Reviews (page 7 of 8)
Bonito. Country tranquilo.
relaxing listen
Intiimi ja hiano. Kyl kelppa, nii!
Not bad, but just not for me
I liked it at the time and it’s aged well
Quiet, soulful and introspective. definitely suited for a particular mood, but the vocals are great throughout
A lovely album. Her voice is captivating
1/10, 10%
Un gran álbum de country, sumamente influyente para la corriente alternativa del género. La hipnotizante voz de Emmylou Harris interpreta con pasión las canciones compuestas por talentosos compositores, evocando con covers a los artistas más grandes que le preceden como Dolly Parton o The Beatles.
Emmylou Harris obviously has an excellent voice and this is obviously a great straight country record. Enjoyable listen for sure.
4.2
Dolly Parton influence
Very much enjoyed. But then I am a country girl at heart.
Enjoyable, great voice
She has a beautiful voice but still this is boring and not for me.
Honestly, it's pretty good but not for me at all
If this process has taught me anything it's that I like country. Would listen again.
A little bluegrass, gospel influence. Incredibly powerful voice. Not entirely my cup of tea, but it was nice having on. Favorite tracks: "Boulder to Birmingham", "Bottle Let Me Down"
More like it. A little bit of country. Will need to listen to this again in the summer while sitting out in the garden.
The album opened with a positive start with “Bluebird Wine” but never continued down the rock forward country sound which I like. The album overall is just a meandering straight country album which isn’t a genre I like so my opinion is likely opposite from the general consensus.
I've never heard of her, and didn't know what to expect, but I think I love this 4/5
A few tracks that would work really well on their own, but as an album it's just too slow and sappy.
Not my usual type of music, but very pretty. Easy on the ears!
Well, damn. I'm diggin' rap AND country now? I can't find a single thing to criticize. I couldn't help but hear a little Dolly Parton, and then she goes and covers "Coat of Many Colors" to make me feel like I might know WTF I'm talking about. The Beatles' cover ranks among the best I've heard — not of that song specifically, but a general statement that she did an expert job translating the song and bringing something personal and new. Great arrangements, harmonies, instrumentation, playing... I mean, what else do you listen to music for?
I've always found Harris to be rather vanilla and this listen did nothing to change my mind. She's great in a duet, as she was on the Gram Parsons records, but as a lead singer, I don't love her approach. You can't fault her for her song selection (anyone who covers The Louvin Brothers is all right in my book), but I don't think she brought anything new to these tunes.
Excellent example of why I love this project. Emmylou Harris is certainly a name I know and a musician who paved the way for so many female artists. I learned that Graham Parsons "discovered" her. Interesting! I loved this so much. Her covers really shined and Queen of the Silver Dollar (lyrics by Shel Silverstein!) took me back to childhood riding in my dad's gold VW Beetle.
Overall I am glad I listened to this album. It is very pretty sounding, Emmylou has a timeless voice, and this album sits solidly in the type of country I find palatable. However, it is too twangy for me at points, songs kind of blend together, and some songs are just tooo slow for my personal preference. I think it’s definitely worthy of a listen through for anyone who enjoys music from the 70s. 6/10
Great! Cool covers. I especially liked For No one
Not a country fan at all
Pieces of the Sky is the second album and commercial breakthrough by American country music artist Emmylou Harris. This country album features an eclectic assortment of song styles that appealed to Emmylou, including various covers of popular songs like "Too Far Gone," "The Bottle Let Me Down," "For No One," and "Coat of Many Colors". This is a beautiful album from a talented singer. The album's tracks do a great job of making the listener feel different things while you get swept away by the soothing music. Glad I had the chance to listen to this album.
Favorite Tracks: Too Far Gone Before Believing
I like: Too Far Gone Boulder to Birmingham
Great one. Beautiful voice.
B- Bluebird Wine 3 Too Far Gone 4 If I Could Only Win Your Love (with Herb Pedersen) 3 Boulder to Birmingham 3 Before Believing 2 The Bottle Let Me Down 3 Sleepless Nights 3 Coat of Many Colors 2 For No One 4 Queen of the Silver Dollar 3 Emmylou Harris with an absolute revenge game. Her album from 2000 was horrendous. I was not a fan. However, she totally redeemed herself here. This was great. Although, I am much more a fan of 1970's country than more modern country, so it makes sense.
I liked it
Eh..it was not good. I suffered through it.
Not for me. Bit too country.
A consistent, loving album from Emmylolu Harris. Rings with all of the classic old country tones you'd want but with her own spin on it. The covers were especially interesting
otroligt tråkigt
Standout track- Coat of Many Colors
me lembrou as musicas country da xuxa me senti nostalgica
I gave more than one star to a country album. The world's gone topsy-turvy
I mean, okay, Emmylou, after an illustrious career in music, you've got some clout. You're a serious singer-songwriter and you've been through some shit. But, like, I'm just so bored, man. This is the album that launched your career and it's full of covers?? I just... yawn. Sorry gal, respect and all that, but do better next time please. I want to hear who YOU are, not your version of who everyone else is. I am disappoint.
As far as country goes, I’ve heard worse. The first song was pretty decent actually. Couldn’t get through much of the rest….
Qué chulada de voz, pero hasta ahí.
Not for me
"Pieces of the Sky" by Emmylou Harris is a country music classic that showcases her angelic voice and talent as an interpreter of songs. Released in 1975, it marks her debut solo album and the beginning of a storied career. Tracks like "Bluebird Wine" and "Boulder to Birmingham" are notable for their emotional depth and Harris's haunting vocals. The album's production, led by Brian Ahern, is polished and tasteful, with a mix of traditional country and folk influences. While "Pieces of the Sky" is an impressive debut, it doesn't quite reach the same heights as some of Harris's later work. Some listeners might find it a bit uneven, with a mix of original compositions and covers. However, it's a foundational album that laid the groundwork for her subsequent success in the country and folk genres, earning it a solid 3/5 rating.
Meh
Good old sweet country! Pas ma came, mais très sympa
country music is great and this proves it
A solid listen but Emmylou Harris can't keep me with her voice for the length of an album.
Very nice vocal styling and songwriting, a nice Beatles cover thrown in. Nice morning music.
What a beautiful cover album, except for that one she co-wrote. Her versions were mostly original, but not all were necessary. I enjoyed the album, but I can’t shake the feeling that she could do better if there was more of her own music in the mix because she has such a unique sound. Her own songs could only enhance her style. 4/5
Opzich een prima stem en een paar nummers waren ook wel leuk, maar t was voornamelijk een beetje zeik muziek. 2.5/5
Not something I’d listen to normally. There’s definitely no filler on this album, it’s a very good 70s country album; Strings work well with great a country voice.
Good album overall, I definitely recognised the "Toy story" vibes. Not sure I'll get back to it though
Ia aight, good voice, the country songs meh
Only like 2 types of music, country and western
As country music, it would be difficult to find a better album. As country music goes that is...
After this album I'm convinced Emmylou is on par with Dolly. Now to paint my pickup truck white and driver on until I meet Jesus himself.
Emmylou Harris' style of music is country folk. It sounds like a female John Denver. Her voice is beautiful. She does a fantastic job of covering Dolly Parton's song Coat of Many Colors. Overall, a fantastic album. Perfect for a lazy Sunday. Favourite songs: Queen of the Silver Dollar, Bluebird Wine, Bottle Let Me Down, Coat of Many Colors, Hank and Lefty, California Cotton Fields, Boulder to Birmingham, If I Could Only Win Your Love, Least favourite songs: Sleepless Nights, For No One 5/5
Enjoyed this a lot. Hadn’t listened to her before!
The first half was much better than the second, but it was still really good. Not the biggest fan of country but was pleasantly surprised.
Pretty standard progressive country album, but all in all I really enjoyed it!
I always thought Emmylou was one of those musicians loved by her peers but ignored by the record buying public. It’s nice to learn that she also sold some albums. Her voice is majestic. It’s so good that she can cover well known songs that are high risk to cover. One example is For No One which she sings brilliantly at a much slower tempo. This was a risky one to cover since it’s well known and Paul sang the original beautifully. I would normally draw a negative inference from their being only one original but the one is a wonderful song about a drunken angel and her feelings of love and, I think, guilt.
As the critics say, Emmylou is “blessed with a crystalline voice” and she was definitely in her prime in 1975. I prefer this to the 2000 release we were sent earlier, which I felt was over produced. Here, the production is great, by Brian Ahern, apparently Canadian, who has produced everyone from George Jones to Anne Murray. Anyway, he gives the album a nice acoustic country feel, as does the song selection.
I love her voice so much. Most of these songs are covers but that doesn't bother me. Queen of The Silver Dollar is one of my favorite country songs. All in all I probably enjoy this at the 4 level, but its absolutely criminal that the current community rating is barely over 3. It needs a 5.
Above average country. Standouts: Too Far Gone, If I Could Only Win Your Love, Coat of Many Colors, For No One. 3/5
Emmylou Harris, I loved so much for so long, but this album is way too far gone into country music territory for me to tolerate.
I typically don't go for the more folksy style of country, but I found myself really liking this one. My thing will always be on the use of instrumentals, and Emmylou nailed them here. All of them were interesting uses in the background, and they paired with her voice very well. Favorite track: Queen of the Silver Dollar
not bad, but not alot of relisten in there for me
Didn’t love but didn’t mind having it on. A solid 3
“ChatGPT, create me a country album that will sound like every other country album ever.” If you asked it this, it would produce this album. AI will have a field day creating country music as its by far the least creative / innovative of all the genres. Anazingly 51% of Americans listen to country at least once a month. Thats crazy. I reckon if you like country, you’ll love this. But if you are a fan of music you’ll think this is boring.
Classic example of female country singer, typical songs, typical warbly vocals, typical themes. If you like country you'll probably like this, if you don't this isn't going to change your mind. Hard to believe this is a must hear album given its almost certainly not the first to sound like this and doesn't offer anything new.
The only country music I actively listen to is probably Dolly Parton, or some very old 1950s or 1960s stuff mainly for the atmosphere. I can't get behind this. It isn't terrible, it is rather bland. She does have a lovely voice, but quite frequently I feel that country music never gets going.
How are there this many Country albums on the list! This is about as generic country as you're going to get. Same old shite, same 1 star rating as the others.
More country! We don't really do country here in the UK..... This might've been the best country we've had so far, but not really for me and I got tired of it pretty quickly 1.5
Getting some more country music, always glad to see an album pop up on here that isn't from a genre i'm as familiar with. I love her voice, songs like the Beatles cover and the closing track Queen of the Silver Dollar are great listens. Will probably end up coming back to this in the future for some more listens because I had fun. Hoping there's still more to come on this list that'll help me expand my tastes.
Great folk, and great voice.
Niet veel specialer dan andere country albums
Nice vocals
Beautiful old school country voice. 4.5
A country music classic
oddly good i really like this
Not bad 3
good stuff. Will explore more.
Beautifully produced country pop, soaked in reverb. Really pristine sound. Emmylou Harris has a gorgeous voice. When she holds out a note, it sounds so clean. So strong. “Bluebird Wine” is a clear standout for me. It’s got real power to it. I love that forceful country style. I wish there were a few more peppy tunes like this but hey, maybe that’s jus another album. “Bottle Let Me Down” is fun too. The Beatles cover “For No One” has some incredible guitar on it. “Before Believing” is beautiful. I love these lyrics: “How would you feel if the world Was falling apart around you Pieces of the sky were falling In your neighbor's yard but not on you Wouldn't you feel just a little bit funny, Think maybe there's something you ought to do?”
She's got a beautiful voice and the music compliments it well. The record doesn't blow me away but it's definitely not bad either. I think it's a pretty middle of the road 3/5, which totally isn't a bad thing for this list. I think a lot of singer-songwriters that I like have been influenced by her sound and I appreciate that.
Meh + uventa Beatles-cover
1st track probably everything I still don't like about country, come on good ol' boys, slap your thighs down at the hoedown. Similar with Bottle let me down. I've started to really like some country, but I don't like that. Gorgeous voice, obviously. I can't argue with Boulder to Birmingham, lovely song. There are several more objectively beautiful songs. Beautifully done, not for me really, overall.
I bought this on recommendation a few years ago and never got round to listening to it. The sound of the record is exquisite and, to my ears, unusual: there’s so much going on, it often is a wall of sound, , but one where you can easily make out each individual element. The songs are frequently beautiful, but oppressively tasteful. Harris’s voice is outstanding, perfect and distinctive, the experience of hearing her sing these covers is like watching an exceptional actor play a classic role. Lovely, but not haunting. Unfairly, Souled American’s handful of skeletal covers jump to mind as the victorious counter argument. After writing that I listened to their take on “Little Bessie, and let faint terror in. I’m not asking for a Lo-fi slowcore Emmylou Harris album, but some grit and flaw would have lifted this record up. S, this morning I saw a brown bear on the way to the nursery - O shouted “DAHG!”
My favorite voice in country music, just exquisite. I know her work with others more than her own albums, so this was a welcome find. Some beautiful songs esp. Boulder To Birmingham and the Beatles cover. No doubt the wonderful Dylan album "Desire" is on this list, but if not it's a required listen if you love her voice as much as I do.
Very enjoyable country album with a lot of feeling.
I swear, there's so much country on this list that I'm going to have this godforsaken genre in my Spotify Wrapped, and people will throw cans at me and laugh. Is that an unedited image of her on the album cover? She looks like a mannequin of a tree spirit, and I mean that as an utmost genuine compliment. Okay, so do country artists ever write their own songs or is the whole genre just a circulating mass of 30 different songs to cover? This is probably the third time I've had to listen to "Coat of Many Colors", and if I had something nice to say about this, it's probably the best version I've heard so far. Certainly better than having to listen to Dolly Parton's Spongebob laugh-ass voice. Who cares. 2/5
3.5 stars. 70's Country Western that is carried by Harris's beautiful voice.
second emmylou harris album and wow i love country music again
Amazing voice with very decent songs
I ALREADY RATED THIS YOU IDIOTS
Glorious, beautiful, soaring. 5 stars.
I just can't.
Kinda sounds like Doll. Turns out she covered one of Dolly's songs. This is ok I guess. Not terrible, but not super good or interesting. A low 3/5
Marvellous
Excellent Emmylou Harris album, timeless. 8/10
Wonderful country/bluegrass album. Great songs, great voice.
Some carefully selected covers and a lovely voice: can only lead to a great album.
Very country, great voice.
A decent singer-songwriterish country effort. Not entirely wowed on the songwriting front (I’d already heard Dolly do ‘Coat of Many Colors’ much more justice a few albums ago), but the vocals were pleasing and the instrumentals well done.
Very repetitive genre
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.
This was great. It’s a great mix of varied covers and obviously, Harris’ voice is incredible. I loved these versions of Coat of Many Colors and For No One.
It feels appropriate for Pieces of the Sky to be Emmylou Harris' proper debut, for it allows the emergent singer-songwriter to fully capture everything she had learned and weaved into a complete package. From dedicated commitments of heartwrenching tales to fully reimagined songs from past and then-present contemporaries, this album is a great start for someone to dip into Emmylou's vast discography. Favorites: Bluebird Wine, Boulder to Birmingham, Before Believing, Bottle Let Me Down, Coat of Many Colors, For No One, California Cotton Fields.
When she started singing, I thought it was Dolly Parton. That's the best thing you'll hear me ay about this album. I checked out Wikipedia stuff and saw song #10 was written by Shel Silverstein. The kids book author? So bored with this album I didn't even bother to check. Linda Ronstadt as a back up singer was pretty cool, too. Yea, this did nothing for me. Won't re-listen or revisit artist. Now on to the good stuff. Tomorrow is the birthdate of Prince. Wear something purple. Listen to some of his music. A couple of my favorite lyrics from 2 different songs: Because of their half-baked mistakes We get ice cream, no cake, all lies, no truth Is it fair to kill the youth? Party Up Got to Party Up, yeah! As soon as we got there, good times were rolling White, Black, Puerto Rican Everybody just a freakin Good times were rolling
She has a nice voice but I don't think I get it. Maybe later stuff is better. 2
3 Emmylou!! Ok, admittedly, I’ve never listened to any of her personal work, but she was featured on a few tracks from one of my all-time favorite albums, I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning by Bright Eyes. Her voice pairs beautifully with Conor’s music and adds so much to the album, especially on the track We Are Nowhere and It’s Now, which is not only my favorite song from I’m Wide Awake, but also what I would consider one of the greatest songs ever written. Anyway, we’re not here to talk about Bright Eyes, but all that to say I had a very high regard towards Emmylou coming into this because of them. And I gotta say, she sounds as great as I could have hoped for here, but musically… I mean, I wasn’t expecting it to sound like the work of a sad Nebraskan indie icon, but yeah this is pretty standard country fare. The slower stuff is the better stuff here (mostly because it highlights her vocal performance), with Boulder to Birmingham being by far and away my favorite song on the album - the ballad-like nature of the song is something I feel is so much better suited for her chops than something like Bottle Let Me Down. Speaking of which, I gave myself a pat on the back for recognizing it as a Merle Haggard cover, a connection I would have never made in a million years if not for this list… and then I proceeded to completely miss The Beatles cover three songs later. So, that prompted me to take a look into every song here, and as it turns out, they’re all covers except for one… Yep, it’s Boulder to Birmingham. I really hope the success of that song gave her the confidence to start recording more of her own original compositions, because if so, I’ll definitely be giving a listen - maybe it was a fluke, but it’s by far the best moment of the album. Though hell, even if her other work is just more basic classical country, I’d still give a listen - it’s hard to find something to hate with a voice like hers. Now that being said, I’m going to go listen to some Bright Eyes.
emmylou harris, containing a first name worthy of any country star, has a sweet voice that's particularly perfect for these tender songs on pieces of the sky. "far too gone" is a great example of this. it's already a beautiful song, but something about harris' voice knocks her songs up a notch. that song with the only single, "if i could only win your love," are the stand outs. the rest of the album could be a little lackluster in comparison, but her voice makes the album enjoyable in the long run. and linda ronstadt providing backing vocals on "queen of the silver dollar" (containing cute lyrics by shel silverstein) is the icing on top of the cake! 3.5
Emmylou Harris did not have as "easy" of a start as some other female country artists, but this album really cemented her place in country music legend history, and it's understandable why. This album is a very pleasant listen with a lot of dynamic and range shown on Emmylou's part. Her voice is really allowed to soar on this album, showing her off as being in league with the best of the country classic divas, all while still being her own thing. My favorites from the album were probably "Bluebird Wine", "If I Could Only Win Your Love", and "Boulder to Birmingham". Each, in my opinion, probably showcase Emmylou's talents the best on this already very solid album. And I will add that her cover of "Coat of Many Colors" does Dolly Parton justice, for sure. If country music is to be represented on this project (and it should be), Emmylou Harris is an excellent contribution. Her path was a bit different than many female country music legends, but her contributions to the genre are still many. She would go on to be an influence for many female country acts to follow. This album is probably around a 3.5 for me.
Genuinely heartbreaking country ballads. Gorgeous arrangements. An incredibly talented singer.
I still really enjoy Emmylou Harris' vocals, and I actually like country music more than I thought I did, but still not THAT much. She's got a few better songs on this album as well, but not quite cutting it as a higher rating. Again, it gets a bit bland.
A really nice smooth country/Americana album. I generally dislike country because it has been commercialised so much but this is still original from the mid-1970s.
It’s kind of pleasant but not for me.
nyt tuli pahaan kohtaan tämmöstä 25 album striiikki on semmosta että 3.36 unprecedented unreal kuukausi takana. järisyttävä joukkio albumejan ei vaan vedä vertoja nyt tämä voi.. järisyttävä joukkio albumejan..emmylou rest in peace ( ei vielä kuollut mutta ei hyvältä näytä...) yritit varmasti parhaasi hyvä että yritit parhaasti peukkua siitä ja tsempit! jumala lyriics ''saving grace'' pisaran silmään sait for no one
Incredible voice. I get why people like her, but it's just not for me. Every song felt like it had one or two "mistakes" that took me out of the moment. 3.5 stars
Boring country music
Estilo country femenino antiguo. Muy buena voz y, sin duda, para los amantes del género. Escuchable en un ambiente tranquilo
Not to diminish Emmylou’s talent and legacy in any way, but these songs are just a bit too squeaky clean for my taste. Pristine where I prefer my country more scraggly, found, and rough around. But it’s worth a hearing just for history alone, as it finds a young Emmylou climbing back to her feet after the tragic overdose of her singer and friend Gram Parsons just a year earlier. “Boulder to Birmingham” perfectly encapsulates that history and heartbreak, just as it plays to Emmylou’s strengths as an ever-elegant, country-western singer and songwriter. That’s a classic tune. I just don’t care for how clean it sounds.
I'm pretty much exactly with Charlie on this one. Discovered a whole new singer who I had never heard of and fell for her voice hard, she just has this incredible emotional range in her voice. But the background is pretty straight and feels uninspired. Could have been way, way more interesting. But as a vehicle to carry her brand of heartbreak, I think it's great. 3/5
Nah, not for me.
The first song made me hopeful that I was finally going to like one of the country albums on here, but it fell off immediately after.
I enjoyed this album more than I thought. I'm not the biggest fan of folk/country, but Emmylou has a gorgeous voice and I really liked her cover of "For No One". I knew I recognized it, but I didn't know from where, and assumed I must have just heard it before. Looked it up just to figure out it was a Beatles tune and that a lot of this album was covers. That's not very common nowadays, but I think it's something that should be explored more. She really made each one her own, they sounded like they belonged to her. That's a quality not many vocalists have.
I had never heard of Emmylou Harris before, and I was very pleasantly surprised. What a voice! I could listen to her sing a shopping list. In researching her I have seen that she is known for mostly covering other songs, rather than writing her own (though she did that as well). Well, in my view, Aretha Franklin and Elvis Presley did the same and the music industry still considers them legends. I’m not usually fond of most country music, but I was very impressed by this record, and I think that says a lot as to Emmylou’s talent. Fav track: Boulder to Birmingham Least fav track: Queen of the Silver Dollar
Not a big fan of country music, but this ain't bad
Better than I though
It might be great country music, but I can't listen to it
I really don’t know why these sort of country albums keep appearing on the list, I think there’s a big gap between singer-songwriter and country/singer-songwriter albums and I really did not want to finish this album. This country sound just really isn’t for me and I don’t find this sort of music to be something that’s essential especially for albums that I need to hear.
Nothing interesting here
I liked it more than I expected. I remember rating her 2000 album quite low, but I don’t recall why
This is the 4th album on this list I've reviewed by her, and I think this is the one where she establishes her position as an influential country folk artist. Her work with Gram Parsons was fantastic, and she continues with a great voice, excellent songwriting, and versatile instrumental. It's somber and relaxing with some emotional pieces and powerful moments, but I wasn't too impressed by any of the songs. I did enjoy the "Coat of Many Colors", "For No One", and "If I Could Only Win Your Love" covers. But really, nothing left much of an impression.
Not my type of country musically, but Harris’ singing is graceful and iconic
Fun twangy time
It's hard not to compare Emmylou to Dolly Parton. They have a similar vocal style, play in the same genre, and literally sing each other's songs. This is not a fair comparison for Emmylou, because Dolly wins it every single time. But I think that says more about Dolly (and me) than it does about Emmylou. On her own, she's pretty great! A lot of these songs are enjoyable, especially the ones where she talks about BEING DRUNK. Hell yeah, Emmylou, tie one on with me.
70s country holds its head up pretty well compared to what followed in the 80s
Yeah, sorry. It takes a lot to get me to like country and this isn't it.
Country is just not it for me, and this is as country as country can get
My wife likes it, we don’t agree on music
I think I'd have to be in a particular mood to really get much out of this kind of music.
Way too country for me and I really hate how a lot of these older country albums are just credited to the performer but most of the songs were written by other people. That should auto-disqualify an album from here in my opinion.
I liked this. It seemed more personal and less of a cheesy stereotype than a lot of country music. It was also elevated by Emmylou Harris' beautiful and emotive voice. Rating: 3.5/5 Playlist track: Boulder to Birmingham Date listened: 04/04/23
Surprisingly good end to end - well paced - great covers - great songs and musicianship - and Emmylou has a wonderful voice.
7/10 It was alright.
Blah blah, excellent voice, but can the music actually be interesting? Put a guitar teang here, a generic country music sound here, throw in an okay Beatles song, and let's top it off with a Shel Silverstein poem for good measure. Just weird, but at least it's short, and I don't dislike everything here, I just wish someone in the country music genre realized they all sounded like each other.
3.75
This is fairly typical sound of the 70s. She's got a good voice, but it's not for me.
Very similar to Dolly Parton
Fin!
If everything on here was as jaunty and fun as Bluebird Wine it would be better for it. Unfortunately it's not, even though she has a great voice it's not top 3 in the genre (or adjacent genres), and it has to cover a Dolly Parton classic too, so there's that. Average at best.
This suffers a bit from coming shortly after we've had Dusty Springfield - both women with beautiful voices, singing over pared back musical accompaniment. This is not on the same level as Dusty for me, whilst her voice is close to as good the musical arrangements are not - it's a bit too country for me, and a bit twee. There's also a bit too much Jesus in there for my liking. Too Far Gone is a lovely song, really showcases her voice and doesn't have the same level of American country to it as most of the rest. That and Boulder to Birmingham are the standouts, but don't do enough to elevate it to a 3. 2/5.
Name one good country album and I'll give you 23 that sound exactly the same. This is one of the 23. Songs about Rodeo and pick-up trucks don't resonate with me; coming from the UK.
i love everything about classic country except listening to it
Boo country
Favorites: -Bluebird Wine -If I Could Only Win Your Love -The Bottle Let Me Down -Queen of the Silver Dollar
Well. Country music - can it ever get more than 3 stars? Is there a genre with less musical complexity than Country, with it's simple chord patterns, vamp bass, straight-lace drums and songs about dogs? Some nice guitar work though. Cancelled out by the banjo. Emmylou has an expressive voice, she really does a great interpretation of the songs (I enjoyed 'For No One', and again sweet guitar noodling in this). But it's a cover album of country music, I'm not sure why it makes the 1001.
No sig comments
pretty but little country
Dolly era country, pretty good / underrated
I’ll vibe some pop-country (Taylor stan, hello!) but this is mostly too country-country for me.
Album: Pieces of the Sky Artist: Emmylou Harris Year: 1975 Album #: 72 (listened after album 274) first impressions: usually not super excited to listen to country but this sounds pretty surprisingly contemporary and not...crusty and whiny. after listening through: what an emotional and musical rollercoaster!! i'm exhausted but also excited to dig further into her catalog. post-reading reviews/wiki: curious what contemporary musicians will end up like Ms Harris 50 years from now, if any. recommended for: Dolly Parton fans
Her voice is utterly beautiful and incredibly fragile. I didn’t think the music quite lived up to her voice as it felt a little country by numbers
nice country album, reminded me of the music my mom listened to growing up. may recommend it to her if she hasn’t heard it
No estoy muy acostumbrada a la música country y si bien no me disgusto, y la forma de escribir es interesante, no es algo que escucharía completo por gusto
5/10 nice voice but it’s really not my style of country
7/10. Good country album.
A pretty boring collection of country covers. 5/10
I'm here for this song Bluebird Wine. It's kind of amazing that this is an album of almost all covers, but it's counted as a debut. Tonight The Bottle Let Me Down is a fun one. Queen Of The Silver Dollar is solid. The bonus tracks are killer.
Sure, I'll admit she has a lovely voice and sure, I'm sure that lots of people love this. But I just can't get away with the overwhelmingly vast majority of country.
4
This is the kind of country that I can get into. What a beautiful voice
Great country album
I LIKED THIS
I didn't like this album. I almost fell asleep listening to this album. It felt like there were two kinds of songs on this album, standard country song and slow quiet country song. And the songs themselves were quite boring, both lyrically and musically. 1.5/5 Favorite song: N/A Worst song: N/A, all the songs blended together so I can't recall any specific song I liked or hated.
Not for me. She has a beautiful voice though.
howdy, i'm gon mosey on dooown to the ole railroad bridge and throw myself off to save my ears from this darn misery. y'all be good now.
Like eating an ice cream cone full of dog shit. My God, my ears will never recover from this. Suck my hairy cock.
Fuck me, lamb chops for breakfast
Emmylou Harris...still alive. A couple of nice covers mixed in with a few classics and a few sleepy songs.
I'm not a country fan, but she can certainly sing.
They've really been into my grandma's kitchen radio music lately. This one's pretty good.
Gorgeous voice
The first song is fantastic. Amazing voice.
Meio cansativo
Nice voice, unexceptional songs. Country has never been a favourite genre. This one won't make my exception list
Sublime. Beautiful vocals, excellent playing, American music at its absolute finest.
oh god this is torture
Absolutamente cheesy. No lo escucharía nunca por mi propia voluntad.
There's nothing here that I needed to listen to before I died. Some songs veer into gospel. The only redeeming feature is that she sometimes sounds like Queen Dolly.
I wish I was in the right physical environment to accurately accompany this style of music. I can just imagine myself bailing hay all day while listening to stuff like this. Not something I would listen to consistently, but in the right setting this hits. Her voice is just so Godly. I like Track 2: Too Far Gone and Track 6: Bottle Let Me Down the most.
This is pretty good country. It’s not really my style, but I can understand the appeal nonetheless. I really liked the instruments, and her voice compliments them pretty perfectly. It’s relaxing due to its folksy vibe, but it’s just not for me. Favorite track: For No One
I'm only 30 seconds into this album, and I can already tell its banger. It's the best kind of country music. Her voice is absolutely incredible, the way it slides over notes is gracious, while also being consistently dynamic. The instrumentation is upbeat, and rather immense for a country album. Just looking at the credits on Wikipedia, over 20 people worked on the album which seems odd for a country album. The effort was well worth it because the result is consistently amazing and heartfelt. My only complaint is that this is more of a sad cowboy album where I much prefer to yeehaw. Highlights: 1, 2, 3, and 4.
Country
"Pieces of the Sky" is the second studio album and major debut by American country music artist Emmylou Harris. It was the album that launched her career and included a fairly eclectic selection of original and cover songs. During the recording, Harris was still reeling from the death of Gram Parsons who had a major influence in the direction of her career. The album was produced by Brian Ahern and recorded with a mobile studio set-up in a Beverly Hills house. Ahern also helped bring in a stud group of musicians: members of Elvis' Vegas band, James Burton (guitar legend), ex-Cricket Glen Hardin (piano, string arrangements), Eagles' Bernie Leadon (guitars, banjo), Little Feats' Bill Payne (Piano) and ex-Dillards' Herb Pedersen (guitars, vocals). This is a fantastic sounding album and, needless to say, Emmylou's vocals are terrific. The album begins with a very rollicking country sounding song in "Bluebird Wine." Guitars. Banjo. Fiddle and a fiddle jam. Things slow down in the cover of "Too Far Gone," a 1967 hit for Tammy Wynette. A ballad with piano and strings. Subtle guitar and guitar solo. Emmylou made the 1958 Louvin Brothers' cover "If I Could Only Win Your Love" a hit. It's essentially a duet with Herb Pedersen. Very country-rock. A mandolin jam. Yes! "Boulder to Birmingham" is a song Emmylou wrote about Gram Parsons. A sad, beautiful song and hands down the best song on the album. Great, strong vocals and backing vocals. Soulful. Slide guitar. Kacey Musgraves needs to cover if she hasn't already. Dolly Parton covered. The second half of the album is dominated by more heavy-hitter covers. She goes more straight-forward country covering Merle Haggard's "The Bottle Let Me Down." She gives a great vocal performance in Dolly Parton's "Coat of Many Colors." Had to attempting to cover this. Also great backing vocals and acoustic guitars. An interesting choice in Lennon/McCartney's "For No One" but the arrangement is great and I don't think Emmylou could ever sound really bad on any song. The album ends with the fun "Queen of the Silver Dollar." Very pop sounding. Of note, Linda Ronstadt singing back-up. This was a enjoyable and fun album. One outstanding original in "Boulder to Birmingham." And Emmylou (as well as the producer Ahern) flexing her vocal and musical muscles and talent on the rest.
Country is probably one of my least favorite genres, but this comes from golden age of Country music where it was creative, unique, and told interesting stories. Modern country music is muddied with boring generic crap. I do really like the sound of her voice as well.
I'm not a fan of country/Folk music so I didn't like it much. I can appreciate her vocals tho, they are pretty good. It isn't terrible it's just not for me.
I'm not usually a big country listener but this was some good classic country. If I do listen to the genre, it's usually for artists like Townes Van Zandt or folkier stuff like John Prine and this album is closer enough to the style of country that I can enjoy. Emmylou Harris has a beautiful voice and I definitely gravitated towards the more upbeat songs on the album. I don't know how much I'll go back to it but it's a good listen. Standout Tracks: If I Could Only Win Your Love, Before Believing, Bottle Let Me Down, Coat of Many Colors, Queen of the Silver Dollar, Hank and Lefty.
Klassiker som är helt ok.
Oof, awful genre
Okay, so now I've heard emmylou Harris. She sounds to me much like any other female country singer of the era.
Enjoyed
Hailing from somewhere between Virginia and North Carolina, Emmylou Harris had a false start in 1969 with the folk about Gliding Bird. Pieces Of The Sky would represent her true debut, marking a country sound that is almost all covers. Harris has a nice country voice, and it's my understanding that her sound would evolve over time, so this seems like an underwhelming starting point. Not bad by any means, but unremarkable. While listening to Coat of Many Colors, I was wondering why I wasn't listening to the Dolly Parton original recording instead. Much of the album is slow and melancholic, making the opening track stand out as a black sheep (a cooler, more fun black sheep). Not much else to say. There's been better, and there's been way worse.
I've enjoyed quite a bit of her music and seen her play live a couple times. She is an excellent and wide-ranging writer and performer. Amazing voice and fantastic musician. For some reason, I had not heard this album before, and it's great to hear her creative artistry at even this early stage in her career. So cool.
Deprimente
I may have misjudged country music all these years, because there are some real classics to be found within the genre. This is very pleasant listening, like listening to your grandmother tell stories about her younger years or when she fell in love. Musically, it's similar to ladies like Carole King or Dolly Parton - which should be enough to give an idea of how good the record is. Lots of standout tracks here too, like Boulder to Birmingham and Bottle Let Me Down.
This was enjoyable. She has a beautiful voice.
Sweet, smooth, and safe. The Dolly Parton influence shows throughout. Good enough but I would have liked to have seen some emotional and vocal range on the album.
I didn’t mind this. Good tunes and good voice. I wouldn’t listen again but it was okay!
I guess it's okay? I get a knee-jerk of 1 or 2 out of 5 reaction whenever there's country on the list
It’s mostly okay but that for no one cover is so beautiful 3/5 for the album 5/5 for that track.
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.
This is some old school country. It's literally 'hokey'. Old school country has a touch of polka in it.
Surprisingly (for me) and refreshingly good. Not my genre so… wow!
2.5. It’s nice. That’s all I have to say about that.
Too many sad dramatic overproduced country ballads. What's the point of covering Coat of Many Colours? Why the Beatles cover?
Flott rödd, fínt country, aldrei aulahrollur. Gæti mjög vel hlustað aftur.
I really enjoyed this. It was quite quaint. A pretty good string of albums I’ve been going through recently.
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!
Here is the warm fuzzy blanket that I could have used yesterday!
Sublime. More like this please!
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.
What a throwback that was.
Oef, echt niet mijn ding. Wat een zeikmuziek. Met wat folk/country invloeden, wordt er niet beter op.
irrrraa
8/10 really good but it sounded exactly like Dolly Parton to me and I literally couldn’t tell the difference still, really liked it for the most part
On hearing Bluebird Wine, this album's first track, I had high hopes, but was a bit disappointed to find that the rest of the album didn't live up to that song. It's not bad by any means, but just middle-of-the-road Country without anything that would make it stand out from other albums of the genre. 2.5/5
She’s obviously a good singer but I was still bored the whole time.
It's always a pleasure to listen to Emmylou Harris' sweet, angelic voice. This album is a really nice collection that highlights her versatility and never ceases to be charming. The elegantly heart-rending "Boulder to Birmingham" is the obvious star track of the album. But Harris also shines on the covers, including an unexpectedly gorgeous, expressive rendition of "For No One." Fave Songs: Boulder to Birmingham, For No One, Before Believing, The Bottle Let Me Down, Too Far Gone, If I Could Only Win Your Love
Sad yeehaw
It was ok
Smooth as silk. Boulder to Birmingham is a stunner of a song.
It sounds nice, just not for me.
With a voice clear as a bell, Emmylou Harris brings her own gentle touch to a well-curated group of covers and originals. Those who normally disdain other artists attempting Beatles tunes may be pleasantly surprised at her melancholic rendition of “For No One.”
Didn’t love it.
Nice voice, soft country
This was pretty good. I was a bit disappointed though. This 70s country singer thing is usually my type but not so much this. I did like it though
One of my favourite country albums so far on this list. Harris’s voice gave goosebumps on at least a few occasions. September 19, 2022
My streak of not enjoying country continues...
Love her voice & her music. Great album.
Really beautiful
country isnt my thing but some songs were enjoyable
A little too country for me
Meh. Country.
Just too country for me. Couldn’t get past the music to get the lyrics.
meh. 2.5/5
country.. aighttt
Stunning
Such a pure voice. Interesting mix of tracks, mostly covers. Some misses but mostly hits. I appreciate the cover of Beatles’ “For No One” which for me has the saddest lyrics to any Beatles song - Enmylou’s cover reveals the country soul of the song’s theme. Boulder to Birmingham is of course a classic and has earned its place in my personal country favourites playlist.
Really nice. Will listen again.
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.
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.
My first real exposure to Harris, and not one I wish to repeat. She has a voice that is sweet and pure - and yet to my ears, rather grating. There's a decent variety of material here, all blandly competent in terms of execution. Nobody involved in this record is doing anything outside of themselves - it's played too safe by half.
My opinion changes song by song on this a here LP. The first couple tunes were just fine. By the time we get to "Coat of Many Colors" I'm not having the same experience. But then I quite liked the cover of "For No One." Ditto "California Cotton Fields." That one feels like it should've been used as montage music to a 1970s comedy that's set in the 1930s and has a bunch of kids running around in overalls. I'm here for that. I like her voice overall, but I don't know that it stands out to me in such a way that I'll get excited if another one of her albums shows up on this list. I'd be just as happy to listen to Dolly Parton or Patsy Cline or Loretta Lynn, ya know? But if she's got an album of nothing but sad Beatles covers I'd be all over it. Also, I got hosed on seeing that The Whole album was up next. Will have to listen to that one (all 144 tracks) later.
Country ist ein überflüssiges, weichgespültes und substanzloses Genre, das auf ausgetretenen Pfaden die immer gleichen, langweiligen Geschichten erzählt. Und dieses Album ist dafür ein kaum erträgliches Musterbeispiel.
Country. Not my thing
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.
Meh
J'aurais probablement apprécié cet album si j'avais été un Américain moyen passionné de rodéo et de soda. Malheureusement, il n'en est rien.
Il faudra un jour proposer un grand débat sur la place de la country dans l'histoire de la musique, ce genre est absolument ringard, et ça même la superbe voix de Emmylou n'y peut rien.
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
There are a couple of nice songs and a lot of old-time country songs that just don't work for me.
Enjoyable, a little samey but liked the vibes
Genre: Country 3/5 An exercise in bland, Emmylou Harris' Pieces of the Sky is certainly a country album. Full of very little surprises and rife with the usual substance, this album plays like your downtown neighborhood fair might play out. In all seriousness, this isn't a bad album by any measure, and it's quite easy to listen to, but its distinct lack of spice leaves this project falling short for most of its runtime. Bluebird Wine, the album's twangy opener, is a great way to start the album off, but that's the big highlight of the tracklist unfortunately. An album mostly filled with covers, it was nice to hear some interesting takes on some old tunes. The Beatles even make an appearance, as Emmylou covers Paul's For No One, a great track from Revolver, and it's recreated quite gracefully here. Overall, this is an inoffensive album with light production and decent vocals from our leading lady, but not much in the way of exciting material. Quite milquetoast.
She has a beautiful voice but her songs were so sad. I can turn on the news if I want to be 😞.
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.
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
1.5
Not a bad album, classic country music. 6/10.
Pretty good. Emmylou has a great voice and the instrumentation is fantastic. The album was a but samey though
i liked this album, but i’m not really sure about it — this is a high 3, could be a 4 under other circumstances
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
Great country album with a signature Emmylou vocal performance. Great run time and production.
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
I can go a little country, but this is just a bit too country. Can appreciate the artistry, and Boulder to Birmingham is a tune, but it's a bit full-on Nashville for me.
This process is softening me up on country. This is a nice, mournful, gentle album of plaintive loveliness. Now I know the context (it's an album mourning Gram Parsons, essentially) it makes a lot of sense. It didn't blow my mind or anything, but I could listen again, in the right mood.
I wanted to connect with this album a lot more than I did. I think I really like a lot of the later collaborations Emmylou Harris does, but there were not any songs I’d go back to listen to from this album
flowery and kind of boring
I really don't like this shit. Dum de dum (twang), dum de dum (twang) words.
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.
Ah yes, a transition album, here's what she was, here's what she became. I read that Boulder to Birmingham is the only track she wrote on this album and on each listen I realised it had gone past without me noticing so I went back and listened to it again, it's a nice enough vibe. Faves? Bluebird Wine, California Cotton Fields.
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.
Thanks to 1001 I'm discovering I actually have a pretty big soft spot for country music.
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.
I enjoyed this album more than I expected. I feel like there are a handful of quite stand-out songs (Bluebird Wine, Boulder to Birmingham, Sleepless Nights, Coat of Many Colors), but the rest seem to not make much impact. Might come back to this one later still. 6/10
Not my style but pleasant and an old time feeling that I like.
Vraiment bon folk country, une decouverte ! 4.85
Zzzzzzz. 1.
Alright, went on a bit.
Unreal vocals. Quintessential country music right here
Love that LADY
She's like a character actor but for country music. Great support but just not good enough for her own time in the spotlight. Best Tracks: Bluebird Wine; Boulder to Birmingham; For No One
L'appréciation de la musique a beaucoup à voir avec notre culture. La musique country ne fait pas partie de la mienne. Si j'ai appris à apprécier Johnny Cash ou Merle Haggard, j'ai du mal à aller plus loin. La voix d'Emmylou Harris est magnifique, c'est ce que je peux dire.
Pleasantly sung but not many of the songs are great material - I suppose the problem of an album full of covers. If there's any more Emmylou on this list I hope it features more of her own work.
Gentle.
This is a terrific album. Beautiful lyrics delivered in a timeless style