Pieces Of The Sky

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Fri Dec 03 2021

5

Emmylou Harris is somehow an underrated country legend. When it's all said and done, she'll forever be on the Mount Rushmore of female country artists, along with Loretta Lynne, Tammy Wynette, and Dolly Parton. None of those country legends have a voice like Emmylou Harris. And the puzzling thing is that it seemingly took years for Nashville to truly embrace her. She'd consistently put out album after album, all of them great, but the early knock on Emmylou was that she never wrote her own songs. This, her debut country album, is mainly covers, including one from the aforementioned Dolly and even a deep cut from The Beatles. But the real gem from this album is the one song Emmylou wrote, and it became her signature song. "Boulder To Birmingham" is one of the greatest sad songs ever put on record, and it wrecks me every time I hear it. Just listen to the words of "Boulder To Birmingham". You feel the pain and sorrow she has over losing her mentor Gram Parsons. She can't understand why he's gone, and more importantly, she can't fathom why no one else feels like she does over his death. Emmylou's tastes were clearly too eclectic and ahead of her time for Nashville (and there may have been some hesitancy to fully embrace her because of her previous association with Parsons, another vanguard in their opinion). But Emmylou focused on keeping the spirit of Gram Parsons alive. She'd solidify her legacy (and write many more great songs) on future albums, but this one clearly puts her on the map. Props for getting former Eagle and Flying Burrito Brother Bernie Leadon, along with many other musicians in Parsons' orbit, to play on this gem of an album. To my ears, Emmylou is the true First Lady of Country Music.

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Thu May 12 2022

5

Damn, I knew her, kind of, but it hasn't really hit me until now how breathtaking her voice is. She really communicates a depth of emotion. I'm tempted to complain that she didn't write most of these songs, but in a way it's interesting that she does write some, yet chooses to record others' music. It's like admitting, there are songwriters as good or better than me, so why not sing their songs instead? And the one she wrote (Boulder to Birmingham) is a stunner.

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Thu Mar 25 2021

5

The alt country queen! I love Emmylou, but this genre is hit or miss for people. Personally I love it, so this is a 5 star for me.

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Sat Feb 26 2022

5

Baby brought me in out off the highway Made me put my money in the bank, bank Straightened out my crooked way of thinking Made it purely pleasure when I drank - bluebird wine

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Fri Apr 01 2022

5

Love that LADY

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Thu Nov 03 2022

5

I know several of the songs on this album - but performed by other artists. Emmylou Harris does them justice. I love the variety on this album. Favorite songs include Boulder to Birmingham, For No One, and Queen of the Silver Dollar. But the whole album is really a pleasure.

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Wed Jul 07 2021

4

I’m beginning to realize I don’t dislike country. I dislike the modern hybridization of pop and country.

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Wed Jan 27 2021

5

So good. My favourite we've had so far.

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Wed Jun 23 2021

5

She does a good job covering Dolly Parton. (Unless it’s the other way round) either way I’m a fan. I love coat of many colours it’s my favourite Dolly song.

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Thu Feb 18 2021

5

awesome album! I am a softy for good country music!

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Mon May 31 2021

5

Very nice

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Wed May 05 2021

5

Love.

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Sat Jun 19 2021

5

Emotional and honest, love the story telling and the vibe of the old school country

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Wed Aug 11 2021

5

I'm not a big country fan. However, I do like what I consider to be REAL country: not the countrified-rock crap that is put out today. Emmylou's voice is amazing, and this album was a gem from start to finish.

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Wed Nov 10 2021

5

010122 14:42 4.5

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Fri Apr 01 2022

5

Unreal vocals. Quintessential country music right here

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Mon May 23 2022

5

flowery and kind of boring

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Wed Aug 31 2022

5

Stunning

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Sun Oct 30 2022

5

What a throwback that was.

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Thu Nov 03 2022

5

Sublime. More like this please!

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Thu Nov 03 2022

5

Here is the warm fuzzy blanket that I could have used yesterday!

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Thu Nov 03 2022

5

Oh, I was needing this. Absolutely lovely, and sounding both old fashioned and very modern (both in good ways). It made me laugh ("Queen of the Silver Dollar") and cry ("Coat of Many Colors"). I love hearing a talented voice sing a wonderful variety of songs by amazing artists (Merle Haggard, Lennon-McCartney, Shel Silverstein, and Dolly Parton!) with backup by Linda Ronstadt! Speaking of Dolly Parton and Linda Ronstadt... I'm still waiting!

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Wed Nov 16 2022

5

Best Song: Boulders to Birmingham or Queen of the Silver Dollar. Timeless, beautiful voice. Great gospel/country/folk vocal melodies. I'm sure this album has been very influential to many female singer-songwriters.

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Mon Jan 23 2023

5

Sublime. Beautiful vocals, excellent playing, American music at its absolute finest.

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Wed Feb 08 2023

5

I LIKED THIS

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Mon May 29 2023

5

Genuinely heartbreaking country ballads. Gorgeous arrangements. An incredibly talented singer.

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Thu Jun 08 2023

5

Hauntingly beautiful voice. ever ever heard of her and immediatly fell in love. country usually isn't my thing (minus ts debut or any dolly parton bc duh), but she made me realize that I actually do like the country-folk mixture she does.

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Fri Aug 28 2020

4

hm

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Thu Nov 19 2020

4

The singing and playing are flawless. However, although Emmylou got here first, I think there are stronger collections of alt country songs out there, which i will almost certainly be going back to before this one.

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Thu Jan 07 2021

4

1/6 Real good folk album. Standout Tracks: Bluebird Wine, Bottle Let Me Down, Queen of the Silver Dollar

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Wed Jun 30 2021

4

Almost magical, which is remarkable for an album of, as I understand it, mostly covers. It contains a nice range of country sounds, and Emmylou's voice is a smooth constant. It doesn't outlive its welcome in any way, but near the end becomes a collection of songs as opposed to a cohesive LP.

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Mon Sep 21 2020

4

It was a nice listen, I can't say too much about it.

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Wed Dec 02 2020

4

Enjoyed a lot!

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Wed Mar 31 2021

4

Hank Williams did it in the 50s, emmylou Harris in the 70s

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Wed Mar 03 2021

4

Love it.

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Tue Apr 13 2021

4

Really good thanks emmylou

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Tue Apr 13 2021

4

Lovely stuff

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Sun Jan 31 2021

4

Great tracks, classic country, awesome covers. Not my usual tastes but will listen to again

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Wed Jun 23 2021

4

Don’t usually like country but this was nice, great voice

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Wed Jun 23 2021

4

This was great. Country can be a bit hit and miss and I can't listen to it for too long but I really liked this album. Although it's got a few covers on it, it's not a covers album but Emmylou Harris only has a writing credit for one song. Interesting stuff.

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Sun Apr 18 2021

4

Really beautiful.

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Tue Jun 29 2021

4

I must like country music. It just sounds like *music*. Particularly the duets. Don’t know why those are able to get through these jaded ears and into my brain.

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Thu Feb 18 2021

4

Never heard this - this is great country music! Her voice and the production is a sweet kiss of Americana

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Wed Mar 31 2021

4

Such a beautiful voice, great lyrics

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Wed Jul 07 2021

4

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this country folk album- especially when a beebles cover came out of nowhere

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Fri Jan 29 2021

4

Country music, alright if you’re into that genre.

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Sun Mar 21 2021

4

Feels like the heart of Americana, thoroughly enjoyed this surprise of an album

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Thu Apr 29 2021

4

Prachtig!

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Thu Jan 28 2021

4

Pretty good. Very good voice. Not remarkable enough to listen to regularly, but very nice for the background and definitely something I could listen to again, especially within larger playlists.

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Sat Jun 19 2021

4

A lovely country album. 8.1/10

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Mon Jun 07 2021

4

What a voice!

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Fri May 28 2021

4

Was pleasantly surprised by this one

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Mon May 24 2021

4

Fleetwood mac vibeke en euhm Gilf

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Mon May 24 2021

4

Yes i like it, ook nog wat anders geluisterd van artist and i like it

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Mon May 24 2021

4

YIHAAAA BABY! ZO BEGINT GE EEN ALBUM 🤠 If i could only win your love, mooi.

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Mon May 31 2021

4

liked the "Coat of Many Colors" cover, I feel like I should listen to this one a bunch more

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Wed Jul 07 2021

4

Stonking opening track and then it ebbed and flowed after that but in an enjoyable way. Will defo listen again

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Fri Jul 30 2021

4

I keep hearing Alison Krauss. But this is way before!

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Tue Aug 24 2021

4

Emmylou Harris is a titan of the Americana scene. Utilizing traditional instrumentation, a subtle western beat, and a gift for storytelling, she creates earnest, compelling music that is entirely her own. Like the outlaws of the 70s and 80s, Harris operates outside the Nashville formula, and borrows across genres.

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Tue Aug 24 2021

4

If you’re gonna listen to country this is a good choice.

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Tue Sep 07 2021

4

Country animado. Está bien.

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Fri Sep 10 2021

4

Good background music. Really nice voice and not too “country”.

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Sun Sep 12 2021

4

She has a beautiful voice. I loved the Beatles cover.

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Thu Sep 23 2021

4

“Pieces of the Sky” by Emmylou Harris (1975) This major label debut by superstar Emmylou Harris is a fine collection of covers of worthy songs, with excellent country instrumental arrangements providing plenty of clear space for individual flourishes (pedal steel, banjo, mandolin, strings, and you name it). The meaty midsection of the album is passionate and potently evocative. Harris’ voice is outstanding, with tremendous use of dynamic variation (e.g., “Too Far Gone”), touching stylings, dreamy resonance, bold interjections of power, and country-honest inflection. It’s all demonstrated on this record, which goes a long way toward explaining why she subsequently became one of the most sought-after backing vocalists in the history of recorded music. Her selection of songs by other artists provides a suitable vehicle for the passion of her performance, eclectic yet well ordered. She teases us into it with the opening track “Bluebird Wine”, a shuffling thank you note to liquid (and cheap) intemperance. The album ends with “Queen of the Silver Dollar”, a raucous and recklessly triumphant celebration of lower middle class (im)morality written by Shel Silverstein (of all people). God, I love the proletariat. Merle Haggard’s “Bottle Let Me Down” is delivered by Harris with sugar and sass, reflecting on the bad feelings one has when the alcohol doesn’t quite ease the pain. Maybe she needs to graduate from wine to port. The one song on this album written by Harris is “Boulder to Birmingham”, a beautifully poetic lament, grieving over an unexpected loss (the demise of her mentor Gram Parsons). Sadly flawed (by a gimmicky rapid oscillation between left and right channels applied to the Rhodes keyboard), it still gets a sob and tears on only the second listen. And again, she goes from wail to whisper in an instant, and then back again as she storms into the chorus: “I would walk all the way from Boulder to Birmingham if I thought I could see your face”, she sings. But it ain’t gonna happen, she knows, as she looks out the airplane window at the prairie and the sky. “The hardest part is knowing I’ll survive.” Hard for you, Emmylou. Fortunate for us. Harris gives a sublime interpretation of Dolly Parton’s “Coat of Many Colors”, a touching alternate take on the biblical story of Jacob’s preferred son, Joseph, and the envy of his brothers (Genesis 37:3-4, KJV). It’s a rich embellishment of the notion of poverty, suitable for Everyman. If you’re not (yet) a fan of country music, this album just might make you one. 4/5

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Wed Sep 29 2021

4

Emmylou’s voice is just incredible throughout this album. The songwriting is a joy to listen to and the covers are perfectly matched. A little on the slower side but it fits the tone well.

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Fri Nov 05 2021

4

Beautiful voice, modern-ish country, amazing and emotional ballads (Boulder obviously, but also others), excellent Beatles cover. Very good album.

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Fri Nov 12 2021

4

Her voice is beautiful.

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Fri Nov 19 2021

4

Listening to this album, it hit me that there is a distinct lack of country music on this list. I can only really think of one other straight-up country album that I've gotten. Regardless, this album is everything that's good about country. Harris has a beautiful voice full of emotion, and the accompanying music is good without distracting from from her as the focus. I'm not in love with her cover of For No One by the Beatles, but at least it's more tasteful than most Beatles covers 4/5

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Mon Dec 20 2021

4

Awesome album. The varied instrumentation and is rousing during the lively songs and beautiful during the pretty songs, and naturally the singing is also on point.

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Fri Jan 21 2022

4

Amazing voice, good classic country

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Thu Jan 27 2022

4

jättebra, klockren kvalité och mix. Bra känsla, roliga texter och topnotch 'instrumentalitet'. Önskar all country va så här

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Thu Jan 27 2022

4

Queen of the silverdollar. Fucking fire dude. This album is great.

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Thu Jan 27 2022

4

She's the original angelic country singer that all copycats are based on. And this is a really good album. Showcases perfectyly what she is about

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Wed Feb 02 2022

4

Great songwriting and vocals.

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Wed Feb 02 2022

4

I know Emmylou Harris from her work with Gram Parsons which I love but regrettably have listened to much more. That is the great thing about this challenge as it is getting me to listen to more than my dozen favourite albums on repeat. This is a beautiful album. Really good traditional country that just shys away from the Nashville glitz. I need to give this a few more listens for all the songs to sink in. A couple of songs lose me but a few others sound as good as her work on Grevious Angel.

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Sun Feb 06 2022

4

Very nice.

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Thu Feb 10 2022

4

A very pleasant listen. I'm not massively into country, but this all seemed very well done. Fave track - "Bluebird Wine", maybe, or "For No One"

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Thu Feb 10 2022

4

Iako je većinom album pun covera (90%), lijepo je odrađen. Općenito se ljudi u današnje vrijeme boje priznati da je nešta country jer dobiva hejt koji po meni ne zaslužuje. Ovo je lijep album i lijep glas sa laganom akustalijom. Volim taj steel zvuk gitare, žao mi je što opet nema pola zvjezdice. Ponavljam. Cover albuma je isto dobar. Može biti isto u nekoj pozadini, pogotovo vožnjom auta kroz countryside u Texasu. Najdraže su mi Bluebird Wine (htio sam da bude više takvih), Before Believing, For No One (Bitlsova prerada) i Queen of the Silver Dollar. Napravila je ovaj album kao pravi album, kao da je njen, a ne da je prepjevala tuđe. Koincidecija??? - taman ima cover od Dusty Springfield (Coat of Many Colors) koje smo prethodno imali, jučer. Huhu.

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Thu Feb 10 2022

4

Prelijep je album. Ne mogu dat nista manje od cetvorke.

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Thu Feb 17 2022

4

I didn't expect that, but I loved the album. It's country, but with a slight folk undertone. Honesty and emotion are palpable in the music of Emmylou Harris. A very nice discovery for me, even if I'm not a die-hard fan of country music.

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Thu Feb 17 2022

4

Beautiful voice. Nice discovery, I will try to find this on LP asap !

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Thu Feb 17 2022

4

Really solid country music album from someone I've never heard of. Really liked the first two songs of the album and the rest kept me engaged. Feels ahead of its time too

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Fri Feb 18 2022

4

Track 1 is now one of my favourite songs! Had never listened to EH before. Loved most of the album.

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Fri Mar 04 2022

4

Great album. Would like to hear some original songs performed by Harris, but her voice is no joke; beautiful, soft and charming.

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Mon Mar 28 2022

4

Loved it

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Mon Mar 28 2022

4

This is a terrific album. Beautiful lyrics delivered in a timeless style

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Fri Apr 22 2022

4

Vraiment bon folk country, une decouverte ! 4.85

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Thu May 12 2022

4

Definitely prefer this older county style compared to... anything modern. Not something I'd always wanna throw on, but I can't deny her charm and vocal prowess. Some great harmonies and instrumentation.

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Thu May 12 2022

4

Thanks to 1001 I'm discovering I actually have a pretty big soft spot for country music.

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Fri May 20 2022

4

The first memorable experience listening to Emmylou Harris was from her 2000 album "Red Dirt Girl" and this early offering from 1975 has all of the indicators that made "Red Dirt Girl" a good listen. "Boulder to Burmingham" has that gloried mix of hymn, some blues, with a tinge of solemn gospel. The type of combination that defined that softer-almost-folk type of country that this particular era became known for. Emmylou's vocals are remarkably clear, her lyrics enunciated without fault. Musically, the band is clearly tailored to her range. This is a well-done album from 1975, and at the risk of overstatement, Emmylou Harris should be considered a gift to this genre if not for her longevity. Where Dolly Parton brought out the glam and brightness of Nashville as one its best entertainers/singer/songwriter, Emmylou Harris has taken the more studious approach in her career, a sort of grounding to remind everyone that outside of the stage, there is a heart and soul to this music.

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Mon Jun 06 2022

4

Original country music that is bookended by two great, faster songs which I liked a lot. In between there were loads of slower ballads that, despite me wishing a bit faster tempo, were still good and enjoyable

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Mon Jun 06 2022

4

Great country album with a signature Emmylou vocal performance. Great run time and production.

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Wed Jun 08 2022

4

I'm not a fan of Country music, but I am a fan of Emmylou Harris. But with songs this good and a voice as angelic as hers, genres are just not really applicable. It's all just music and this is good music. simple as that. 4 stars

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Thu Jun 09 2022

4

Pretty good. Emmylou has a great voice and the instrumentation is fantastic. The album was a but samey though

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Thu Jun 30 2022

4

For some reason I've been itching to get this album on the list for a while. Not sure why, I've never heard it, but I was intrigued by the cover and title. Emmylou's a country singer, and apparently this one is mostly covers, but she does a great job. You could call it more of a collection of songs than an "album" but whatever it is, it works well. There's an excellent energy stringing all of these together, and while the styles shift here and there the production and instrumentation remains skillful and interesting. I really enjoyed a lot of this, plenty of replay value for me, and it's refreshing as always to get a country album, and from a female artist no less. The list needs more stuff like this to balance itself out! Favorite tracks: Bluebird Wine, If I Could Only Win Your Love, Boulder to Birmingham, Coat of Many colors, For No One, Bottle Let Me Down. Album art: Really love this one. I've seen it a lot, and maybe just by looking at a list of albums including on this list, but something about it sticks with me. The picture seems modern for some reason, maybe it's the name too. There are quite a few female country artists today with similar names and aesthetics that made me think Emmylou's a kindred spirit. But the framing/colors are great here, and the picture is nice and contemplative. 4.5/5

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Thu Jun 30 2022

4

Fantastic country album. Especially back in the 70’s I’d wonder if she was one of the pioneers. Either way, this felt like I was listening to a variant of Joni Mitchell or The Carpenters. Really liked this album.

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Fri Jul 15 2022

4

I didnt know much about Emmylou Harris before I heard this album, but shes got a hell of a voice and theres not a weak track on this whole album. Special credit to "Bottle let me down" and Beatles cover "For No One" - 4/5

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Fri Jul 29 2022

4

This leans a little too country and less folk than I enjoy, but tows that line pretty well. I enjoy it more than I expected to at first. "Bluebird Wine" was the only track I knew well before this and it is a great song. "Boulder to Birmingham" was another standout track. "Sleepless Nights" based off listen counts is a underrated song on this album, it is calm and heartfelt. I really enjoyed this album a lot more than I thought I would.

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Fri Aug 12 2022

4

I'm not sure I've ever listened to Emmylou Harris. I get her mixed up with other folks in my head and I can't think of, ya know, that one Emmylou Harris song. But damn this is strong. This is just one of those perfect little albums, where everything fits. Even her doing a cover of Coat of Many Colors works just perfectly. I'd only heard that from Dolly Parton, with that distinctive Dolly Parton voice. And yet Harris knocks it out of the park. Is it that I believe everything that comes out of her mouth? Probably. Dug this one. I'll go back.

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Wed Aug 24 2022

4

This is a good example of the good that this project has done for me, as a music fan. Had I gotten this album earlier in the project, I'd have ripped it to shreds in my review. Now, almost 500 albums in, I have a little more perspective. Emmylou clearly has one of the best voices in country music. There's no argument possible there. She's an incredible vocalist. The issue here is the songs. The vast majority of them are utter slogs. Mind-numbingly slow drags through the mud of steel guitar and banjo refrains. But it's far from the worst of the country albums I've gotten on this list. In fact, it might be some of the best. There's a joy here that's missing in the songs of Loretta Lynn or Merle Haggard. The production is solid. And, of course, Emmylou is exceptional. I can't bring myself to give it a 5 but it has earned every bit of its 4-star review.

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