The Last Of The True Believers

Not something I’m always in the mood for, but great songwriting.

I didn’t really like this, though, again, it’s not “bad.” It’s sweet, gentle country with a female singer; for me, a little too sweet. It fades into the background, inoffensive and forgettable.

Good

A pleasant album to be sure, but not really my style.

Ok

fun! Beautiful voice! #musicsky #albumsky 3/5

Quite pleasant-sounding but not terribly engaging for me on a hectic day preparing for thanksgiving. Gonna be a 3/5 for me today but I could reasonably raise if I revisit

I suppose she does have a good voice and all, I think even her lyrics are nice and deep. I just... I guess it is a bit "too" country for me overall. The whole twangy guitar thing and "necessity" to separate the city from the "much better" country.... I guess what I mean is there is country that spans pop and rock genres, country that is folk and universal, and then there is country that is for country lovers. I believe this is that! I don't hate on any of it. I just think it is ... not really my thing.

Despite country not being my favorite, this is another of those enjoyable exceptions. I liked her singing, twang and all.

If I was forced to listen to country music but got to pick the artist, I'd almost certainly go with Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, or someone like that. If I wasn't allowed to pick anything like these outlaw country stars and had to pick something closer to the stereotypical conservative Nashville style, well, you could do worse than Nanci Griffith. She still has one foot dipped into folk music, while the rest is thoroughly country. She does have a great voice though. I can't tell if there is something special about the music or if this challenge is just wearing me down. But I didn't hate this one.

The Last Of The True Believers is a pretty generic female sang country album. I've never heard much from Nanci Griffith but i wasn't all too surprised to hear that this had a very Dolly Parton sort of sound. It is not bad, the music is nice enough, the vocals are pretty good and the album is just a generally pleasant listen. But that's about all it is, this album doesn't really try anything all that interesting to help set itself apart from all it's contemporaries as well as a lot of the songs sounding very similar to each other combines into one rather forgettable experience. Its by no means a bad album, it's just not one that's gonna stick in my mind. Best Song: One Of These Days Worst Song: Goin' Gone

Easy country listening.

I really am in no position to rate country music. Her voice was nice and the album wasn't very long. Why is county music always so wistful? 4 for her voice, 2 for the music.

Nice voice. If I liked country music, I would probably like this.

Nanci Griffith delivers a warm, gentle slice of mid-80s folk-country that’s easy on the ears and light on surprises. Her voice is graceful, the pedal steel glistens in all the right places, and the whole record has that soft-focus sincerity that made her beloved in songwriter circles. The problem, at least for me, is that it never really rises above “nice.” The melodies float by, the stories sit politely in the corner, and before long the album blends into a kind of pleasant haze. Solid craftsmanship, zero fireworks. A respectable listen, but not one that’s likely to stick to the ribs.

Never heard a Nanci Griffith album and wasn’t sure what to expect. I have however listened to a lot of Alison Krauss and not surprising the influences came from a smattering of Nanci Griffith. This is a very well performed and produced album. Wouldn’t say there was an outstanding track, they all sort of merge into one another. I found it very pleasant and totally inoffensive. Easy to listen to.

Despite the initial apprehension of "oh no, country folk" I quite liked it. A good time of melancholy and nostalgia throughout the whole tracklist, not something I would seek out but a pleasant listen with nothing outright bad on it.

A brand new discovery. Really enjoyed this set; beautiful classic country with great storytelling. 3.5 now, but I feel like this will grow to a four with more time spent with the artists.

The first impression: plain. How to distinguish it from many-many other country/folk albums? (Joan Baez, Joni Mitchell, g.o.a.t.s...) Another girl singing about love, men, America etc. However. However! It grew on me. It's good for a car ride. It's good to lift your mood/spirit a little. Nice!

Nanci Griffith has an interesting voice. There's a bit of Stevie Nicks, a bit of Dolly Parton and an odd touch of Kate Bush. But she doesn't sound exactly like any of those three, although the Texas twang in her voice is very pronounced, so it's easy to identify 'The Last of the True Believers' as your average Southern country/folk record, but the lyrics are quite heartfelt and honest. It's not exactly my cup of tea, to be quite frank, but Griffith's voice is brimming with confidence and flair, and the album is rather easy and calmimg to listen to. I've also read about Griffith's strong liberal views and activism, despite hailing from a more conservative state. She's no doubt an artist The Chicks would've looked up to. 'The Last of the True Believers' is chill, inoffensive and simple by-the-numbers Southern Country, not too bad! Best songs: The Last of the True Believers, St Olav's Gate, Banks of the Pontchartrain

One of those albums that is a good example of what it is, but not really my thing. I enjoyed it - pleasant.

Uma gracinha.

I wanted to believe.

a country album as any other

A nice enough album. Didn't particularly like her voice but it wasn't terrible. Not my favourite country music 3 ⭐️

No es mi ritmo favorito, pero hay muchos peores

2.5 stars. Mid country. Didn't hate it but probably won't be coming back to it much. Standout is "Banks Of The Pontchartrain" with it's banjo and steps out beyond typical rhythm and sound of country.

Not my shit at all. Nevertheless, I will say that I'm surprised in a way that there isn't more Country like this (there probably is that I'm totally naive to). Like this sounds like it has genuine heart and feeling and isn't concerned with maintaining cliches or image. Interesting it came out mid-'80s. Like if there was more Country music that had this sort of quality, it might actually have some respectability as a genre.

Sweet sounds.

It seems like country albums are like hip hop albums on the list few and far between. This album isn't bad. She tells several stories that feel very real. She does it pretty well too. I'm not a huge country fan, like all music I can find some I like, but this one has a heart to it that some albums just seem to miss. The entire album won't get added but I'll listen to it again and a few songs are on my liked list. Decent stuff, worth a listen even if it's not your usual genre.

Well I gave Bonnie Raitt three stars for what sounded almost exactly like this so I guess I can't be a hypocrite

Any music that is so distinctive to it's country of origin is always going to be judged with reference to current geopolitics. Like listening to Oohm-Pah in 1936, blasting this in my backyard in 2025 is a choice, a vibe, a statement. I looked Nanci up, she has excellent politics, I really liked the lyrics in St Olavs Gate, but fuck me, hyper American Texas Country music isn't really where the world is at the moment. 3 stars because it's objectively nice, but subjectively it's MAGA coded and I'm not really that right now.

Perfectly fine ’80s pop-country with a singer-songwriter flair. Not really my style, but I can see the appeal; she has a lovely voice that carries the whole album.

Serviceable folky country that was fine in the moment but no real reason for me to revisit. I liked "Fly By Night" the most

I tried to like it but I am not country enough

She has a nice voice

Enjoyable folk music - would be a great Folk Fest artist to see.

Pretty good little country album. I remember the name Nanci Griffith from my childhood, but I don't recognize any of these songs. This record is from a time when pop country was still closer to country than pop, which was a good thing in my opinion. 3/5

Decent album. Beautiful album with some strong lyrics. I'm sure I'd have a deeper connection if I'd grown up with it, but it largely feels like a throwback Alt country album. Not a knock. Just not as impactful as I thought it would be when it started.

Fullkomlega fínt country, renndi tvisvar og hef ekki yfir neinu að kvarta, nema þá kannski þessu aukna country-þoli sem er komið aldrinum. Þristur og áfram gakk.

Good country tunes in ultra polite packaging.

I am partial towards country music in general and this is in the vein of what I like to have on in the background. I liked the warble in her voice and the straightforwardness of the songs

I feel like I’m in a Tennessee themed part of an amusement park … and I don’t hate it. She literally sings “here comes the train oooooo oooo ooo” like I’m a 5 year old.

Lovely sounding country album filled with nostalgia, romance and longing. Beautifully sang by Nanci Griffith who has a sweet voice ideal for this style of music. Top Track = The Last of the True Believers, Lookin' For the Time (Workin' Girl) & Goin' Game.

Olyan mint egy vidám autós kiruccanás háttérzenéje, vagy mint egy szép nosztalgia egy utazásról, amire nevetve, vagy legalább mosolyogva gondolsz vissza. Nem kíván teljes figyelmet mégis szépen befolyik oda ahova kell. Kellemes és kedves album.

I really enjoyed this, very pleasant and very well done. It wore out its welcome a little by the tail end which pulled it back from a 4 for me. Strong (3.5)

A little hit and miss but enjoyable

Somewhat memorable

Country Dixie chicks vibe

Personal enjoyment: 3/5 Relevance to this list: 3/5

She has an incredibly pretty voice, and all of these songs are really pleasant listens. I bet if I was to sit with this a bit longer, the rating could go up, but right now it's getting a 3.

Nice

7/10

Lovely production, great voice, nice instrumentation, but it's country. I don't hate all country music, but this feels pretty generic as far as the genre goes. But it would be remiss to give it anything less than three stars, so here we are.

Pleasant, calm

Alright

Nice respectable country sound. I respect it, but ultimately not my thing. 6/10

Love how 80s this album cover is, Woolworths hasn't even existed in my lifetime.

Good for background

Ok listen.

anemic. lacks the muscle of patsy, loretta, emmylou, lucinda. the love that dolly gives to you. nanci saves it for her green eyed man.

Competent inoffensive country music that falls into the background. 3

Pretty, country music

Hmm... Nice songs but a bit forgettable, but some nice melodies. 3.5, but towards the lower end of the spectrum...

I was going to make a joke about how this was just yet another disaster to come out of 1986 similarly to the Chernobyl Nuclear Accident or the Challenger Space Shuttle Disaster - but unfortunately this was actually a pretty good listen. Nothing special, but good. Nothing really to come back to here except for Olav's Gate, which was a banger.

Quite a catchy if not very memorable album, may have overstayed itself if it was very long

I mean it’s alright. There are painters at my house sanding the fascia with power tools so I really just wanted to go back to deafening wall of sound EDM to drown that out rather than something subtle like this so might enjoy it more on relisten.

A serviceable country/folk album. Frankly, nothing here stands out to me aside from the last track on the album. A nice length, a lovely listen but not necessarily what's gonna come to mind for me when I think of country music that I like. The most notable thing about this album was that it reminded me of the smell of the industrial oils and butters they use to cook hot food at the ice rink I went to when I was a kid. So that was a nice memory. Highlights: The Wing and the Wheel

2.6

It was a pleasant listen, but not much more. Very country and folky. I liked the pedal steel. Nice album cover. Can’t really say much else about it.

Pleasant country/folk

honestly from the album art i thought this was like a city pop album but turns out its actually just a very nice country album LOL. kind of random and seems like an album that is relevant for being on this list but nonetheless it was enjoyable!

Un peu trop country pour moi

I pretty classic early pop country / Americana sound. Nothing wrong with it but not really my taste in music. A few of the more the bluegrass inspired tunes with fiddle I liked a bit more than the commercial country stuff.

good to hear some 80s Americana. What a lineup, Lyle, Bela, et al

Album country/folk. Con presencia de guitarra acústica, dobro, slide, violines, mqndolinas...Grandes canciones de esta artista de Austin Texas. Un lp tranquilo sin mucha presencia de sección ritmica. Sin ser un apasionado del country me gustó el disco. Evoca a viaje en carretera. El disco gana cuanto más lo escuchas. Las melodías van creciendo conforme las vas conociendo.

Nice

Overall solid, but didn't really do anything to grip me. Solid 6/10.

About as far Country as I can get before its too much. Fantastic vocals and fun narratives. Not really for me but quality.

Nice, good oldies

Perfectly serviceable album, but why it is on this list eludes me. So little country/bluegrass/folk is represented, this spot should have been given to an album of greater significance as well as higher quality.

A solid country record. But nothing I can see me returning to. 3.5/5

very nice

Solid country album that, like so many others of the genre, misses a bit n highlights.

I found this nice easy listening. She has a good voice.

good, nothing extraordinary. I felt nothing other than slight boredom when listening to this. It's pretty short though so that's nice.

meh. decent background music but nothing I would seek out again.

Seemed fine, unsure if there was a era relavance. Country-lite.

Pretty good

★★★½

Decent album. Folksy country …

A wispy, lovely journey through a beaut of a voice.

Twangy and so wholesome. It's hard to listen to now that the world seems to have totally lost its innocence, although maybe it never had any in the first place.

gáfumannaköntrí. er ágætt, er alveg sáttur við stefnuna sem slíka. gef aðra í gríni. 3,5.

Bem calminho, quase como uma canção de ninar

Perfectly serviceable Country album

As somebody who hates country music, I didn’t completely hate this album. I didn’t really care for it, but it could have been much worse. Nanci has a good singing voice and a few of the songs did resonate with me. It’s better than whatever the hell country is today. But other than a few hits, it’s alright. Honestly, I kind of wish this was another genre other than country. It probably would have clicked with me more. Favorite track: The Wing and The Wheel Other hits: Goin’ Gone, More Than A Whisper, One of These Days

Best Song: Banks of the Pontchatrain

I really liked this album, except for one thing…I am just not very fond of Nanci Griffith’s voice. I may save this and give it another listen, but what would have been a solid 4 star rating will be a three star rating instead.

i think the music is a 2 but she seems like a very cool lady

This is a pleasant album. I really should like it more, and after a second listen I do like it more than the first listen, but it doesn’t really grab me either. The lyrics are great. The music is solid. Maybe I’m just not a big fan of this brand of Americana or country, I don’t know. I love Emmylou Harris, so you would think I would like this, right?

To give you an idea of how much of a grudge holder I am: A friend of mine got divorced thirty years or so ago after her husband cheated on her. Her ex-husband likes Nanci Griffith. I hold it against Nanci Griffith. Also sounds like a NPR tote bag would sound if it were music.

She's very talented, although I don't like this album and her voice is a bit too Twee for me.

Love at the Five and Dime is so sweet, even for a hardened cynic. This album is like a sugar rush. It does leave you feeling that you need something a little more sour come the end.

Really enjoyable, twangy but not too much, beautiful country music. I’d listen again.

Delightful country record that never steers away from easy listening. Did I need to listen to this before I die? My guess is no.

Country is not really something I enjoy but something about this album.. the vibe and also the singe voice maces me want to play it on the background 3/5

It's fine. More energetic than country usually is, but still nothing special or exciting. Not much to say. It's not bad but also not interesting enough to be particularly fun. Just kind of whatever.

Not great but fine.

Idk this was pretty boring. Not bad not good. It was just fine. Did we get another album by her earlier? Can’t remember… eh 3 I guess

This was really forgettable for me. Not bad but not my thing either. Meh 3/5. Someone tell me why it’s on the list please

I enjoyed this slice of country!

This is a cute album. Nanci has a great and expressive singer and a good songwriter to boot. The album has an earthy traditional feeling but occasionally skirts around the edges of '80s college radio, bringing an echo of hip.

Singer/Songwriter sound from the 80s. Sounds exactly as you would expect.

Easy on the eyes and ears and inviting enough to make its setting warm, The Last of the True Believers by Nanci Griffith is the leap towards the bright lights that had waited for Nanci at this point in her career, with tunes worthy of its inclusion and of her voice wrapping itself around it. The last of the true believers would have no problem making new ones. Favorites: The Last of the True Believers, Love at the Five & Dime, St. Olav's Gate, Goin' Gone, One of These Days, Love's Found a Shoulder.

J - 3/5 Best Track - "Love at The Five & Dime" F - DNL

I enjoyed it. Nice to have another country album on this list.

Hyvä meininki koko ajan, ei turhaan pidetä jalkaa pois kaasulta vaikkei ihan holtittomasti mennäkään. Eli kantensa mukainen levy. Pidin, en kuitenkaan just tähän countryyn palaa.

I don’t hate it.

Hyvää kantria. Parhaat: Love At The Five & Dime

Good old fashioned music.

Very nice

Fav songs: Lookin' for the Time This was a nice album. She has a fantastic voice. It did feel a bit long towards the end but overall very good. I like the sound of "older" country. It's amazing this album is nearly 40yo.

I enjoyed this album more than I thought I would. Makes me think of browsing in a vintage/antique mall with multiple vendors. Although I don’t see myself making the choice to listen to this album again.

A lot of this was overly sweet and cute for my taste, but I did find it kind of refreshing. Probably wouldn’t listen again but I liked it more than I thought I might. The Last of the True Believers and Fly By Night were the bright spots here for me.

Not bad. Kind of a country folk vibe. Normally not a big fan of country, but I enjoyed this. Could definitely see a group of women sitting around a campfire, drinking, sharing stories and being a little sad and tipsy listening to this. Fave song(s): Love At The Five & Dime, More Than A Whisper, Goin’ Gone, Fly By Night

It was a nice one.

Far from my style…I’ll say 3.5 ———————————— My non-musician scoring system. 5 - Love it. Would play anytime, buy, see live… 4 - Good music. 3 - Average playlist. Depends on time and setting. 2 - I can’t listen to whole songs. 1 - No.

Beautiful voice and harmonies, nice songs, good lyrics, just really not my cuppa. If this was being played by a live band in cozy pub in rural America/Atlantic Canada, I'd be pretty stoked on it. And for that, I'll give it 3 stars.

Didn’t think I was going to be that keen on this as it is more traditional country but it turned out to be quite pleasant. Appreciate her vocals and songwriting.

I’m not big on country but most genres usually produce something of worth, Nanci Griffith is one of the artist certainly produces the goods here.

Very pleasant in the most part. Good changes in tempo throughout the album as well. Just nothing particularly amazing or memorable for me.

Good! The voice reminded me of Shakira a little. Also reminded me of Abba. Storytelling reminded me of Johnny Cash a bit too.

This is a "nice" album. "Love at the Five and Dime" is a good song, highly nostalgic, not for anyone under the age of 50. Nanci Griffith has an interesting unique singing voice. Kind of light, not quite "twee" but could go there, but still powerful. Great country instrumentation - mandolins, pedal steel, dobro, fiddle - and this was my favorite thing about this album. Used to emphasize the emotion in the song instead of decorate. In fact, the music is at the service of the song on the whole album, no one is overplaying. With a couple exceptions early on, nothing here is too moving or exciting. Pleasant though it is.

I thought this was going to sound like a Kate Bush album. It doesn’t and I’m really happy with that. I don’t need a Kate Bush album. So this is country or its as close to a country album you can get. She’s a country Joni Mitchell but she’s another bearable version of Joni. This album moves right along. I don’t find myself being taken away with a particular song but I find it peaceful

Sweet and lovely. A very pleasant listen. Beautiful

What a happy hooker song!

There's not a ton to say about this one, really. Nanci Griffith's 1986 album The Last of the True Believers is a fairly standard country affair. It's a respectable country affair, but it's not going to change anyone's mind on the genre. If you like real country music, this'll appeal to you. I myself am not huge on the genre, but I do respect the good parts of it. Fortunately, this album has those good parts. The singing and instrumentation are quite pleasant. Maybe a little repetitive throughout the album, but not too much. The writing is solid. There's some nice vibes here. Nothing in here that made me cringe. That's a good sign. Still, this is another reminder for me to not hate on country as a whole because a lot of it is good actually. Solid 3/5.

This was my first time hearing about her. Music was good, very Americana, my first comparison would've been Emmylou Harris. A singer songwriter folky county sound

3.5 even?

Carino, sembra un po' Miley Cirus

I wanted to hate this so much, but I actually didn't. Not as twangy as i thought it would be going in.

It was alright. Not my cup of tea, but not bad at all.

It was an ok album. I didn't add any songs to my list. I have never heard of her before and this style of music isn't my go to. But it was an easy 36 min listen.

A well-put-together album that knows it’s sound and doesn’t overstay it’s welcome. Some thoughtful and colorful telling of stories you’ve probably heard before, but maybe not by Nanci. “Goin Gone” is probably my favorite track, it’s got the best slide guitar backing track and a fantastic folksy chorus. “The Wing and The Wheel” is a very good bit of songwriting worth the listen about dreams, love, and how they alter over the generations as families form and settle. Just some good whistful country/folk/americana/singersongwriter 3/5 stars

Happy and jangly, like a Muppets album from the late 70s. Good tunes here, need to give it some repeated plays to let it sink in. Love the optimism and her crystal-clear voice, and Bela Fleck and co sound great as always.

Bakgrunnsmusikk

3.5/5

Felt way longer than it said it was house of leaves shit

gotta give it 3 starts simply because the cover is so great

Ok so I think this caught me in a good mood, but for me this just about got the balance right on sweet vs saccharine and it generally had a nice ‘feel’ to it. I liked Nanci’s vocals, they gave off quiet confidence. Some reasonably folksy instrumental aspects (could maybe have done more speedy fiddle stuff for my mind but that wasn’t necessarily the vibe, decent steel guitar though). Nothing special and not 100% sure why it got in the 1001 but I’ve heard far worse and found it reasonably enjoyable. Weak 3.

Never listened but actually kinda enjoyed, nice and chilled

This was totally fine! I don't care for country music. It wasn't grating or awful, it's lovely songwriting. Just not something I'd listen to voluntarily.

Not the worst country on this list...

- Sørstatsaksenten passer bra - veldig greit for å være country - pop-country?

This is album is kind of a vibe. Not really my usual vibe by any means--I've tried to get down with country but can't. This is kind of like folk flirting with country though, so I can tolerate it. My mom really likes this kind of stuff, so it kind of reminds me of her music. I'm not sure that I can pick out any individual tracks, but the whole thing sounds pretty evenly done at least. 3/5

Better than Coldplay.

A really good Country Music album. Unfortunately I’m not particularly a fan of Country Music.

I preferred Joni Mitchell or Joan Baez, but these are decent songs. Just not in my wheelhouse.

An easy listen, would love to be driving through Vermont with bae, windows down, this album blasting

A nice intro to country folk easy listening would listen again best track fly by night

Enjoyable album. Nice background music.

Not a fan of country music but this album made me long for the big skies and vast planes of Texas in a way I wasn’t expecting!

Easy listening country folk. Nothing spectacular, but very pleasant and relaxing.

Worth the price of entry for Lotta Love alone.

This was a nice chilled out country album, not something I'd normally listen to, but I wouldn't turn it off if it came back on.

Ok. Too close to country for me

Reminds me of Emmy Lou Harris or Mary Chapin Carpenter. Never heard of her before but it was pretty good.

This was decent for a ‘country’ album.

Rating: 5.5/10 Mostly forgettable but had a few decent songs and moments.

Knowing nothing about country music, I can't help but compare every female singer to Dolly. Nanci has a lovely voice, the songs are simple and sweet, if not a little unrelatable to anyone not from a small Texas town.

In some ways I wish I connected more with country music. I've dismissed most of it and especially in recent times the music seemed to polarize people's political views and attitudes towards each other. Most current male country artists annoy me, not only politically, but their sameness and bland stereotypical subject matters. It's unfortunate because, "The Last of the True Believers" brings together elements of folk, pop and country along with Griffith's fine storytelling and voice that create a very easy to listen to record. There is a sweet spot in there somewhere that had me engaged and intrigued by Nanci that I enjoyed, so maybe I'll give country music a little more slack.

Pretty classic country album from a classic Nashville country artist. Great Sunday morning listen.

Not listened before Fav tracks: Fly By Night, More Than A Whisper

Meh. Nice voice and instrumentals, but this is really not my thing.

A soft county album. I heard a song not on this album by the artist that I thought was amazing

Great voice, and I love the instrumentation. The songwriting to me is lacking. I didn’t connect with any of the songs. They just seemed shallow to me. They’re stories but they don’t go anywhere or have any purpose. She’s like the female James Taylor but the songs aren’t relatable.

I hadn’t heard of Nanci Griffith but I have heard her through older artists and newer ones. First thought: she sounds like Dolly Parton joined ABBA. But as I listened further, I heard Miranda Lambert in songs like More Than a Whisper and The Wings & the Wheel; Reba McEntire on St. Olav’s; Cheryl Wright in Looking for the Time; and others. I actually enjoyed this album, especially the latter mentioned and Fly By Night. I could listen to this again.

Random thoughts: * I've never heard of Nanci Griffith before this. Glad I could get educated a little. * I was prepared to dislike this a bunch but it was quite good even if it was maybe bordering on too much country for my taste. * The songwriting was so good it really did transcend genres. * I will definitely listen to this one again.

Pleasant enough I guess

Pretty decent country album. Didnt really pull me in though.

Inoffensive but uninteresting

Liked the nostalgic sweetness of this album and how she sings about love.

Ничего такого но на один раз пойдёт

not bad but also not exciting sorry nanci

Beautiful voice, solid backing band, just not into it.

Pleasant and good enough, but nothing groundbreaking even for the time of its release. A fairly by-the-numbers Nashville recording.

It really threw me to see an album cover of someone stood outside of a Woolworths, as that feels like either the UK twenty years ago, or Australia at any point in time. I certainly wasn’t expecting a country album! I did rather enjoy this though. It’s that style of country that could easily be considered folk music, rather than the somewhat imbecilic other side (pickup truck, patriotism, yeehaw). The vocals and the soft musical stylings were quite nice here. It’s not necessarily something I’d gravitate towards, but it was still a pleasant listen.

A bit twangy but really enjoyable and oddly comforting sound. Reminded me of the intro to an older movie or television show but couldn't place what exactly

Very enjoyable Poppy enough for my 4 year old palette lovely voice penultimate song reminiscent of Second Hand News also she looks fit I’d probably stuff her full of it

Ihan passelia taustamusiikkia, tämän sortin country ei ole ihan se ominta omia juttua. Ihan hyvää musisointia silti tämä.

This is a good singer songwriter country album. I enjoyed the pictures her lyrics evoke but they’re also still very honest.

Not my bag

A good, albeit nondescript, country sound. Fairly retro for its time, not pushing any musical boundaries but instead perfecting a pre-established style. Her music reminds me of a more simplistic Dolly Parton or (at a stretch) Joni Mitchell. There's an abundance of acoustic guitars, I-IV-V progressions, fiddles, low-calibre piano and vocal harmonies. And none of the musical elements are distinct/memorable enough to really allow any songs to stand out – hence my list of key tracks being (unusually) empty. I could almost see this being a concept album consisting of one or two length, introspective country tracks taking up the entire record. But I doubt that much work would be put into a musically straightforward project like this. (I will say this, though: Pink Floyd pulled off One Of These Days much better than Griffith. Huh, that could be part of my judging through prog-coloured glasses...) I was in a pretty low mood prior to listening to The Last Of The True Believers. Though I wouldn't say the album fixed it, it at least lifted a weight off my shoulders for a cool thirty-six minutes. That's all a listener can ask for, really. Nanci Griffith doesn't make her music insist on audience happiness, force a particular mood on the unsuspecting listener (I'm looking at you, Pharrell Williams, composer of the Despicable Me 2 soundtrack). The light breezy feel is just there, beckoning you in, but not dragging you around the fun-filled mud pit once you're there. You dig me? 3/5 Key tracks: none

Folk

Fun country feel

I wasnt familiar with Nani Griffith going into this album. While I'm typically not the biggest country person, I found myself enjoying this album. Nanci's voice is charming and the songs are fun and full of movement, even when the subject matter has a more serious tone. Overall- good album. 3.5/5

Enjoyed this one! Was a lovely mellow album.

Cute americana album

Very pleasant, good album to relax to

Almost a Dolly Parton/Joni Mitchell blend, but without the allure of either.

Very soothing country record, lovely arrangements and vocals, a bit of that Dolly parton vibe.

Better than I expected country.

Lantligt mys. Kan spelas på repeat i timmar. Ljuvlig röst. Hörde ”Love At The Five & Dime” för första gången men vet redan nu att det är en evergreen. Trots att många låtar saknar oumf så är det aldrig tal om att spola förbi de.

Enjoyable and beautiful country music. Still, not my cup of tea

Country

Quite gentile. Not really my bag but well done and beautifully made.

Decent old school country 3/5

Not bad!

This was a very smooth folk album. While it was enjoyable, nothing stood out to me as being particularly impressive.

This was really lovely but a bit samey after a few songs lol

ok

Actually, I quite like it. Wasn't expecting too much. It isn't mind blowing, and I can understand it wouldn't be everybody's cup of tea, but it has a beauty to it. Helped by her beautiful voice.

I really liked the warmth of the sound on this homespun record. Made me wanna go back home for some of ma's jerk chicken, cornbread and apple pie. And then go hunting with pa. F#@k yeah!

Having never heard of Nanci Griffith before, I was fully expecting to trash this album, but it turned out strangely endearing.

A couple of fun ones, Banks of Lake Ponchartrain and Working Girl

I’m not exactly sure why this album is on this list. It’s not super memorable, but I also didn’t feel the need to turn it off after the first 30 seconds like, oh, that horrific Fat Boy Slim album or The Prodigy!!! Awful!! This one was listenable and had a pleasant enough sound to it. I’ll take that over my ears bleeding any day 👍

Love her vocals, the issue is the whole album is a little maudlin and samey. Which is a big shame. I think some of her later output is a lot more punchy in the lyrics and music. For this though it’s a serviceable if bland pop country album.

Ok - not awful - not good. Not something I’d choose to listen to ever again.

An honest and interesting country record.

I’d never heard of her before but my first thought was of Kasey Chambers: surely she must have been heavily influenced by Nanci Griffith? There is a huge similarity in sound. And indeed, I’ve since discovered Chambers has covered Griffith’s songs before. I probably won’t listen to Griffith again but it was mostly listenable. A low 3/5.

A perfectly safe country album. Im not very familiar with mid 80s country, but this is easy listening that sounds like the country I tend to like. Twangy, folky lyrics, it sounds like the countryside. Goin' Gone is a pleasant song, probably my favorite on this album with nice harmonizing and all your favorite beats from country music. Not sure if I'll be back soon, but an album that was plenty of listenable for a genre I used to not care much for.

Ok country-esque album. Country isn't really my thing, but this was short and relatively easy to get through. No talk of beer or tractors that I noticed. 3/5

i actually enjoyed this a bit. its really inoffensive and a very pleasant listen. however I've definitely heard better country.

She certainly has a way to pull you into the story. Fave: One Of These Days

Folk-country is not my thing 2.5 stars

I'm from Texas, but I still don't like most country. This didn't change my mind, unfortunately. Outlaw country or nothing for me, I guess.

Cute

positiv overraskelse, jeg havde meget lave forventninger. Ikke noget jeg lige finder frem med mindre jeg er i et meget specifikt humør til det, men ingen vej udenom at hun rammer plet med stemningen og har en virkelig god stemme

Faktisk lidt overrasket over hvor godt jeg kunne lide det her, det er en slags country jeg normalt godt kan have det lidt hårdt med. Men idk synes bare det lød lækkert

Another reviewer expressed my thoughts perfectly: "Listening to this record makes me picture a group of middle-aged white women sitting out on camping chairs, sipping white wine, getting a little rowdy, getting a little sad."

I like how Apple Music described this as “optimistic” and “post-outlaw Austin”. A more folksy Stevie Nicks. Pretty enjoyable but I’m trying to be more conservative with ratings now.

A sweet and inoffensive album

i’m not the biggest country fan honestly but i enjoyed listening to this

This was fine for me as a country album, given my current only 1/5 is a country album. This one was much better than that overall, not outstanding but I enjoyed it.

Beautiful voice, old school country with stories within every song. Not exactly a genre I’m very into but if you’re a traditional country lover this one would be far up on your list. Feel like this kind of music was how the Simpsons character Lurleen Lumpkin was created.

Pretty repetitive. It was okay. I did think it was cute, but not cute enough to be really memorable.

just didnt do anything hugely interesting, there were some sweet songs but not much else

78% Best: Love At The Five & Dime; Lookin' For The Time (Workin' Girl); One Of These Days; Fly By Night Must-Hear? Not quite

I don't hate this, I'll give it 3 stars because she makes me feel some hidden love in my heart.

I’m a little stumped by this one because Griffith’s voice is very nice and the instrumentation is light and lilting and the two together feels like something I should enjoy… but it just lacks something for me. It feels kind of soulless. My impression from this album was that Griffith was discovered performing at open mics and whatnot, doing mostly covers probably, got a record deal with a label that shopped for these songs from the songwriters around Nashville, and was set up to record them with a group of studio musicians. It just feels like none of the performers have any emotional connection to these songs. Come to find out that 9 of the 11 tracks were written by Griffith. Hmm. I did enjoy “St. Olav’s Gate”, “One of These Days” and especially “Banks of the Pontchartrain”. The latter was easily my favorite track on the album and leads me to believe some of miss Nanci’s other work may be worth a listen. Apparently her earlier work was more folk and this album was early into her pivot into a more country style, which may explain why it kind of sounds like a cover album of Emmylou Harris tracks that died on the cutting room floor. Not an unenjoyable listen though. 6/10

Sweet, soulful country pop - the song from the prosittute's point of view was unexpected too. Best Tracks: Love at the Five & Dime; Lookin' For The Time (Working Girl); Goin' Gone

This was...nice. Not life changing, not something I'll be quick to revisit, but it was nice. I always feel when I'm struggling to come up with more to say on an album, that's a clear indication to me that it probably doesn't belong on this list.

The Last Of The True Believers offers a pleasant journey through Nanci Griffith's folk storytelling, with a welcomingly-healthy dose of slide guitar adding warmth to a satisfyingly average album.

This was pleasant and decent country music. Not something that I would listen to regularly, but I enjoyed it for the most part.

It's nice enough I guess. Sounds pretty much like all the other country, singer/songwriter, coffee shop music that came out around the same time. There's really nothing spectacular about it.

Pleasant enough country.

Les arrangements mettent de l’avant la voix, claire et très belle

The Last of the True Believers is the fourth studio album by Nanci Griffith, originally released in 1986. This was much better than I expected. I'm getting super strong Emmylou Harris vibes from this. It does a good job at calling back to that 70s country vibe. The male/female due vocals really remind me of Gram Parsons/Emmylou Harris. The songwriting is a bit lacking but overall not bad.

Pretty cute and sweet. Simple country vibe and Nanci has a pleasant voice. 6/10

Great album. Very surprised. 7/10

3☆/5 10.20.2024

Meh. Didn't hate it. But not for me.

lindo, ameno, nostalgico

Discount Joni Mitchell?

Some of this was not unpleasant but I’m just not into the country sound.

Its not the kind of country I enjoy.

I didn’t know much about this artist but I know when many other artists cover your original work (Kathy Mattea, Bette Midler, Emmylou Harris) and you’re invited onto Letterman to perform more than any other artist, you’re probably really good. I enjoyed Looking for the Time a lot. I enjoyed this country-ish album a lot more than many country albums on this list. Bonus star for Lyle Lovett featuring as a back-up singer.

Interesting! Very lyrical, very Dixie Chicks very blue grass. I had never really heard her before so it was a cool experience. Not my cup of tea but still appreciated.

It's a sweet set of songs. Definitely at the pop end of country.

Low key some bumping bluegrass. I liked it

3.5

The only "Country" allowed in this household is the glorious nation of Albania 🇦🇱🇦🇱🇦🇱🇦🇱 It's alright. More folk-y than I expected, which was a nice surprise. Simple, cute, enjoyable. Not much else to be said.

This album is a good, solid country folk album by all accounts. Easy to listen to with enough storytelling in the songwriting to keep my attention. Plus, it has Nanci Griffith's beautiful voice. But more important than the chord progressions and melodies are the memories this music evokes in my mind. Riding around the city in my mom's red Camaro while she was blasting Nanci Griffith, Mary Chapin Carpenter, The Judds, and Tanya Tucker. Her singing every word and 10-year old me reluctantly learning every melody. She knew her old life was coming apart at the seams and this music helped her process her grief and stress. Before too long I would be too cool for folk music and would be off on my own journey of musical discovery. But hearing these songs again after so long and thinking back, I can feel the personal struggles my mom was going through at the time and I understand now why this music spoke so strongly to her. This album popped up on my project the day after she received some not-so-great health news and she has been in my thoughts a lot. It is almost eerie how music can focus thoughts and memories and emotions in such a powerful way. Love you mom!

The quieter tracks that were mostly guitar were quite good, reminded me of Stevie nicks (particularly landslide). The more country the songs got, particularly as the fiddle was brought in, the less I enjoyed them. It was fairly short though and there weren't any completely unlistenable moments. 2.5.

I really didn't mind this album. Jaunty, and she has a voice with a bit of an edge behind it - most songs are not sickly sweet. Fly By Night was my favourite, however I didn't mind listening to it at all. Notably decent production.

3.5/5. Shoutout Austin.

Not a huge country fan bit this sounded very good. But there is absolutely nothing surpising in most of the songs, they are quite 'cliché' for lack of a better word. Of course that is also why some people will dig it. Not sure why this is on the list because I hear nothing groundbreaking in it, it could have been written 50 years ago. But - perfect country voice, good songswriting and the album just sounds 'cozy'.

Schönes Country Album mit guter Musik, robuster Frauenstimme, guter Laune und dem Gefühl eines Bud’s wie im Western-Saloon. So ein bisschen Bud-Gefühl strahlt auch das Album aus. Man kann es trinken, aber bloß nicht zu viel.

Fairly straightforward country fare with a great voice. Not exactly my cup of tea, but made for pleasant listening.

***An easy listening album

I had never heard of this lady before, but 80s country is not my forte. I enjoyed this. I was doing a monotonous craft while I listened, and it was a pleasant companion.

I don't have a lot to say about this. It's folky country that is OK, but not much to get excited about. Favorite track: Fly By Night

3/5 the songs are good, but it's just not my genre

Say what you will about country but it sure goes down easy. Nanci Griffith's The Last of the True Believers is pleasant, albeit perhaps leaning on the generic side. It isn't often there's an album whose cover neatly ties in with the songs and themes. The title of "Love at the Five & Dime" is cute and charming but also leaves no doubts about the album's purpose. The lyrics may not be jaw dropping or attention grabbing, but Griffith had a subtle way with words. She created a world in an album that's too easy to put on repeat.

This is a genuinely good country album, albeit a very relaxed one! During the late 1980s, country was beginning to take on a different kind of sound that would really take off in the 1990s...sort of a rock/country/pop sound. Some artists, however, were going in a different direction at this time -- more of a folky country sound (think Emmylou Harris). Country-folk-pop type artists would see their own type of success in the 1990s among singer songwriters, although mostly outside of the country genre mainstream. This album by Nanci Griffith is reflective of that path. I found the entire album charming, but I was particularly captured by "The Last of the True Believers" and "Fly By Night". Nanci Griffith seems to be rather unknown even in the country space, and after listening to this, I feel like she is an underrated country artist!

Not really the biggest fan of country, but this was good and I don’t mind its inclusion.

Predictable but nice to listen to. Doesn't overstay its welcome. 3.2

I started off really enjoying this, but there was so little variation between songs that I was bored by the end of what is a fairly short album

A pleasant voice and a lovely country twangy guitar. But somehow misses the charm of Dolly or the rawness of the Indigo Girls. But I might be missing something.

What a great voice and a wonderful sounding album!

-Sort of reminds me of Emmylou Harris. Not really my kind of music but some of the songs are actually really good -Favorites are The Last Of The True Believers, Love At The Five & Dime, and Fly By Night

Lovely album of gentle country tunes. Nanci Griffith has a wonderful voice. I like this sort of easygoing, old-fashioned country and this I’ll have to keep this album in mind when I’m in the mood for that sound.

Pretty nice album that for the most part is chill country/folk. "Love At The Five & Dime" is my favorite. Great production and great composition. This album went by and I enjoyed it the more I listened. It's deeper than it initially appears. Great album cover, it looks like an odd blend of casual-chance-encounter and staged actors.

I was surprised by this album ... much better than I expected. I'm not that big a fan of country-folk, but I could still get into a few songs. As always with country music, the musicianship is first rate.

very classic feeling country. nanci's voice flows cathartically through the entire run time. lots of peaks and valleys of different emotions, life events, etc that make me want to find a bit more about her.

I liked this. And I don't like country.

Nanci has a nice voice and she’s a good songwriter. Those songs are a bit too hurdy durdy yay Texas for my personal liking, but I respect her craft. Great album cover too, I love this photo.

Country music does nothing for me.

Sounded good on my walk across the fields but doubt I would wheel it out at a party. Preferred the folky numbers rather than the country ones about old people shagging.

I greatly see the appeal in Nanci's songwriting and musicianship. Captivating storylines intertwined with such a soulful sweet and comforting voice. Leaning much on country twang and south texas sound structure, it certainly captures a positive light on the emotional plight of young American woman of the time. Added bonus for a pedal steel guitar and banjo usage. All that good stuff being said, absence of clear procussion is infuriating. All the instruments play in time to a soft pulse lost in the mix. Production is so entirely focused on this lead section fade in and fade out that even instruments get lost in the panning. Vocals are also extremely saturated in treble, nanc can hit lower notes but production squashes the attempts.

Meh. Country is country.

Great voice. Not my genre, but good stuff if you like country music.

What I picture Taylor Swift would be if she wasn't a megalomaniac.

solid country album, liked the title track the best.

5/10 Thanks to coming in for your review Nanci. You are a competent worker, but I wouldn't say you blow me away with your performance. Do you think you add to the overall culture we're trying to build here? I think you need to take some time to reflect and see if this is the kind of work you want to be doing. If it is, I think you should give it a full effort. None of these half measures, really give it your all. 6-26-2024

I really wasn’t expecting to like this since I haven’t liked any country music made after the 70s. And I wasn’t much digging it at all until the third track hit. It has the feel of the older country and it caught my ear. I had to go back and start over. I guess her original folk leanings brought more of that old feel that I love. Mostly I was drawn to the way she told a story. Overall, not my favorite album on this list, I may never even listen to it again, but surprisingly pleasant.

p550. 1986. 3 stars. Inoffensive 80's country album. Lovely voice and some classy songs, but strays in yeehaw too often and there's a lot of filler.

This was a pretty solid folk country album. With similar styles of older female country stars, Griffith uses a soft harmonious tone to tell rustic stories over a tune of simplified instrumentals. This was made in the 80s but could blend in at any decade. It’s a really good showing of how to make enjoyable music. I’d revisit it. 7.0/10

Easy listening, not bad