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Emmylou HarrisAlbums ReviewedPieces Of The Sky (1975)Wrecking Ball (1995) Red Dirt Girl (2000) Pieces Of The Sky(1975)As Gram Parsons' protege and backing vocalist, Emmylou Harris was the natural successor to continue pursuing his vision of Cosmic American Music after his untimely death. Using Parson's backing band, including James Burton and Glen D. Hardin, as well as former Flying Burrito Brother and Eagle Bernie Leadon, Harris assumes the mantle with gracefulness and composure. While she's still pursuing the country-rock (with an emphasis on the country) that he pioneered through The Byrds, The Flying Burrito Brothers and his solo career, the difference in their images alone renders their careers poles apart; Parsons as the anti-establishment country outlaw is almost the exact opposite of Emmylou Harris as the respectable queen of country. Harris' clear soprano, one of the finest voices in contemporary music, is also poles apart from Parson's laid back and shaky intonation, and is another reason why she has attained the recognition that Parsons never received in his lifetime. Until recently, Harris was primarily a covers artist; this album's 'Boulder To Birmingham', a tribute to Parsons, is the only original she contributed until 1985's self-penned The Ballad Of Sally Rose. It's the pivotal track here, a heartfelt account of her sorrow at Parson's departure. With a gorgeous melody, the evocative verses state "the last time I felt like this/It was in the wilderness and the canyon was on fire/And I stood on the mountain in the night and I watched it burn/I watched it burn, I watched it burn", before the chorus asserts "I would walk all the way from Boulder to Birmingham/If I thought I could see your face." It's easily one of the best songs of its era, and it's bemusing that Harris has only recently become a regular writer of her own material. Still, Pieces Of The Sky is far from a one trick album; even if Harris isn't creating her own songs, she's adept at placing others' into new contexts with style. Revolver's 'For No One' isn't markedly changed, even if it's an unusual choice for a country record, but it's delivered in a stately and emotive reading. Even if the rest of the album is closer to straight country, covering writers such as Merle Haggard and Dolly Parton, it's still excellent; more ethereal material like 'Too Far Gone' and 'Before Believing' is better suited to Harris' voice than the uptempo material like 'Bluebird Wine'. Even though this would be more interesting if Harris covered a more diverse range of material, as she does in her later career, and wrote more of her own material, it's still an assertive and impressive debut. The rock fan in me can't help preferring her most recent efforts (reviewed below), but it's still obvious even to me that this is an important recording within the country genre. 
Wrecking Ball(1995)Emmylou Harris was already an established and respected country musician when she released Wrecking Ball in 1995, a radical departure from her earlier work. Producer Daniel Lanois, who is better known for his work with U2, Peter Gabriel and Bob Dylan, fills Wrecking Ball with adventurous guitar textures, but it retains a country core because of the nature of the songs chosen. Many of the songs, such as Dylan's 'Every Grain of Sand' and Julie Miller's 'All My Tears', are based around Christian themes. The former was written during Dylan's Christian phase and details a sense of wonder at creation: "I am hanging in the balance of a perfect finished plan/Like every sparrow falling, like every grain of sand." Harris is a talented vocalist; she makes a disparate collection of songs heartfelt, helped by the simultaneously venturous and earthy production. The best material is clustered towards the end of Wrecking Ball; the simple 'Orphan Girl' is catchy pretty, while 'Blackhawk' and 'Waltz Across Texas Tonight' are simply beautiful. While Emmylou Harris' venture into new territory may have seemed unlikely to succeed on paper, in substance she manages to create a wonderful record which broadens her appeal without damaging her credibility.
 Red Dirt Girl(2000)Red Dirt Girl retains the textures that made Wrecking Ball a memorable album, but takes the reinvention one step further with Harris writing her own songs. While her talent as a songwriter had long been manifest in 'Boulder to Birmingham' and Gram Parson's 'In my Hour of Darkness', Harris had only written a handful of songs previously. While her resolution to write an entire album caused a five year wait, Red Dirt Girl is an excellent result. Profundity is not a quality that can be often attributed to popular music, but it is certainly applicable to songs such as 'The Pearl' and 'My Baby Needs A Shepherd' that Harris obviously poured her soul into. Red Dirt Girl is an insightful and personal record, with maturity from years of pent up experience. The drawback of this approach is that Red Dirt Girl is sometimes weighed down underneath its own emotional baggage, as 'Bang the Drum Slowly' (a tribute to Harris' late father) and 'J'ai Fait Tout' become overly dirge-like. On initial listens I thought that 'One Big Love', with an upbeat Fender Rhodes riff and lyrics including a funky/monkey rhyme, was hopelessly out of place, but it has an important role in stopping Red Dirt Girl from dragging. As on Wrecking Ball the best material is clustered towards the end; on Harris' superb duet with Dave Matthews, 'My Antonia', Matthews' gravelly voice and Harris' ethereal voice blend together beautifully, while the Elvis tribute 'Boy From Tupelo' is a suitably enigmatic closer. Red Dirt Girl is a worthy successor to, and a logical continuation of, Wrecking Ball's excellence.
Stumble Into Grace(2003)I've heard this a few times; it's another self-penned album in the same vein as Red Dirt Girl, but on first impression it's not quite as compelling, largely because it's lost a lot of the country rootsiness that gave the two previous their identity. Still, there are some excellent songs, including 'Strong Hand' dedicated to June Carter Cash, and it's well worth tracking down if you enjoyed the previous two. |
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Written 2001-2007, Graham Fyfe
