in rock music. With a consistency that borders on singlemindedness, he drapes songs by New Order, Joy Division, Echo and the Bunnymen, the Psychedelic Furs, the Church, and the Cure in his trademark acoustic warmth and draws forth the melodies and sense of longing in these Gen-X anthems. The Pixies' "Wave of Mutilation" would hardly seem a candidate for a waltz through Hawaiian Americana, but for Phillips it is, and the result is beautiful, as is the light-Read more

Reviews (3)

Pleasant waste of talent
Grant-Lee Phillips sings with sleepy pleasantness on this collection of covers, perfect for a late dinner in a candlelit lounge.It's a harmless place-holder while we wait for the next album of his own original songs, and is easily recommended to his fans.
Grant-Lee stole my record collection!
Somehow Grant-Lee has managed to take the low acoustic sound he perfected with Grant Lee Buffalo and some of his more mellow solo tracks and use it on eleven wonderful songs from the alternative 80s, back when it was 'college rock'.And he's pulled it off perfectly.
brings back memories...
I've never listened to much of Grant-Lee's previous stuff but I heard a great review of this album on npr.org and it sparked my interest. I've huge fan of all the bands he covers on this album and his interpretations are heart felt and touching. I've really enjoyed this album! Age of Consent, Love My Way, and Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me are my favs. Check it out! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Adult Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Americana    3. Pop    4. Rock    5. Rock/Pop    6. Singer/Songwriter   

Editorial Review

Though he's rightly revered as a pungent, literate songsmith, McMurtry would be just as happy to go down in history as a rocker, a scathing guitar-slinger equal parts Keith Richards and Neil Young. For the most part, McMurtry's first live recording (drawn from four separate gigs in Salt Lake City, Nashville, and Asheville, N.C.) slams that point home with droning fuzz-tone guitar jams and a rhythm section that measures up to Crazy Horse's pounding gravity. Even Townes Van Zandt's gorgeous "Rex's Blues" roars without compromise. With the exception of the relatively understated "Rachel's Song," "Out Here in the Middle," and one of his best new lyrics in years, "Lights of Cheyenne" (previously unreleased and rendered solo here), the trio find a slash-and-burn sonic equivalent to the songwriter's withering social commentaries, often trumping their original versions. Read more

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Reviews (24)

Lou Reed and Roger Miller Stumble into a Bar
Lou Reed and Roger Miller stumble into a bar.Tom Robbins, Jennifer Jason Leigh, John Lennon and Debra Winger are holding down a table littered with lime bones and a half-empty bottle of tequila, discussing the triple aspects of the Universal Goddess, maiden-mother-crone or waif-whore-witch.Some number of hours later, someone says, "Let's put on a show!"The way they're standing says it all.
James McMurtry
Really excellent.He writes story songs like Bob Dylan, but he plays the guitar better.

Play this one loud and leave room for jumping about
James McMurtry is sometimes characterized more as a songwriter than a performer, and he has penned a number of songs that chronicle the lives and times of those who are living on the fringes and those marginalized. But his earlier studio work has not ranked as among my favorites, sometimes seeming as though he would rather be doing something else, maybe writing.
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Subjects:  1. Americana    2. Country-Rock    3. Folk-Rock    4. Pop    5. Rock    6. Rock & Roll    7. Rock/Pop    8. Singer/Songwriter   

Editorial Review

For the intro to "Open Up Your Eyes," Tonic's lead guitarist, Jeff Russo, pulls off a wicked little flirtation with the riff from "Badge," and when his guitar gently weeps on "If You Could Only See," Tonic sound enough like Cream-era Clapton to take you back 20 years. The point is, Tonic know how to rock. Russo and singer-rhythm guitarist Emerson Hart make a profoundly talented songwriting team whose material could be put up against anything from R.E.M.'s Read more

Reviews (83)

emotional genius
I received this album as a random birthday gift back in '03. As a devotee of techno and dance, I didn't expect to like it. However, I stuck it in the stereo and I can honestly say that it was instant love.
This is no Lemon!!
I bought this CD about a year ago because I wanted "Open Up Your Eyes". My eyes were opened. I frankly didn't know what to expect with Tonic, seeing I had not listened to any of their music except the above-mentioned song. I was pleasantly surprised to hear such great songwriting and musicianship.
Strong debut!

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Subjects:  1. Adult Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Alternative Country-Rock    3. Alternative Pop/Rock    4. American Trad Rock    5. Pop    6. Popular Music    7. Post-Grunge    8. Rock    9. Rock/Pop   

Editorial Review

Shooter Jennings's 2005 debut, Read more

Reviews (23)

Shooter - Back in the Saddle.
Shooter is back and still riding high. This CD is a pretty good CD. I love the southern rock style Shooter brings to the table.
great cd
Shooter is amazing to listen to in concert and both of his cd's are great i highly recomment them to anycountry or rock fan

Refreshing
How great that in today's contemporary country scene so saturated with radio friendly sappiness like Rascal Flatts that a real raw country rock album can still be made. Shooter never falters and doesn't just deliver those stereo typical sappy made for radio singles like many country acts do. If only Shooter could find a larger audience, perhaps even ween those crazy kids off Rascal Flatts and onto the real deal. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Alternative Country    2. Arena Rock    3. Country    4. Country-Rock    5. Hard Rock    6. Pop    7. Rock & Roll    8. Singer/Songwriter    9. Southern Rock   

Editorial Review

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Reviews (36)

Great Ride--Lyle Lovett's Pontiac
Classic Lovett.Creative, pensive, entertaining...Favoites on this CD include Don't Touch My Hat, Long Tall Texan (with Randy Newman), and That's Right, You're Not from Texas.

A master at the top of his game
PONTIAC is a wonderful example of how multi-talented an individual Lyle Lovett is. Beginning with the charming "If I Had a Boat," PONTIAC takes a listener on a journey through the many different song styles, all of which Lovett is a master of. Lovett plumbs the depths of a man's soul on the noir tales of "L.A.County" and "Pontiac" and then just as easily creates a sense of fun and exasperation on "Give Back my Heart" and "She's No Lady." PONTIAC captures a master songwriter at the top of his game with haunting lyrics and memorable tunes. Shifting easily from Texas twangs to big band sounds, Lovett creates a sound that encapsulates the true range of the what is known as "country," and he does it better than most.

Lyle Lovett's Pontiac
I had this first as a tape. One side was his smooth country songs. The other was the jazzy big band songs. Both are great. From humorous to sadistic to full of feeling, it is one of the few CD's I can say I love every song on. His voice is marvelous, his band is superb... as always. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Alternative Country    2. Alternative Country-Rock    3. Contemporary Country    4. Country    5. Country & Western    6. Pop    7. Rock    8. Singer/Songwriter    9. United States of America   

Editorial Review

It might seem a bit of a letdown to have waited 26 months (Case is such a transcendent singer, her fans were Read more

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Reviews (23)

Love it!
Okay, so the last track is a little weird, maybe I just don't get it. But this really is a phenomenal CD by a woman to whom the Britney's, Christina's and other blonde bimbos could learn a thing or two. Suggest to anyone that's a fan of the Blues, Gospel, or just good rockin' music. Enjoy!

Neko wuvs tigers - awwwwww
There are a few songs here that absolutely make me hair stand on end, it's unbelievable. The first track is true perfection and evocative of a great, epic western soundtrack. Then there is the fantastic old time country gospel of This Little Light which is electrifying. As far as sound quality: if anything, it adds to the "classic" feel found in vintage live recordings of the 70's. It's good AS IS. What is it about tigers that resonates with Neko? I envision a day when she performs these songs on stage with live tigers going berzerk in cages on each side of the stage. She could walk up to one of them, and the tiger would flash his paw through the bars, angry that he/she is being subjected to the loud noise, the audience. She could even bring a stool and sit next to the caged feline and serenade it.

Her Best
Of all her albums (including Fox Confessor...), this is the best. First, it's staggering that her voice can be as amazing live as it is on the studio albums; really, it's something special. Second, her 'magnetism' comes out much more in the live recording than it does in the studio albums. When I listen to the studio albums I feel like something is missing; what is on this album is exactly what's missing. It's like the difference between a Grateful Dead live album versus a Grateful Dead studio album (well, maybe not that severe, but you get the point.)
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Subjects:  1. Adult Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Alternative Country-Rock    3. Canada    4. Pop    5. Rock    6. Rock/Pop    7. United States of America   

Editorial Review

Arguably the most eclectically prolific artist since Prince, Ryan Adams continues his chameleon revivalism with his most straightforward country music to date. Having evoked the inspiration of bands ranging from T. Rex to the Grateful Dead on previous solo releases, the former Whiskeytown frontman here channels the likes of Faron Young on "My Heart Is Broken," while framing the shot-and-a-beer opener, "A Kiss Before I Go," with honky-tonk piano and pedal steel. "Seems like I'm always movin'," he sings amid the rockabilly kick of "Trains," as the album finds his restless muse ranging from a dreamy duet with Norah Jones on "Dear John" to naked vulnerability reminiscent of John Lennon on "Silver Bullets." Only Adams would cut a track titled "The End" and sequence it second on the CD, or a song called "Peaceful Valley" and inject it with so much emotion. Read more

Reviews (62)

A Must Have!
Ryan Adams once again proves that he is a very talented songwriter with great versatility. He is an artist, a true artist. It seems with every release we get to know a new side of this man. If you look at his enitre catalog, the only constant is that he can write great songs and deliver them in a way that makes you believe whatever he is saying. Jacksonville City NIghts is a great record from start to finish. Upon first listen, I was kind of unsure how I felt about it. But after a few more listens I realised that it was, in fact a great record. The opening track "a kiss before I go" is a very catchy song that will have you hitting the repeat button, with its catchy hook. Many of the songs on this album are just some of his best yet. The song that I find the most brilliant is "The End." Just the way he and The Cardinals deliver this one is just so heart felt and enjoyable. Other standout tracks are:
Next Time, All We Need Is One Per Year
That is a true statement, because in all honesty if he took the few stellar songs off of all 3 releases, (Roses, Nights,29), he may be in the running for greatest artist of our generation.Instead he throws a few full lengths at us in one year, which, to any adams fan, is a blessing, but to people just getting into him, its a curse.For these people, i would stay away from all 3 of these right away, and get more of a base set with heartbreaker, and gold.But back to this one, Its twangy, its chilly, its beautiful, its 5 Stars in my book.Really like Peaceful Valley, Withering Heights, and Silver Bullets.Great Album with little bit of filler, but not enough to garner any rating but a 5.

Oh Jacksonville, it'll burn in your soul
Every song is beautiful.
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Subjects:  1. Adult Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Alternative Country    3. Alternative Country-Rock    4. Alternative Pop/Rock    5. Americana    6. Pop    7. Rock    8. Rock/Pop    9. Singer/Songwriter   

Editorial Review

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. Read more

Reviews (48)

Ithink this one's my favorite
Some reviews I read of this record suggested it was a lightweight effort compared to their earlier work. That's sorta true, but not in a bad way. Revelator hit you so hard in the gut that it was almost hard to listen. I remember when I saw them do the title track, the entire audience exhaled at once at the end of the song, so tranfixed had they been by Rawlings' guitar solo anw Welch's soul plumbing lyrics.
Not her best, but still better than most
For somebody who's not even a Southerner, Gillian Welch sure has the Southern mentality down pat.This one isn't as good as her previous three albums, but it's close. The strongest song is the opener, Miss Ohio, which I believe is not an original. That shows that the songwriting is flagging just a bit. So if you don't know Gillian Welch at all, listen to the other three first, and if that's not enough, get this one.

just a little more love
The band, perhaps, not the right idea. "Look At Miss Ohio" a scarifyingly precise premonition of the 2004 presidential election. "One Monkey" similarly on time. Both also eternal. "One Little Song" perfectly expressive. "I Made A Lover's Prayer" the bleedingest naked open bodhi about. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Alternative Country    2. Americana    3. Contemporary Folk    4. Folk & Traditional    5. Neo-Traditional Folk    6. Pop    7. Rock    8. Rock/Pop    9. Singer/Songwriter   

Reviews (46)

Took my breath away
I can't say enough about this album.I've never heard anything like it and I want to hear more.What a beautiful gift they have. I find myself torn between a desire to rest in it and be still and the way it lifts my heart and makes me want to run through the nearest open field and raise my hands to the sky in abandon.Thanks you guys for sharing this with the rest of the world.How thankful we are... =)

Good Choice
I happen to hear a song from this CD on something else and decided to listen to the tracks on Amazon and decided to buy it on a leap of faith and am very happy I did.It is a great that is both relaxing and inspiring.

Something finally worth listening to.
This CD is amazing. Peter Adams' and Kat Maslich's voices blend so well together and the harmony is beautiful. It is definitely worth listning to and I would recommend it to anyone. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Alternative Folk    2. Americana    3. Pop    4. Rock    5. Rock/Pop   

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Reviews (1)

Excellent solo acoustic versions of Classic Steve Earle
This reminds me of the show I saw in Newport Folk Fest in 2004 or was it 2003? Anyway, I was blown away by the Newport show and to see Steve unplugged. Only thing better than this would be to have the DVD of he and Lucinda Williams at the Folk Fest that year. This one is essential for Steve Earle fans. If you are new to Steve Earle there is a great double CD of his greatest hits out already. Otherwise pick through his many studio releases before buying this one. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Alternative Country    2. Americana    3. Pop    4. Rock    5. Rock/Pop    6. Roots Rock    7. Singer/Songwriter    8. United States of America   

Editorial Review

The album on which she officially gave up on Nashville and began singing torchy, adult-contemporary pop, Read more

Reviews (47)

There's a beauty to this album, but still beauty has flaws.
I listen to this, and there's a beauty of most of these songs that remind me of being out in a prairie somewhere in Kansas, and seeing the green grass swaying, and the dust flying up in little whisps. It has that earthy folk feel, and considering this was supposed to be adult contemporary it sounds more like adult alternative. I was generally pleased with what I heard except for the second and sixth songs which I don't remember the titles of, but they just reeked too much of the key of "F". I hate that key with a passion, and so goes with the last song on this album "Constant Craving". I didn't know it existed until I moved down from Philadelphia; you see they didn't play this song up there from what I knew, and the first time I heard this was in 94 during the summer when I was at my worst emotionally, and since hearing it for the first time then it's always had a way of draining me emotionally like there's no hope. It's like seeing a man come home from a day where he didn't make alot of money at his work, and coming home with virtually nothing. It's a single young man who just had his heart stomped on by a girl, and now is grieving, and many other metaphors you could think of; for others this may be a haunting song, but still has it beauty; well you're right to think that, but to me sometimes beauty can be a downer if the spirit is not a pure loving one. This with the title of "Constant Craving" is of someone who's not happy with stopping with what she has, and I can identify with that because I have trouble with just standing still, and just enjoying beauty, but it has to be a beauty that strikes me dead, and "Constant Craving" just leaves me crying because the song makes you hungry, but for what? It's still has beauty just look past the fact that there was an article where Lang and Cindy Crawford had a fantasy where Crawford gives Lang a shave I actually saw that in Playboy. However, Lang does offer a good voice to these songs, but avoid 2&6, but especially "Constant Craving" if you want to keep your happy mood.

Timeless and Beautiful.
This album was released in March 1992. That is now 15 years since it was recorded.
Even if you hate country, you'll love this
I', not a KD Lang fan.In fact I hate country.But this DVD is a total departure for her.Every song is a different style. Very sultry on some cuts."Constant Craving" is the best cut and the reason I took a chance on an artist I would normally not buy. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Adult Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Adult Contemporary    3. Alternative Country    4. Canada    5. Neo-Traditionalist Country    6. Pop    7. Pop Vocals    8. Pop/Rock    9. Popular Music    10. Rock/Pop   

Reviews (25)

Folk at it's best
Eveningland and The Rabbit Songs both possess a melodic sincerity to them that never slides into sentimentality, i.e. Emo and any country music written after 1974).It is American music used to its best affect: examining the interiors of the soul for the young and rapturous of heart.I would also recommend Wilco's first four and Neko Case's last two albums.
Hem come into their own in this album
They become more of the band they were trying to emulate in their previous CD.

Standing on the Rooftops
Hem's 2nd full CD "Eveningland" works exquisitely well. The track that mesmerizes me is "Redwing" with its catchy melody that soars into a glorious climax, "We are standing on the rooftops; We are circling like sparrows; We are tiny, we are trembling; Scared of everything but the heart is still a red wing."What a lovely classic track!Josh Rouse whose lovely CD "Nashville" is also stunning guests on harmony vocals on the closer "Carry Me Home" with his voice subtle in the mix, "So me & Jessie, we left Ohio -- left him bleeding on the valley floor, I felt so dirty I could hardly stand it -- carrying Jessie on my back."The blend of voices on the lovely melody is beautifully sad.The opener "The Fire Thief" is also a strong melody with Sally Ellyson's vocals understated, yet holding the spotlight."Receiver" is also a strong track, wistful with strings."Jackson" for me is a Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazlewood tune since Johnny & June's version still isn't in my collection, but this Hem rendition softens the edge with a quiet beauty that warrants repeated listening."Eveningland" is a strong set for this low-key lovely band.Enjoy! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. "16 delicate miniatures of melancholy and longing, steadied by piano and pedal steel and liberated by Sally Ellyson's warm September morning of a voice." TIME OUT LONDON (UK)    2. Alternative Country-Rock    3. Alternative Pop/Rock    4. Contemporary Folk    5. Pop    6. Rock    7. Rock/Pop    8. Singer/Songwriter   

Editorial Review

Emmylou Harris's formula has been to match a crack crew of left-of-center country players with an assortment of tasteful tunes and head into the studio with a nonintrusive producer. Now and then (most notably the 1980 bluegrass collection Read more

Reviews (112)

Give it time
On the first few hearings I was convinced that Daniel Lanois had overwhelmed Emmylou's beautiful and fragile voice to showcase a few production tricks that aren't even that original any more. I playedthe CD when I was bored with everything else and by this means I've gradually been converted. On a good hi-fi system, the complex and layered arrangement no longer sounds like a wall of mud, but instead resolves into real instruments. Daniel Lanois provides a distinctive sound and in doing so goes beyond what we normally expect from a a producer. However, I now appreciate that the vocals are at the centre of every track, and this fine album is correctly credited to Emmylou Harris.Wrecking Ball is an impressive one-off work that defies classification. I give it 3.9 stars. If you've not heard it yet, keep an open mind and a listen on a good stereo.

Stunning Masterpiece
Wow. How to convey in words just how brilliant this album is ? Let me try. This album is deep, spiritual, reflective, sad and hauntingly breathtaking. Every cut is a standout. "Where will I be" is spine-tingling--a song about death and questioning when and why this event eventually happens to us all. "Goodbye" is so painfully beautiful it is hard to listen to the first few times because it makes you want to cry of heartbreak. "All my Tears" is a powerful song that teaches us that we need not be afraid of death if we just have faith. "Wrecking Ball" is dreamy, a bit bizarre, but dreamy nonetheless. "Sweet Old World" is another hard one to listen to. If you've ever lost a loved one to suicide you will know why. The song mentions all the things a person misses when cutting his/her life short. "Goin Back to Harlan" is a sweet number as is the powerful "Walk Across Texas". I don't think anyone else on the planet could pull off such a complex, heavy album and end up in heavenly territory. Emmylou is a true artist and is just brilliant-her vocals are like none other and resonate with pure unadulterated emotion. You need to get this album--it's just that good.

I 'Get It' but wish I hadn't
I've listened to this piece of work several times, in many positions, on various stero systems, during different moods and I just can't understand the lyrics half the time and the arrangements were best described as 'a wall of mud'.
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Subjects:  1. Adult Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Alternative Country    3. Contemporary Country    4. Contemporary Singer/Songwriter    5. Country    6. Country & Western    7. Pop    8. Progressive Country   

Editorial Review

Torrential creativity has fast-forwarded the artistic evolution of former Whiskeytown frontman Ryan Adams from country-rock boy wonder (see Read more

Reviews (147)

September 10, 2001
The album was aworkofartbut youneedto seethe video For Istilllove you New York ItwasshotonSeptember 10, 2001onthe other sideof the Hudsonwiththe WTCinthebackround!! BoneChillingyetrefreshing!Hewasthefirstmusical guest on SNLafter the attacks . Enjoy

flight test (4.5)
I'm a big fan of Adams, and I think he's a very talented artist. Most people consider this his best. I don't think so, but I do think its good.