Red Dirt Girl

There was zero country in the household of my youth. I developed a taste for the elder Hank Williams because The Residents did an album of covers of both his work and that of John Phillips Souza--which I was obsessed with at 15-16. His lonesome story, and his heroin addiction (mirroring the heroin use of my other heroes, William Burroughs and Lou Reed) got me imagining Western highways late at night. I came across Western Swing thanks to Yumi Roth, IIRC, and loved it as a fascinating toy of sorts. George Strait, though... that got me actually interested in country. Sadly for me, I didn't cross paths with Emmylou's incredible album until just now. It has the kind of harmonies that melt my knees and make me weep for the big stuff.

Loves this!

10

She sounds really good on this, the songwriting is impeccable, the overall feel and sound to the music is superb, I really don't have anything negative to say about this. Love that she wrote everything on here for the most part. Also surprise Dave Matthews appearance? Wasn't expecting that.

Really enjoyed love emmylou

What an excellent album, atmospheric folk. Great sound quality and musicianship

Emmylou Harris is an angel sent from heaven. She could sing the phone book and I'd give it a five. Red Dirt girl is one of the saddest, most beautiful songs ever written. I can't listen to it without crying. One of the most deserving albums to make this list. A true masterpiece from an absolute American treasure. 5

This album is beautiful...any of this vaguely folksy country light guitar emotional vocals type stuff just reminds me of Sinead O'Connor, but I feel like this takes it a step above

Even with the participation of Dave Matthews, this is an out and out fantastic album. Emmylou has always been wonderful, but her shift in sound in the 90s (leading to this album) was fundamental in shaping perceptions around country music and its place in popular culture. I’m such a fan of this album. A whopper.

a really relaxing album, i didnt realzie it was over until a full extra hour after just having spotify autoplay her songs 5/5

Very good album. It's a somber affair, which borders on boring after awhile, but the songs are good and she sings beautifully.

beautiful and poignant, the emotional heart of what country should be

Some great songwriting.

gorgeous album. I find it fascinating that ever since Wrecking Ball when she worked with Daniel Laois, she has absorbed his sound into her work. And it’s such a good sound.

I loved this. I had no idea Big Thief ripped their whole schtick from Emmylou. Absolutely transfixing percussive, echoey, dreamy river sounds. Harris’ voice is peak. Biblical, Cohen-esque songwriting.

❤️

An absolute treasure trove of late 90s adult oriented country. A vibe I would happily spend time in for little under an hour of my time. Emmylou has got it.

She has a similar voice to later Stevie Nicks, which I liked. Enjoyable, story-telling lyrics.

Good music and storytelling

Second Emmylou Harris this week having listed to her and Gram Parsons. And this is a really good album. She is a really good songwriter and well worth a listen.

Shocked by how much Stevie Nicks and Emmy Lou Harris sound alike. Really cool album.

Good enough for me to go out and get an Emmylou Harris concert ticket, which I did while listening to this album

Absolute brilliance. Emmylou absorbed the good side of "country" in the 15+ albums before this one and as the composer of these songs brings that intimate knowledge to perfection and puts the Nashville establishment to shame. "I Don't Want To Talk About It Now" by itself is genius enough to warrant her inclusion in any hall of fame imaginable. The percussion alone. The bass alone. Her voice alone. The phone dial tone alone. Pretty much any other song on Red Dirt, esp. title track, Michelangelo, and J'ai fait tout would qualify it as great. I could go on and on. And on.

Well now! I think I had Emmylou all wrong. I knew her as just doing country covers but this blew me away. It reminded me of Johnny Cash‘s last album, that departure from country to emotional, sometimes pained genre-defying tunes. I listened to it once and was so surprised that I had to listen to it again. This is poignant and beautiful and her emotional delivery is bang on. There is a tendency for some similarity between tracks but I’m not sure that is a negative here. I don’t know what to mark it down on. Captivating!

Really great

Americana!

I am honestly surprised h0w much this touched me. the biggest dark horse so far. It made me feel like I was in a sad indie movie and apparently I like that vibe. biggest surprise of the project so far

Super artist, super voice, songs with depth - compare with today’s manufactured tripe. Just a lovely album.

Great album. Great voice. Stand out song - Michaelangelo

Amazing, big fan

Great

Gorgeous album. Did not expect to like it as much as I did. Emmylou's voice is just tremendous and the tracks flow so well from start to finish.

on first blush I was not a fan, but listening more it did grow on me a lot. I don't like it as much as her earlier stuff, but there are a lot of cool melodies and inspirations being pulled in here, and her songwriting is fantastic. it does also sound a little of its time in some respects, which to me is not a compliment. this is another one where i think it may actually be a 4 but I'm feeling generous and well disposed towards it

Lush, beautiful, hard, sad, sweet... I don't have enough adjectives to describe Emmylou Harris' Red Dirt Girl. Probably her last truly great album (Ok Maybe Stumble Into Grace was the last), Red Dirt Girl is an emotional powerhouse of an album. The title track alone makes this album worthwhile, but the song My Antonia with Dave Matthews is a kick in the emotions. It has all the feels, love, longing betrayal, deep deep sadness. This is Emmylou as a mature singer and expert songwriter. It's just wonderful.

I just can’t right now. It was almost 30 years ago when my wife first introduced me to this music. And now we are going through the long and painful process of separation and probably divorce. I want to love this music again someday but I’m not sure infirm going to be able to.

Incredible album of subtlety and beauty.

When the gods reached out and touched the voices of women country musci artists, one of the first whom they commissioned was Emmylou Harris. A beautiful album. What's not to love?

Hey, this is great! Normally, I'm a lot more strict with my 5-stars or 10/10 ratings but judging from the contents of this list so far I'm going to have precious few good albums.

This album is a 4.99999 for me

I appreciated this record and am excited to spin it up again.

Just crying my face off listening to this album. Five stars.

Loved every bit.

I unexpectedly loved this! I expected it to be more country, but I would really call this a folk album and a really well done one, too. Emmylou Harris's voice is just gorgeous and perfectly suited to this kind of music.

An odd choice, seems like a deep cut - finding an album from very late in her career. Seems like an early album from her hay day in the 70s or 80s should have been included instead, but I really like it. Furthermore, I'm not really a country fan. This sounds more like it could be on an alternative rock list - though it is still quite folksy, and not very country in my estimation.

Country tranquilo. Preciosa voz.

So good

One of my all-time favorite albums.

What a legendary voice

Country tranquilo. Preciosa voz.

Favourite songs: My Baby Needs a Shepherd, Bang the Drum Slowly, The Pearl, Michelangelo, I Don't Wanna Talk About It Now, Tragedy, Boy From Tupelo, Red Dirt Girl, One Big Love Least favourite songs: Hour of Gold 5/5

It’s a super strong 4 that I’m gonna round up to a 5, just for my tastes. There are some points early in the album where the production is lacking just that one extra bit for my tastes, but when this album clicks and puts it all together, it’s some of the best country/Americana stuff I’ve heard in a long time. The consequences of “bro country” coming into the scene in the late 90s and early 2000s need to be studied someday, because this is a really good album to me, and I need more stuff like this. Red Dirt Girl? That’s the type of country music I need, not bullshit about trying “that” in a small town, whatever “that” is. The album is just a little too long for me. Could’ve cut it down to like, 8 or 9 tracks, but there’s really not a bad one here. I enjoyed everything on this album; I genuinely think it hits 12 for 12 for me, and that’s why I’m going with a 5 regardless of its slower moments or its perceived flaws. It’s good music, and that’s what matters.

Country

Country is my favorite

Happy to find out this one has mostly songs she wrote, as I really liked the songwriting. Never been sure if I like country, but I'm becoming a dad, my tastes are morphing, and I found myself getting a bit choked up at SEVERAL points. Not every song, but the gorgeous voice and tone still shines through. Have to let my gut speak on this one.

Beautiful and understated and she sings like my girlfriend.

Country tranquilo. Preciosa voz.

I cringed at every word contained within both the album title and artist name expecting to be assaulted by more country music but I was pleasantly surprised, not a banjo in sight. Today was a good day

Beautiful voice, really enjoyed the soothing nature of this. The last track (Boy from Tupelo) especially

Love you, Emmylou.

Very good! And with a feature from Dave Matthews!

So good listened twice back to back.

Country tranquilo. Preciosa voz.

Buen disco y agradable !!!

Álbum excelente de Country. Vocal maravilhoso e arranjos muitos legais. CVJ Jemine.

That was very lovely! I think my favourite was My Antonia because her voice went very nicely with Dave Matthews' voice!

maybe rating up a bit ?? this was so good tho

I felt a bit guarded at first because her accent invoked feelings of modern pop-country, “proud redneck,” tripe. But the more I listened, the more charming she became. The arrangements were beautiful, too. I’m not ready to call myself a fan, but I definitely liked this album.

Hon har en sådan fantastisk röst att hon kan sjunga vad som helst och man lyssnar. Det är vackert och sorgligt. Red Dirt Girl är fantastisk. Det här tycker jag mycket om och vill att Harris aldrig ska sluta sjunga.

Good, pleasant album. Nothing special but definitely not bad. More fuzzy guitar tone would make this even better. 3.5/5

I like everything about this

4/5

Fun listen. I think I just enjoy female singers more because her voice was just pleasant to listen to. Production was alright. Maybe I am a country fan because I didn't realize this was country. 4/5

Just another example of Emmylou Harris being a Queen. Never heard this album before but this brand of country is right up my alley. Run time a little long but when you’re this good at writing songs it happens I guess.

I didn't expect to like this album this much.

I've never heard this before. Enjoyed it a lot.

spacious, with that wonderful voice - tender and wise - at the centre of everything

Around 2000 is when I started hearing Emmylou Harris in a lot of places (i.e. with Bright Eyes), and it's great to finally hear the album that really "relaunched" her career. I didn't realize her previous albums were mostly written by others, and this was the first with so many of her own songs. I don't think this is some completely amazing album, and I could see someone giving it a 3 or 3.5 stars, but I still think it is very solid, with her signature great singing, beautiful voice, and there are some really great songs to be found here, especially if you like alt-country.

Fantastic album with the same spirit as Wrecking Ball, which is my favorite of hers. I actually saw her on this tour at the Columbus Zoo of all places, maybe the most NPR thing I've ever done. Also a big fan of Buddy Miller (and his wife Julie Miller), her right hand man in this era.

I know Emmylou Harris is a legend, but she's been releasing music for 50 years, so I have no idea where to begin. I appreciate this project for suggesting three albums to start with. What's weird is that I think Red Dirt Girl is great, but I also don't know how often I'll listen to it. I really like her voice and her songwriting, though. Who knows, maybe I will. If nothing else, I saved "Boy From Tupelo" to a playlist.

What a voice!

Great vocals

Really earnest, contemplative, and heartfelt.

Great album!

Classic album. Love it!

Would get this on vinyl

I liked it

very nice!! i love her neil young cover wrecking ball obviously. and the trio album (I listen to wildflowers like every day) she's good!!

I've never heard this one before. I like it better than the earlier stuff of hers that I'm more familiar with, because she's got a lot of complex musical accompaniment, much of it not very traditionally country-sounding. Enjoyed listening to this today and probably will return to it in the future. 4 stars

All i knew before today about Emmylou was the First aid kit song with her name. This was a great experience and I can certainly tell why they were so inspired while listening to her songs. Great voice and smooth country with some stand out songs that I will be listening to again. A great way to start the day.

Nice

Her voice is incredible, which is like saying Ella Fitzgerald can sing, I know... I can immediately hear how influential this album is - in big ways like Brandi Carlisle and in small ways like the Heartless Bastards. I’m not a big listener of this style country, so some of the arrangements aren’t my thing. I do like a little fuzz with my guitars and less sincerity in my lyrics. That being said, it’s beautiful album and a great example of this being done well.

I enjoyed being reminded of this album, which I owned back in the day. I have a long history with Emmylou which didn't get off to a great start, but I eventually became a huge fan--mostly of her back catalog, however. This record reminded me I should listen to her newer work too.

I'm not a big country fan, but each Emmylou Harris album I've had so far has been well worth the listen. I've enjoyed her music quite a bit.

Enjoyed a lot more than I expected

Enjoyed this album far more than I expected. A couple of the songs were a bit too traditional "whiney" country for my liking but overall a nice l8sten

Songwriting Legend

Good

Good classic country

The songwriting and lyrics were beautiful, but the production got on my nerves, though I can't put my finger on why exactly. I bet this sounded amazing live.

J'avais jamais entendu parler de cette dame, et je dois avouer que j'ai été très agréablement surpris. Une voix délicieuse, avec un petit arrière-goût rauque qui n'est pas déplaisant (peut-être lié à l'âge). Une guitare folk usuelle mais efficace (bon elle a 30 ans de retard mais passons), et quelques instrus qui différent. Juste on dirait que l'album date de BD (Bob Dylan) prime alors que c'est de 2002

Enjoyed it.

Country é melhor quando feito por mulheres. A produção deixa bem claro que não é um álbum country puro, mas gostei bastante. Consigo escutar influência da emmylou na musica da taylor swift.

2000s country folk.Her first self-written album. Stunning country vocals. Really lovely singer-songwriter country.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ Vackert och nedtonat. Emmylou har en fantastisk och känslosam röst. Hade missat detta albumet av henne men hört några spår. Det var en positiv överraskning, jag tycker om när hon som här tonar ner country-stilen och mer går åt singer songwriter-hållet. Framförallt växer det med antal lyssningar, detta känns som signifikativt med Emmylou Harris att hon behöver lite tid. Det som också skiljer sig från tigigare Album är att här inte finns några covers. Tycker väldigt mycket om spåret Red dirt girl och duett-spåren som t.ex My Antonia. Detta albumet är dock inte riktigt lika vasst som Wrecking ball men produktionen påminner om Wrecking Ball, läser att producenten av albumet är Malculm Burn som var Daniel Lanois protegé så att de liknar varandra är kanske inte så konstigt (Daniel Lanois producerade Wrecking all). Bäst är Michelangelo, Red dirt girl och My Antonia. Hade inte trott det på förhand men detta album får en 4a.

et bah c’était vraiment bien

It's a bit criminal that I get most of my album listening in at work, where my white collar drudgery requires too much attention to really listen to the lyrics. All the same, it's effective and affecting. It is a rare gift among singer-songwriters to produce a song that sounds like it's an ancient part of the folk canon and Harris possesses it. 'My Baby Needs A Shepherd' is one of those -- this recording of it sounds like a contemporary recording of an old, old song. Harris combines a phenomenal melodic sensibility (informed by a time in the Greenwich Village folk scene, among other things) with a clear, powerful, versatile voice. Her music is distinctly American, in the sense that she sounds both akin to NYC folk and Nashville songwriters but also draws obvious elements from very old melodies from Ireland and Scotland. This casual, musical syncretism is both what sets her apart from her contemporaries in both scenes and her most American trait. Whatever the case, it is an asset and is what makes her music timeless. A cynic might gloss over some of these songs as being overly similar to other things that exist but that is a mistake made by the ignorant: there is a difference between a McDonald's cheeseburger and one made with the love and care of a specialist and if you don't care to notice, you're the one losing out. To be very direct about it, we could swap a few Harris records for ones featuring Morrissey on Dimery's great List and it would improve things a great deal (on realizing there are five or six more Morrissey albums, I nearly quit). In Dimery's defense, I'm not about to compile a list of a thousand necessary albums. I just despise Morrissey. So much. 4/5, give me more roots music

Soft country rock usually isn't my thing so I can't really drum up any glowing compliments about it, but still an enjoyable listen. Also saved for me by the fact that Emmylou has a nice singing voice. 7.5, maybe an 8/10.

8/10 My first time listening to Emmylou Harris and I love it! Really reminds me of Dolly Parton. Maybe not a groundbreaking album but the vocals are amazing and the instruments were nice and kept it fresh.

Emmylou , enough said

Liked this way more than I thought I would. Thought it would be country but much more interesting musically.

Immaculate production and performances, really nice songwriting but maybe a few songs too long and felt a bit generic, but I don't have huge knowledge of the genre so there might be something I'm missing. Probably won't listen to it again, but that's a matter of taste rather than anything being ingerrently wrong or bad with the music.

What a beautiful voice.

Soft acoustic country <3

Another album I wish I could rate 3.5. Some songs I loved. But then at one point I got bored. Overall I genuinely enjoyed the album, which is why I rounded up.

I respect she wrote it all on her own and it was solid

this was so different than other Emmylou albums on this list. she's got a great voice & really enjoyed songwriting and arrangements. best track was the opening "The Pearl", then it did lag a bit in the middle. still a good listen.

7.5/10

beautiful and souful. Will listen to this more.

Ovaj tip americane iz kasnih devedesetih ranih nultih s diskretnim postmodernističkim produkcijskim potezima je točno moja šolja čaja

this album is getting too much hate. it's a solid album and she has an amazing voice. she may have better albums but that's not a reason to shit on this one. favorite song: j'ai fait tout

Jeg viber med dette, jeg. Hvertfall i dag

I've mainly heard Emmylou Harris as a backing singer, though I think I got Pieces of the Sky on here a long while ago? Her slightly raspier and more lived-in voice is enjoyable here, and the driving electrified instrumentation is totally not what I expected, but it's also pretty great. This reminded me a lot of Adrianne Lenker/Big Thief, particularly their latest album Double Infinity. That album didn't stick with me as much as Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You, perhaps the busy soundscapes overshadowed the lyrics. I can't really remember any particular lyrics or individual songs from Red Dirt Girl, though that might be unfair after just one listen. It's a strong album overall.

Pretty good folk country.

Great voice, great song writing.

A southern / Irish sound. I really like emmlyou’s album

This was a good album. I really liked her voice. The album itself was fine but it was her voice that put it over the edge.

When to listen: A melancholy spring or summer day. Longing. Yearning. Feeling enormous love. I think she's a wonderful singer and I enjoyed this album.

The first time I ever heard Emmylou Harris, she was opening for Elvis Costello. What a voice that woman has. Some excellent tunes here -- and she's so damned emotive. Love it. Although the notion that this is the "first album she wrote" isn't quite accurate. "One Big Love" is a Patty Griffin song.

Good songs great singing

Alannis Morrisette on heroin. I always like hip hop samples under a sad guitar.

Long known for her lovely voice, Harris also shows herself a terrific songwriter here. Some beautiful stuff!

Hey so turns out i love this album!

Not really a country fan, but this album really impressed me in how much i liked it.

Bra bra bra!

Exceptional as hell. Surprised I didn't really know much about Emmylou before this challenge began. A little shocked at how good an album from a 50 year old is too. The music felt more inspired by gospel in the vocals than country, but thats just me. The harmonies are exquisite and make this longer album not feel like a slog.

Much better country

Day721 - emmylou harris has such a beautiful voice. i love michelangelo and my antonia w/ dave matthews

This is not my genre at all, but I can recognize- this is excellent. Interesting textures and production paired up with good songs. ELH has a great, fragile, steely voice, with that classic country vibrato- but she uses it here in a way I’ve never heard before. The layers of guitars are like a warm cozy blanket, and the drums are powerful and expressive. This is a very strong FOUR STARS

What just happened here? I absolutely loved this. It starts off a bit humdrum, but a few tracks in it really transports you to somewhere magical. I think maybe it's a situational thing, because to me it has a really melancholy feel to it, perfect for the Christmas season. Beautiful stuff in the main, slightly too long and with a weak start, but a lovely suprise.

I had never heard this album before, but I'm so glad I've heard it now. It's not just that this is a pretty record; it's innovative too. The singing and songwriting are fantastic, of course, but the music is not just a background arrangement. It's pretty, but the producers and arrangers even added some late '90s/early '00s electronic sounds in a way that I find completely tasteful. In fact, I didn't notice the drum machines and understated synth elements until the third listen. Dave Matthews even makes an appearance toward the end of the album, and the production team smartly kept his role in the background, a highlight to Harris's vocals. This is an example of a pretty record that actually contains some interesting music. It's a worthwhile effort, and a solid addition to my collection. Four stars.

wow, a very different Emmylou to the last album of hers I listened to. Loved it though, sounds like the late 90s. Is this really country? Hard for me to pinpoint an exact genre.

Such a quality voice - not really my kind of music but

Love Emmylou

Emmylou's voice just gets better with age. After thirty years in the business, her songwriting came into its own with this album. A wonderful batch of tunes from start to finish. The only low points (for me) were the lyrics of "One Big Love" (which also happens to be the only song Emmylou didn't have a writing credit on), and the strange decision to use programed drums on several tracks. Distracting with the quiet folk sound of the album. Other than those little things, I loved the album.

Good album, no skips

7/10

Other than a song or two, I really liked this album. I had only limited exposure to Emmylou Harris over the years, but thought this was really good, and right up my alley. Not quite 5 stars, but a solid four. I definitely will be playing this one again.

This album is hauntingly beautiful. I imagine all these ballads being played at a camp-fire near a considerably dense forest as dusk happens to set in, except the songs being play at the camp-fire isn't whatsoever cheesy. Sorrow is featured heavily on the album, but the sorrow never manages to drown out the resilience the singer has. Highlight Song/s: The Pearl

Emmylou Harris's voice. Sheesh. I really liked this. Beautiful. Haunting. And a surprise duet with Dave Matthews!

Vey good.

mother please

Love Emmylou and this album is beautiful. It's not her *most* beautiful but it's close? Giving it 4 stars. Will listen again.

Favorite Track: Bang the Drum Slowly

Mykje fint

First time hearing any of Emmylou's stuff. Not sure how it compares to her other albums so will comment just on this one on its own. Firstly, nice voice - less "bleaty" than Stevie Nicks but a similar vibe. A slight country twang in there, subtle, but its there. The music is lush with reverb, varied with the drum heavy opening track to the acoustic second track to the sampling of the third track. Early on, its quite rich and reminded me of Fiona Apple. Quite modern (in a relative context given its from 2000) production that is stark to Emmylou's voice. The title track introduces a little country, acoustic and singing but again, its so stark to the quietly overdriven guitar. Seems like a different album now! Bang the drum slowly is a massive hit to the feels. This is quite a nice album! Faith restored in this exercise - finding those gems.

Very nice

So beautiful and a Little Rock too😎

Awesome

Day 56 First listen- Wow what a gorgeous album, Emmylou is a fantastic writer and her voice is out of this world, I am enchanted by every aspect of this album. (4/5)

I've always known that Emmylou Harris is an icon, but I haven't done a deep dive into her discography. It's obvious how influential her voice and sound is to modern music. Without searching, I have a sneaking suspicion that Miley Cyrus took quite a bit of inspiration from her for her own work. Makes sense with her country music background.

The voice of a songbird. So beautiful.

Stevie Knicks goes country

Haunting, beautiful, a little repetitive. I'm not sure why every song reminds me of Christmas carols.

I sincerely appreciate the restraint on this album. It holds itself back in favor of bringing a folk soundscape, allowing Harris to take us on a journey.

Very surprised at how much I enjoyed this. Emmylou Harris’s voice is fantastic and so many of these songs are haunting and beautiful. Another case of I don’t know why this was included in the list, but I’m glad it was

Enjoyable and very much of its time.

honestly much better than I expected coming from someone who really doesn’t like country. probably the best country album I’ve gotten so far, though I haven’t gotten many. with the beat at the beginning I genuinely thought “tragedy” was gonna be some sort of hip hop type of song

I like Emmylou Harris a lot, but she has much stronger albums than this.

Some incredible songs on this one, but a few duds too. Still, it’s Emmylou

Every time you type in one of these song names to find out why it seems familiar it's a book. This person must be very well read. In any case, this took a little to warm up for me and I might be rounding up just because I enjoyed the sidebar to listen to a couple versions of The Streets of Laredo but it can have the round up anyway, 3.5

Beautiful! Great lyrics, singer songwriter country, but with 2000s flavour, like the occasional hip-hop beat. Reminds me of Courtney Marie Andrews

3.6

Incredible voice.

Red Dirt Girl was certainly a nice surprise of an album. Apparently from reading the Wikipedia article from this album, this is apparently her first album of hers for the majority of the songs to be written by her rather than covering songs by other songwriters. And surprisingly, it really did pay off as many of the songs here were written very well and were performed just as well. The music was really well done by combining a typical country sound with more pop elements and they really do mesh well together. Emmylou's vocals were also very good, as were David Matthews' vocals in that one song that he appeared in. This was a really good album and a lot better than i was expecting Best Song: I Don't Wanna Talk About It Now Worst Song: Bang the Drum Slowly

- immediately comforting even though i’ve never heard it before - saved it to my library after two songs which i’ve done before and changed my mind on but i feel like this’ll stick - guitar + drums on tragedy is reminding me of jagged little pill - faint guitar on red dirt girl is so beautiful. sounds so expansive!! - the whole album has a breadth to it that i wouldn’t expect from folk as much. i’m a big fan of it - a real ‘why is no one talking about this’ moment and the reason is that everyone was talking about it literally twenty five years ago - dave matthews on my antonia. thought of ‘wow this guy’s really good’ is sooo original he should start a band - for a verrrryyy brief moment i thought it could have been john mayer man. i love this album. excited for it to become a core one for me

Emmylou’s voice is golden thread spun into music and drizzled with honey. That makes no sense, but how about you listen to her sing for an hour or two and see if it doesn’t make you believe in weird possibilities. Her sound is so sweet and inviting, it kind of opens your mind to the world. Maybe I’m high as hell, but I don’t think so.

Lovely

Really good folksy stuff. Red Dirt Girl reminds me of Travelin’ Soldier.

The type of old country/folk that really resonates with me. I wish I could do half stars

Open, honest and full of dirt.

A consistenly good album in music and vocals. 4 stars or B+.

Country ballad-ey stuff, not as twangy as I expected

I'm generally a fan of the artist, and this is a pretty record, with strong feelings and good songwriting.

Surprisingly good. I thought it was more folk then country. I really liked her voice on this. Weird Dave Matthews duet at the end.

The modern production for folk is really pretty nice, while still going for many of the classic folk styles in lyrics. A super pleasant listen. 7/10

Good album, surprising in its different tones, deeply felt emotions expressed

I've been desperately looking for a new country/folk artist to dive into and she fit my bill. She has such a lovely voice with beautiful lyrics. A lot of sincerity mixed with story telling for this album. I enjoyed it.

Man, I love Harris's voice. Mixed with the guitar, echoey and delayed at times, hard and electric at others, it just works so well. Goddamn I love that electric slide guitar sound. Wish she had it on more tracks. Her lyrics are interesting and meaningful. Even though this album isnt straight up country, it's where I wish more of the country genre would have headed instead of the heap of overproduced pop crap a lot of it is these days. Standouts were "The Pearl" "Michelangelo" "Red Dirt Girl" "My Antonia" This is a really strong album. I'd put it somewhere between 8 or 9 out of ten for me so it gets an easy 4 stars. There are a couple songs I could have done without, not bad though by any means. I'd like to go listen to some of Harris's older stuff.

I was fully expecting to hate this given the genre and the fact that it’s an artist 20 years past her prime. But I very much did not. Country is, IMO, almost always better with a female singer, and the songs are beautiful with great imagery. It does fall into some of the common pitfalls of its era - namely, bloat and overproduction - but not as bad as some of its contemporaries. It’s better than I expected it to be.

Hard to decide on 3 or 4. I liked a lot of this, but some of the lyrics were too cutesy or country.

I was a little worried when the wikipedia article mentioned this was an album by a country music artist. I really don't care for country. And while there was a little bit of that trademark twang, it wasn't too overwhelming. I quite liked this.

This may well be a 5-star, but I'm couching my rating just because I couldn't give it my full attention over one listening session. From the first notes, I wasn't sure, there's something about the timbre and delivery of Harris' vocal that teeter on the edge. But before the chorus of the tune hit I was fully on board. Harris has a distinctive, fragile, tough honesty in her singing and lyric and damnit, I really like her music. Who knew I was a country boy?

I'll admit I rolled my eyes when I saw what the selection was. I didn't care for the last one we heard by her, so I was not looking forward to this one. Shame on me. I was definitely impressed by this. I like the eastern elements and other exotic touches. At the end of the day, I'm not sure that I love her as a lead singer, but I thought everything else was solid. This is more of a 3.5 I think, but I'll round up just 'cause.

pretty good for a country album!

Taka na granicy ta płyta. Miejscami piękną, delikatna i czuła a miejscami zbyt sentymentalna. Wokal kojarzy mi się trochę z Vegą, chociaż jej zaśpiew jest bardziej rozpoznawalny. 7/10

This was definitely an interesting mix of sounds all blended together. At its core, it’s a contemporary folk and Americana album, but it also has this dusty, rootsy feel paired with an ethereal, ambient soundscape that gives the music a hazy, dreamlike quality. I can see why this is a popular release and what sets it apart from others in the genre. That said, I thought it was a decent album, nothing about it really grabbed my attention or made me feel like I’d want to return to it in the future.

En typisk fyra. Vacker lyssningsvärd musik, men den tar inte tag i mig. Kvällsmusik att ha i bakgrunden. Fyra.

4.5?

Well, I could listen to this front to back, and two of the tracks (Michelangelo and I Don't Wanna Talk About It Now) have found their way onto another playlist of mine. Which, really, is more than most Country Albums have any right to claim. 3.5/5

Pleasantly, this is less Country and more like “modern folk” and ocassionally something like…pop? The opening tracks are strong: “The Pearl” and “Michaelangelo.” The third track leans heavily into modern production—sounds good if maybe a little much. Title track “Red Dirt Girl” is another strong one. One critical review said the album is gimmicky - maybe, but it shines in many places and works for me. For good songwriting and giving me something that is not just plain Country (thank you!) I am rounding up to 4.

I had heard of Emmylou Harris, but flinched when I saw "country" as the genre. However, I was pleasantly surprised. If all country were more like this, I probably would be more of a fan. She's an engaging storyteller and songwriter, and while the music suffers at time to some dated production value, I didn't mind. Really solid album with some standout tracks.

Really don't get the hate for country music if they can be as good as this.

Three things I've learned from this list: - Most country just isn't very good at all - Most alt-country, on the other hand, is brilliant - Emmylou Harris has one of the greatest voices I've ever heard

Had forgotten about this old favorite. Great album.

Emmylou Harris, eine US-amerikanische Singer-Songwriterin, präsentiert mit Red Dirt Girl ein Album, das sich stilistisch zwischen Folk, Country und Americana bewegt. Im Gegensatz zu vielen ihrer früheren Werke, die oft Interpretationen fremder Songs enthielten, besteht dieses Album überwiegend aus Eigenkompositionen. Die Produktion des Albums fand in verschiedenen Aufnahmestudios statt, darunter die Sound Emporium Studios in Nashville. Die Arrangements sind atmosphärisch und oft von melancholischen Klangfarben geprägt, was die erzählerische Tiefe der Texte unterstreicht. Besonders hervorzuheben ist der Titelsong Red Dirt Girl, der eine eindringliche Geschichte erzählt. Weitere prägnante Stücke sind Bang the Drum Slowly und Michelangelo, die sowohl textlich als auch musikalisch eine besondere Intensität entfalten. Insgesamt zeigt das Album eine nachdenkliche und sehr persönliche Seite der Künstlerin. Die Kombination aus ihrer markanten Stimme und den ausgearbeiteten Arrangements verleiht den Songs eine charakteristische Wirkung, die sich gut in ihr Gesamtwerk einfügt.

A really good album, I liked Red Dirt Girl and Bang The Drum Slowly the most.

I saw a woman crying On the train home Music more pertinence Crying for a man who is lying Or a woman that likes to roam Did she just have red eyes Seemed fine in the end No tarnished lies Tissue ready to lend

Excellent!!

I always like a well done genre blend. This wasn't always the most captivating but the high point were beautiful.

Excellent!

Great album. Emmylou paved the way for those that followed.

Liked it more than I thought I would.

## In-Depth Review of *Red Dirt Girl* by Emmylou Harris Emmylou Harris's album *Red Dirt Girl*, released on September 12, 2000, marks a significant evolution in her career. Known for her interpretative prowess, this album features eleven original songs, showcasing her songwriting abilities alongside her distinctive vocal style. The album's themes delve into personal struggles, lost dreams, and the complexities of life in small-town America. This review will explore the lyrics, music, production, themes, and influence of the album while also discussing its pros and cons. ### Lyrics The lyrics of *Red Dirt Girl* are poignant and narrative-driven, centering primarily around the character Lillian, a fictional composite representing many women who feel trapped by their circumstances. The opening track, "Red Dirt Girl," paints a vivid picture of Lillian's life with her friend on the porch, juxtaposing innocence with the harsh realities that follow. The recurring motif of "red dirt" serves as a metaphor for both geographical and emotional grounding. Key lyrical themes include: - **Dreams vs. Reality**: Lillian dreams of escaping her small town but ultimately finds herself stuck in a cycle of despair. This is encapsulated in lines like “there’s not much hope for a red dirt girl” which evoke a sense of longing for something greater. - **Loss and Regret**: The narrative explores Lillian's brother's death in Vietnam and how it shapes her life choices. The line "He never got farther than Vietnam" symbolizes lost potential and unfulfilled dreams. - **Voicelessness**: Harris highlights the stories of those who often go unheard. Lillian’s tragic end is described as “there won’t be a mention in the News of the World,” emphasizing societal neglect for individual stories. The lyrical depth is complemented by Harris's ability to convey emotion through her delivery, making the listener feel the weight of Lillian’s experiences. ### Music Musically, *Red Dirt Girl* blends elements of country, folk, and rock, reflecting Harris's diverse influences. The production features: - **Instrumentation**: The album includes acoustic guitars, subtle piano lines, and light percussion that create an intimate atmosphere. Notably, the use of drum loops adds a contemporary touch that distinguishes it from traditional country sounds. - **Vocal Performance**: Harris’s voice is central to the album’s appeal. Her delivery ranges from tender to powerful, capturing the emotional nuances of each song. Tracks like "One Big Love" showcase her ability to infuse energy into more upbeat compositions. - **Production Quality**: Produced by Malcolm Burn, known for his work on *Wrecking Ball*, the album maintains a polished yet organic sound. However, some critiques suggest that certain tracks may feel overly produced or lack distinctiveness due to similar mid-tempo arrangements. ### Themes The overarching themes of *Red Dirt Girl* revolve around: - **Identity and Place**: The notion of being rooted in one’s hometown while yearning for more is prevalent throughout the album. The "red dirt" symbolizes both heritage and confinement. - **Female Experience**: Harris gives voice to women's struggles in a patriarchal society. Lillian’s story reflects broader societal issues faced by women who grapple with expectations versus aspirations. - **Mortality and Legacy**: The album contemplates how lives can go unnoticed and uncelebrated. It raises questions about what constitutes a meaningful life and how personal histories are often overlooked. ### Influence *Red Dirt Girl* has been influential in several ways: - **Artistic Shift**: This album marks a turning point for Harris as she transitions from primarily covering songs to showcasing her own songwriting talents. Critics have noted this shift as a maturation in her artistry. - **Cultural Reflection**: The themes resonate with listeners who have experienced similar feelings of entrapment or loss. It has been cited as an essential work in understanding contemporary country music's evolution. - **Critical Acclaim**: The album has been included in various lists of must-hear albums and has received praise for its storytelling and emotional depth, solidifying Harris's legacy as a significant figure in American music. ### Pros and Cons #### Pros - **Lyrical Depth**: The storytelling is rich and evocative, providing listeners with relatable narratives that explore complex emotions. - **Vocal Performance**: Emmylou Harris delivers an exceptional vocal performance that enhances the emotional weight of the lyrics. - **Innovative Production**: The blend of traditional instrumentation with modern production techniques creates a unique sound that appeals to both classic country fans and new listeners. #### Cons - **Pacing Issues**: Some tracks may feel monotonous due to similar tempos and arrangements, potentially leading to listener fatigue over time. - **Overproduction Concerns**: Certain songs may come off as overly polished or lacking rawness that could enhance their emotional impact. - **Limited Distinctiveness**: While many songs are well-crafted, some critics argue that they do not stand out individually within the album context. ### Conclusion In summary, *Red Dirt Girl* is a significant work in Emmylou Harris's discography that showcases her evolution as both an artist and songwriter. Its exploration of themes such as lost dreams, identity, and female experience resonates deeply with listeners. While it has its drawbacks—such as pacing issues and moments of overproduction—the overall impact of the album remains profound. It not only solidifies Harris’s place in music history but also serves as an important reflection on the human condition through its rich storytelling and emotive performances.

Well this was a pleasant surprise. Just a beautiful album from beginning to end. Of course Emmylou has a great voice, but the songwriting was top notch and production and world influences surprisingly effective.

Exceeded expectations. A pretty mix of acoustic and electric country/folk rock, but it never goes *too* country for me and the melodies are superb. Think James Taylor at times, or later Mark Knopfler. Strong vocals too. Opener The Pearl is one of the best tracks but there's lots of good ones on the first half. The back half isn't as good for me, but still an excellent album. Favorites: The Pearl, Red Dirt Girl, My Baby Needs a Shepherd, Bang the Drum Slowly.

Some of the most pleasant country music from this list so far. So warm, yet muddy, and Emmylou's melodies are some of the most soothing I've heard from this strain of alt-country. It's almost unsettling how these acoustic and electric guitar melodies linger in the mix, floating like lost souls - especially on the title track and 'Bang the Drum Slowly'. The lyrics are nostalgic and melancholic - or maybe it's just Harris' knack for these hole-in-your-heart-inducing melodies that make you realize you're not actually as happy as you think you are. In a lot of ways, I have very little to say about this album. I'd go as far as to say that there were very few "standout" moments. But it's all just so peaceful, like the sight of a warm shack in the middle of a damp forest. And then I'm lying on a couch in that shack, by a crackling fire. Good music!

I suspect we won't get too many artists or bands that have had 19 studio albums behind their name (especially by the year 2000), so that in itself is impressive. And this is an interesting album, at least for someone (like myself) who doesn't really know Emmylou Harris' prodigious output aside from knowing (vaguely and maybe incorrectly) that she's primarily a country singer. I liked how the opening track ("The pearl") had a very Daniel Lanois-sounding vibe to it, and I also like it that she wrote or co-wrote most of the album's songs. (And I appreciate it that the "1001 albums" entry notes her connection to Daniel Lanois, as his style and influence is strong throughout much of this album.) Her default folk/country sound isn't my favorite, but she does it well and there's a lot more variety throughout the album than I expected; I particularly enjoyed "I don't want to talk about it now", "Red dirt girl", and "J'ai fait tout". Thankfully it doesn't sound at all like she's just dialing it in after 30+ years of surviving the music circuit and a lot of ups and downs, plus an amazingly broad number of collaborations and shared music projects across the decades. (I'm now very interested in hearing her collaborations with Mark Knopfler as well as with Rodney Crowell--I'd guess those are great combinations.) The album is a bit long in the tooth at times, and some songs are just too we-are-the-world-invoking ("One big love" especially), but I enjoyed listening to it much more than I expected.

This was great would definitely come back to this.

laiha nainen wibes... kiemurtelee lavalla, luinen käsi hakkaa vaahterakitaraa.. sairaan näkyinen otus silmät kiinni hoilaa. kaikkea sitä joutuu kestämään... imagine musliminainen... tekisi tälläistä musiikkia... دَ إِلَى الأَبَدِ آمِينبَانَا الذِي فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ، لِيَتَقَدَّسَ اسْمُكَ لِيَأْتِ مَلَكُوتُكَ لِتَكُنْ مَشِيئَتُكَ فِي الأَرْضِ كَمَا السَّمَاءِ اعْطِنَا خُبْزَنَا اليَوْمِيَّ اعْفِنَا فِي مِمَّا عَلَيْنَا فَقَدْ أَعْفَيْنَا نَحْنُ أيَضاً مَنْ لَنَا عَلَيْهِ وَلاَ تُدْخِلْنَا فِي تَجْرِبَةٍ لَكِنْ نَجِّنَا مِنَ الشِّرِّيرِ لأَنَّ لَكَ الْمُلْكَ وَالْقُوَّةَ وَالْمَجْدَ إِلَى دَ إِلَى الأَبَدِ آمِينبَانَا الذِي فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ، لِيَتَقَدَّسَ اسْمُكَ لِيَأْتِ مَلَكُوتُكَ لِتَكُنْ مَشِيئَتُكَ فِي الأَرْضِ كَمَا السَّمَاءِ اعْطِنَا خُبْزَنَا اليَوْمِيَّ اعْفِنَا فِي مِمَّا عَلَيْنَا فَقَدْ أَعْفَيْنَا نَحْنُ أيَضاً مَنْ لَنَا عَلَيْهِ وَلاَ تُدْخِلْنَا فِي تَجْرِبَةٍ لَكِنْ نَجِّنَا مِنَ الشِّرِّيرِ لأَنَّ لَكَ الْمُلْكَ وَالْقُوَّةَ وَالْمَجْدَ إِلَى . i dpomt wanna talk about it.

Really good album. Emmylou Harris has an amazing voice.

This doesn't sound like my pre-conceived idea of country music. (Complimentary.) I see it's described as folk / world fusion, and yeah, that makes sense - I dig those genres and I dig what this is doing. It's really reminding me of another specific album but I can't quite put my finger on it. Fave tracks - "Michelangelo" and "J'ai Fait Tout"

This is, to me, the beginning of her golden era. Super solid album imho, killer voice and interesting production for a folk/country album. Will be coming back to this.

I know nothing at all about Emmylou Harris but from what I read, this is quite a departure for her in the latter stages of a long career in the country and folk scene. I really, really enjoyed it. What grabbed me first was the wall-of-sound production. In places it sounds more like Eno than Eno (Nod to producer Malcolm Burn here, it seems); combining hypnotic drum machines with rich instrumental layers and then just floats her voice over it all like syrup. And the vocals are just fantastic - she's able to turn her tone from sweet folkiness for the more country moments like the title track to bring a dense, ethereal quality to tracks like Bang The Drum Slowly and Hour Of Gold - huge shades of Massive Attack's Teardrop. Then just for fun, she drapes big power popstar vibes over Michelangelo and One Big Love. I very strongly contemplated giving this a 5, I just think it's one that you have to be in the mood for and while I don't think I always will be, I happen to be in that mood today.

I hadn’t heard of Emmylou Harris before today, but this album convinced me to do a deep dive. I didn’t like every song, which stops it from being five stars, but the ones that I did nearly brought me to tears. At its best, it commanded my attention. I’m excited to learn more about this artist.

I'm not a country folk type of person but there is something about Emmylou Harris' voice that is timeless.

Beautiful vox and dreamy instrumentals. Really enjoyable listen. Also a cheeky lil' surprise cameo by Dave Matthews on "My Antonia" (uncredited, interestingly)

Love it!

I love Emmylou's voice but this album isn't really that great to me in comparison to some of her other work. I'd honestly give it a 3, but I'm bumping to 4 just because I think she's so talented.

A bit more atmospheric than what i was expecting from Emmylou, but quite good.

A very nice voice, calm and comforting. Songs had a country vibe but the drums were like a lofi hip hop drum box or something. Nice

Emmylou Harris is an American treasure. She's one of those artists that probably could have way bigger, but she just kind of makes music that she likes and collaborates with everyone. Her voice is unique, its low, and she sings in a really non-traditional way. There's definitely world where she would have been a Country Superstar, but she never let Nashville control her. I really like this album. Red Dirt Girl is one of my favorite American / Folk songs. Its powerful, haunting and beautiful. I also really love how she plays with genres and influences with this record. She brings in a lot of Irish Folk lyrics and rhythms, but then also incorporates middle eastern sounds and instruments on some songs. Some songs sound like pure country, while others feel like Norah Jones or Stevie Nicks. She also homages a lot of things in her lyrics, especially in Bang the Drum Slowly. All around beautiful record.

Malcom Burn production brings Harris into the 21st century. Classic.

Not really my genre, but a pretty good album!

Really nice album!

really good country/folk album, I cant point to a particular track but this whole thing just sounded comfortable and "home-y." really great inclusion on the list.

Lovely voice, songs that grabbed me, I enjoyed this quite a bit.

There's no better voice than Emmylou's, and this is mostly gorgeous, of course, though the lyrics are here and there a bit shaky. The playing and production are on point and entirely tasteful. Wrecking Ball might be a touch better, but it's close and one thinks Emmylou definitely merits mulitple records on this list.

Very good

Now heres a very nice album. As soulful as any soul album

Nice record, bit Springsteen vibes.

Tends to sound like Christian contemporary but has some genuinely great country music.

3.5

Aye I’m not gonna hold you but she sounds angelic as hell on this. Like she’s floating on a cloud, laying down chilling & singing into a microphone. She’s got me contemplating where the hell I’m going in life and have I experienced enough in this life to sing with this much emotion. Holy shit bro 😭

Fav songs: - The Pearl - Red Dirt Girl - Deeper Well - Michaelangelo

Very nice

There’s cool things on this record, the songwriting is good, but it starts to feel a little same-y as it goes on. Still good though

The greatest gift Gram Parsons gave us. Emmylou is his greatest legacy. I clearly don't mean to sell Emmylou Harris short by suggesting she's a product of Gram Parsons, but rather his influence. She likely would have broke big had she never crossed paths with Parsons. He simply inspired which road musically she chose to travel. And for that we're forever grateful. This album is in the conversation for being her finest moment. Like most things Emmylou related, it's wonderful. Plus you get appearances from Springsteen and Dave Fucking Matthews of all people. More importantly, this gives merit to the argument Emmylou is the Joni Mitchell of country music. Harris herself wrote the majority of these songs.

I feel like the top-rated review of this album gave me the wrong impression going in. If you haven't read it—maybe you're sorting by date and not top-rated, I'unno—in short, it's not a review of the album but instead a critique of the 1001 Albums list for including the 29th album by an artist instead of, like, albums from people who're newer and more recent. Like, are the boomers really taking up that much air that a past-their-prime album can get on here instead of, like, I'unno, DEMON DAYS? That thought really set me up for the worst, and... Honestly, I really liked it. I mean, for one, I like Emmylou's voice a lot. This is the second album my group's gotten from her, after TRIO with Dolly Parton and Linda Ronstadt, and her voice reminded me a lot of Dolly's, actually. Which isn't a bad thing by me; I **love** hearing Dolly sing, so this is just a treat. And beyond that, I just really appreciate that there's more going on here than it just being a country album. With that genre label, I was expecting some shit that's like "Of course the critics would lap this the hell up, but I find it **boring as toast**," though it turns out it's kind of not even accurate. Sure, the country-ness of it is all over the place, especially, I found, in how a lot of the lyrics are structured, but there's so many more influences that've gone into it. Honestly, I'm more wont to use Wikipedia's second genre label for it, "Americana," than country—and even then I don't feel like that really taps into everything Emmylou did here. Y'know? And, I mean, despite what I just said, I actually **like** country, but I'm jus' kinda glad it doesn't sound anything like the other country from around this time that I've heard (via Cledus T. Judd's parodies). So I dug the album. That's neat. As for whether or not I think this belongs on the 1001 Albums list... No? Maybe? It's not a knock against the album, of course, and I think it **is** worth hearing if you're into country, but... Do I feel like it's omething you **absolutely** need to hear before you die? I'm not 100% sure. It's more worthy than Kid Rock at least, although it's not like **that's** a high bar to clear.

I enjoyed this album a lot. It made me feel nostalgic and reminded me of the kind of music I associate with my mother I didn't dislike any song, though most faded to the background. Standouts were My Baby Needs a Shepherd and Michaelangelo

It's rare that so many songs on the same album are really good. Texts that are worth listening to. Great!

Emmylou is classified as "country," but I hear a lot of rock, folk and alt-country in there. A skilled singer with a fantastic voice, she also wrote all these tunes which I enjoyed very much.

This is a lovely country album from an artist ill definitely look into further. Standouts include The Pearl, I Don't Wanna Talk About It Now, Red Dirt Girl, My Baby Needs A Shepherd, One Big Love, Hour Of Gold, and Boy From Tulepo.

Does “Tragedy” have the same drum loop as “Clint Eastwood” ???? I respect this album a lot, I think Brandy Carlisle owes a ton to this album in particular. Best compliment I can give this albums authenticity is that my grandmother born and raised in West by god Virginia wouldve enjoyed this

I was absolutely prepped for hating this, given Emmylou's country reputation, but thankfully this just wasn't country. Bonza.

I don't know if it's the last 15 albums were terrible post punk albums or if I genuinely liked this album. So soothing and dark and heartbreaking. Probably worth another listen when I'm feeling that mood.

Luscious tones and lovely singing, this is how to do a folk album properly. Has plenty of variety, but it lacks a sense of excitement which could've rounded it off. Excellent dynamics though.

did not expect the country direction but loved it

As a Gram Parson's protegee, Emmylou has an excellent knack for sweet and deep melodies. The instrumentalization in this album is fantastic. Songs unfold slowly and charmingly. Not a country listener, but really like it.

Can't say I was too familiar with Emmylou Harris' work before but this was a lovely aughts country album. Likely won't revisit too often but enjoyed it.

Her sound and production has come SO far. Love her style.

This is definitely really good. Love michealangelo the most. There were some songs that I didn't really resonate with but it was good overall. Definitely above average

Emmylou Harris was mainly a cover artist for 31 years only for us to discover that she was able to write complete albums of beautiful material. What a shame it would have been, had he stuck to the covers.

Not the biggest fan of country music...very calming and slow songs, not bad, although I probably won't come back to it

8/10

Totally not what I was expecting. (Can't explain why, because I'm not sure what I was expecting. Maybe more... country-like?) The instrumentation really augmented EH's voice. It was very sultry (for me) and fit well with the music. I don't think there was a song on this that I disliked, which is a big plus. The more I think about the album, the more I enjoyed it. Definitely an album I'm going to come back to.

I definitely know who Emmylou Harris is but I couldn't tell you anything she sings. And then I hear the first few bars of The Pearl and I know that voice, but I can't place from which song. Heck maybe my dad used to play this album when he was going through his country folk revival just before I moved out of the house. He was a Linda Ronstadt fan so maybe I know some of Emmylou's songs with Linda and Dolly in Trio. Or maybe I'm remembering one of Linda's song and thinking it's Emmylou's. Or maybe I just heard different singles of Emmylou's over the years and didn't realize it was her. This was her 19th album after all. Which I think makes this album somewhat hard to rate, because you kind of have to know her style to know how much she departed from that on this one - going from covering and reimagining others' songs to writing and playing her own. But even without that background, I really liked this album. Pleasantly surprised. She's got a classic voice and for a first-time main lyricist, her songs are quite thoughtful. The instrumentation is good too and fits the lyrics, vocals, and emotions in the songs. I might have to go down an Emmylou rabbit hole.

3.75

Not too country

Great album, some very good songwriting. I wasn't sure what to expect with the red dirt reference, but I'm pretty sure that Harris isn't really tapping into "Red Dirt Country" as a music genre.

"Red Dirt Girl" is the 19th studio album by American country artist Emmylou Harris. It was a significant change for Emmylou as she wrote or co-wrote 11 of the 12 tracks; she had been known for covering other songwriter's work. Country folk and Americana. Yeah, I'd also say just plain ole rock. Commercially, the album reached #3 on the US country charts. It also won a Grammy for Best Contemporary Folk Music in 2001. "The Pearl" opens with a bouncey acoustic guitar, drums, a prominent bass and, of couse, Emmylou's gorgeous voice. Uplifting. An electric guitar is added to the background. It's about transforming pain into beauty if just for a bit. "Until we behold the pain becomes the pearl." Next is a similar, beautiful sounding song "Michaelangelo." It's comparing artists creating to Michaelangelo painting. I can't help thinking it's also about Graham Parsons. Emmylou wrote "Red Dirt Girl" after driving through an Alabama town with all red dirt. This song is more country in its beat. The girl needs to get out of that town. "Bang the Drum" was co-written with Guy Clark. The music is slow and dramatic giving way to an emotional song as Emmylou wrote this as an elegy for her late father. The one cover song is Patti Griffith's "One Big Love." The electric guitar drives this. Layered vocals which work really well. This album closes with "The Boy from Tupelo." A rockin' plodding guitar. A tribute to Elvis as she's leaving her man who's emotionally neglected her. I really enjoyed this album. The music is subtle and in the background giving way to Emmylou's tremendous voice. I honestly don't know what genre I'd put this in as the music is more rock than country and at times ambient. I guess alternative country fits. Her lyrics tell stories seemingly both personal and fictional. Lots of historical references. I recommend this to just about everyone for a listen.

The sparse guitar and drums on “The Pearl” let Harris’ voice stand out and introduced a great atmospheric for the album. Absolutely consistent from start to nearly finish. I love Dave Matthews, but his distinctive voice breaking the vibe stood out too much. On an album of collaborations it wouldn’t be a problem, but it didn’t work for “Red Dirt Girl.” Apparently Bruce Springsteen and Patty Griffin both did harmony parts, but they blended in more smoothly. I learned that despite this being Harris’ 19th album, she usually didn’t write her own material. Turns out she’s a great songwriter though, and the songs were just the right mix of country, folk, and rock.

4.4 - beautiful album

For album #600, we got some country and/or western! Production dates it, not as much as (for instance) the synths in I’m Your Man by Leonard Cohen. Fortunately, I kinda like how the sampled beats in a song like “Tragedy” meshes with the more rootsy song structure, as it doesn’t totally wash away the acoustic elements, nor is it so prominent that it sounds like a remix. I appreciate that Harris wasn’t interested in making a strait-laced country record at this point in her career, so I’d say the late-90s relics are part of the experience. Finally, on the subject of production, it’s important for me to share that this album’s producer belonged to a Toronto synth-pop band, Boys Brigade, whose song “Melody” played all the time on the radio during my childhood 🇨🇦 HL: “Michelangelo”, title track, “My Baby Needs a Shepherd”, “Bang the Drum Slowly”, “My Antonia” And “Melody” by Boys Brigade November 23, 2023

Very nice 3.5

Country pop melódico. Me ha gustado. Un 4.

The voice reminds a lot of Dolly Parton. The country style and guitar is very enjoyable, however doesn't give too much variety to the songs.

The song Red Dirt Girl is tear inducing

Emmylou Harris Genre: Country Folk, Americana 2000 Better than your average country album. Red Dirt Girl is a special song. Standouts: Red Dirt Girl Others: The Pearl, Michelangelo, I Don't Wanna Talk About it Now, Tragedy, My Baby Needs a Shepherd, Bang the Drum Slowly, J'ai fait tout, One Big Love, Hour of Gold, My Antonia, Boy From Tupelo J'ai fait tout, Ce que j'ai pu. "I did everything. What I could." in English... 4/5

Enjoyed this one. It reminded me of something like Sheryl Crow, but obviously she's been around the block and it's her own thing 3.5/5

This reminds me of how much I can get behind some good country depending on the features. Nice production, lyrics that don’t lean to the right, and memorable melodies are all I ask for, and Emmylou delivers. I can see myself return to this. B-

I am partial to this, Daniel Lanois produced portion of EHs career. Wrecking Ball is a favorite album of mine and Red Dirt Girl is now up there. The interesting thing is I have had this album in my library for 20 years and it got forgotten and even ignored. Well no more. Beautiful atmospheric production Lanois recognizable (bass) sound. Poignant songs and Emmylou's angelic voice. Three elements that make for a wonderful listening experience. 4 stars

REally nice, will need to spend more time with.

It’s Emmylou …

Wow, real surprise, didn’t think I’d like this but it was really good. A comfort album for sure.

This album was drastically different from the last emmylou album I got and it made me really appreciate how she evolved her sound over the three decades between the two albums while still maintaining her own unique voice. It's still singer-songwriter folk but has some really interesting electronic production on quite a few tracks. Everything else was a bit of a blur but I enjoyed one big love and boy from tupelo.

This was a really relaxing album. I know we've heard a little from her prior but I really liked this album. Felt like a sort of folk country album, and didn't feel like a 2000 release but this is worthy of this list.

Sweet enough music, although bloat affects this, as well as a sort of "out of touch" element that I can't quite identify.

So I’ve ended up feeling quite mixed about this album At first I thought it seemed quite flat with nothing really making much of a mark But as it went on I realised that it was getting further and further under my skin. By the time it got to One Big Love I was hooked. Will relisten and enjoy further I suspect Edit - I did relisten and I did enjoy it further. Up to 4 it goes!

Rating: 8/10 Best songs: The Pearl, Bang the drum slowly, J’ai fait tout, One big love

I dig it, could be a nice addition to my library

I liked this

A different direction for our girl but I liked it!

very much liked it

She's got a gorgeous voice and I like the genre just enough, but it isn't an album I'd reach for. 3.5 stars

Solid song writing delivered well.

Surprised I enjoyed this so much. I guess it's just a nice, calming album. I can see the through line to someone like Neko Case

Such a wonderful voice.

She has such a peaceful and beautiful voice! I don't think most people would be able to guess this was released in 2000, it has the timeless 70s folk sound that she was known for from Pieces of the Sky, another great album on this list. I enjoyed spending a calm Sunday morning listening to this.

My introduction to Emmylou Harris probably came first through her appearances as a guest vocalist on other artists' records, and second live performances on programs such as Austin City Limits and similar programs. I have not listened to very many studio recordings from Harris and Red Dirt Girl was my first full-album listening experience. I like her voice and music generally, and I'm always down to see what Harris has to offer. "The Pearl" and "Red Dirt Girl" were my favorite tracks from this album, but all of the tracks were good. "Red Dirt Girl" might be a favorite because I have heard Harris perform the song in concert recordings, including with Mark Knopfler, and First Aid Kit's cover of the song as well -- Both versions are worth finding and listening to. "J'Ai Fait Tout" and "One Big Love" were a spot on the album that began to lose my attention, but I was not lost altogether. I could come back to this album.

Great voice, tepid material.