Time (The Revelator)

Pleasant to listen to with quality guitar playing and soothing vocals. Unfortunately unremarkable for a lot of the runtime, but does pack some quality country ballads that are worth listening to. Thought I would connect with the album more than I did. Top tracks: Revelator, Everything Is Free, I Dream a Highway Back to You

There's a hillbilly country vibe going on here that I will admit I greatly prefer to the mass marketed, soulless swill that is today's country music.

Surprised how much I liked this. She sang on the O Brother Where Art Thou OST and a couple of tracks really took me to that film. The last 2 songs are beautiful

ok

bajonero mal shall not listen again

Country folk, not really my thing. Some reasonable songs on here for the genre

It was a nice. Depressing. But I enjoyed it well enough though idk if it’s anything super specials

This got long in the tooth. The songs started to blur together by the halfway point. Now - these weren’t bad, just very samey.

MOTR

298/1001 Gillian Welch - Time (The Revelator) Heard before? ❎️ Revisit? ❎️ This isn't really my thing, but I appreciate the sparseness and the inclusion of bluegrass into it.

No m’agrade gaire , pero està bé .

Liked this but it's kinda sleepy. I like other stuff I've heard from her a bit more.

I fairly enjoyed this album. It has a classic country bluegrass sound which is funny because it came out in 2001. Gillian Welch’s voice is timeless and calming to my bones. Not a bad album, but I wasn’t wowed by any one particular track.

This is an interesting one to be introduced to - I certainly know her name but have never really dialed in on her work. The Coen bros movie collaborations make sense. This is certainly a beautiful album and one that I'll listen to when in the mood - the production and sound quality is great. Her middle name is Howard.

surprisingly, enjoyable and a pleasure to listen too. Would I listen again: maybe Deserves to be on this list: unsure. 3.4

Wer hat Gillian gesagt dass es eine gute Idee ist ein 14Minuten langen song aufzunehmen der die ganze Zeit gleich klingt und in dem sie auch irgendwie nichts besonderes sagt. Aber abgesehen davon mag das Album eigentlich. Manchmal fühlt es sich sehr schön an manchmal aber auch sehr stumpf.

Leuke, rustige folk, americana

Interesante, era una especie de country tranqui

Gillian has a timeless voice and when she has Dave Rawlings playing with her, I’m transported, every time. This one doesn’t have the consistent knockouts of a few of her other albums. So it floated to the periphery a few times during the listen. Not a perfect album, but still a damn good artist holding her own.

Decent.

I enjoyed this, but it was a little sluggish and folksy for full marks. I probably won't listen again, but I would recommend it to anyone who likes good baritone vocals and C&W music. Three stars.

3/5

I’m a fan of Gillian Welch. However, this album isn’t my favorite of hers. Also, we didn’t need a 14 minute song that went nowhere.

Not a bad album. Pretty good songwriter I just couldn’t connect with her songs.

It's good, but you could've fooled me that wasn't just one long folk song

Like a lot of other people, I first heard Gillian Welch on the soundtrack to O Brother Where Art Thou. She has a very distinctive voice and style. This is a pleasant album to listen to. Not sure if I'll listen again though.

Never listened. Expectations: None - Verdict: Very Good - The opener has a very epic feel and I do really like it. Even though it could easily be seen as being too long and steady it manages it's runtime with grace and sweeps up to a great final part. I think I was expecting something poppier, more in the vein of the Sheryl Crow album that came up earlier on the list but this is really great bluesy, twangy songwriting. I Dream A Highway is a monster to end the album. Really enjoyed this. Yet another female artist that I had never come across in any meaningful way.

I'm not really the biggest country fan myself, so I feel that any review I make on country albums is slightly biased towards my taste, but then at the end of the day, it is my review, and I'm only writing down my own personal opinions on the album. I enjoyed the vocals; Gillian Welch has some lovely vocal delivery, and her harmonies throughout are beautiful. The only thing I actually am not a fan of is the actual songs themselves, due to my just not really loving this genre. There were obviously a few songs that I thought were really lovely, like 'I Dream a Highway', a 15-minute album-closer, but nothing I would choose to go back and listen to again. I was surprised by doing the '1001 Albums' that I hadn't had a sudden awakening of a new love for different genres, such as country, but so far I've only found a new liking for jazz, strangely. However, with this album, there is some lovely songwriting, and especially beautiful singing; it is just my own taste that has let this down for me. Favourites: I Dream a Highway I Want to Sing That Rock and Roll April the 14th Pt. 1

Solid enough folk album. Gillian has a great voice and the songs have plenty of emotion. Could have been a bit shorter. 3.5

Great songwriter but the music is way too slow at times and is not very catchy.

Better than I expected, but not music that moves me. ★★★

Really nice album, good songs top to bottom. Will revist.

On first listening I hadn't realised that this album is just guitar, banjo and Gillian Welch's voice. Each song sounds so rich and full that I almost didn't notice that, in fact the songs are quite raw and stripped back. This comes in direct contrast to the overlapping, contrasting and quarrelling sound of the past few jazz albums in this list (very well done list writer). This is how I imagine country music came into being. Just a person with an amazing voice singing songs about things that they know about and being able to relate that to others. And nothing is more relatable than sorrow and heartbreak. And this album has both of these in vast amount. I enjoyed the beauty and clarity of this album. But may not be able to listen to it regularly on account of how much emotion that it conveys. (3.456

This is a very sweet but sleepy album. All of the songs could have been like 2 min shorter. Esp the last song like why was that 11 min long. Her voice absolutely carries though. The country/folk sound is undeniable Highlight: Everything Is Free

Having grown up on my mother’s collection of country and folk LPs, I want to like Gillian Welch more than I do. I bought ‘Hell Among The Yearlings’ after hearing ‘Caleb Meyer’ but that was the one song I really liked and the rest didn’t really do much for me, this album is similar.

its nice and chill but nithing super special again

Ok folk country

Doo! I can't read that book! Its got them big gal dern awful words in it! Luggit that word there, it gotta be a foot long!

Nice acoustic folk/country music

Kinda just a bit too slow for me 3/5

Nice to listen to, nice songs, but also sort of comes off like someone’s ethnomusicology project. Are there accompanying essays for each song? It sounds like there would be

Maudlin

Straddles the line between country and indie folk. Not bad but I am struggling to see what sets this apart from so many other artists.

3 stars on headphones, 2 stars on speakers.

Мені сподобалось. Якщо не брати пару вже зовсім хілбілі-кантрі пісень, то прям непогано.

I like a lot of this but there are a few songs I don't like much at all. 3 stars or C+.

ehhhhhhh I liked some at the end, others were just kinda in the background music

Igen en lille 3'er. Der er flere ret fine numre på, men generelt for meget umotiveret banjo. I Dream a Highway er også et fint nummer, det er bare 10 minutter for langt.

Stripped down country. Clear songwriting and earnest singing. This is what folks/country music should be. ...and its not really my thing. I imagine a lot of others would really love this.

This was just okay. It was a bit dour and downbeat for me. I did really like one song though.

I quite enjoy Gilliam Welch from what I have heard, but had never listened to this album before. I enjoyed it. It seemed to go by very quickly which is always a sign of enjoying an album. Couple of notable songs, but the standout was probably Red Clay Halo. 3.5 stars

Alternative country... The question immediately arises: "Alternative to what?" Well, probably to traditional country. "And what is the alternative?" It's a bit more complicated. It's well known that the main themes of classic country are homeland, love, family, work. Alternative country is about the same thing, but with a touch of negativity, depression... Emo-country, basically. This album could be called just that: emo-country. Songs in which Gillian Welch expresses her feelings in a slightly dark manner — love, longing for the past, admiration for Elvis. Nothing superfluous, just her pleasant voice and acoustic guitar — these are more like poems than songs. Boring? Perhaps, the fifteen-minute last song alone is worth it. Will I listen to this album again? Probably not. Did I like it? Yes, I did. If your soul is yearning for something calm and acoustic, give it a chance.

Interesting.

Decent folk. Had a few songs I liked alright

Good

Reminds me of home in SW Virginia. Not my usual jam, but mostly nice to listen to.

I thought this was fairly decent when it was more folk-y, and really poor when it got too country Best Song: I Dream a Highway Rating: 5/10 Stars: 3/5

Not really my thing, pleasant but M,eh

Eh! Ok

Bastante hippie, lo que me queda del primer tema es que time es un revelator, pero lo dice el álbum también, así que... En fin, la guitarra mucho punteo, not bad, la voz de la mina medio andrógina, tiene sus momentos

I think I'll come back to several of these songs. There were a few that were really, really good, but as an album I was a little bored by about half of it. Probably says more about my preferences than the quality of the music.

it was pretty decebt

strong first half

I guess the list wants me to go on a bit of a Country binge, and if the albums keep sounding this good then I guess I am here for it!! Gillian Welch is yet another artist I know absolutely nothing about and yet was utterly impressed by the work she had on display here with Time (The Revelator) and found it to be a very compelling piece of a more personal and thoughtful piece of Americana. I also think this album being so close to what most would consider a turning point for Country music as a whole with the September 11th attacks also puts this album in a really strange place as it is a new album in a new millennium that was just starting to find its' overall sound and yet feels easily 40 years older than it is. While the somber singing and acoustics are pretty much a staple of this album, I do really like when Gillian plays around with the production like with the "live" pieces on I Want To Sing That Rock And Roll. Ending this album off with such a tranquil and lucid track that is I Dream A Highway is such a bold move to make and yet also the perfect one in my eyes, even with the nearly 15 minute runtime. It can definitely feel a bit long but if you are willing to fully admerse yourself into Mrs. Welch's mind for 54 minutes I promise it will pay off beautifully with yet another underrated piece of Americana that will surely take you back to a much simpler time musically speaking.

Everage singer-songwriter Album in countdown style

First time hearing this artist. Some really nice accompianment by David Rawlings. It's well recorded, the songs are well crafted. I liked it. But it's not really my cup of tea.

not my type of music, very slow but good voice, favorite song is probably Elvis Presley blues

в начале интересно и свежо звучит, но под конец эта меланхолия сильно затягивает.

I think her voice is amazing. I don't particularly care for the crooning ballads from top-to-bottom. That being said, there are some good songs that she sings very well on. It is a good record that I'm glad I heard but most likely wouldn't re-visit any time soon.

Nice folk music.

A very chill album. I enjoyed listening with my morning coffee.

gentle

Not bad at all, but a bit slow and boring for me at the moment.

There are some really beautiful moments and details. It has a timeless quality to it as a more traditional country/folk album, seems representative of the continued art and craft of the style, as opposed to more radio-friendly country music of the 2000s.

Beautiful voice. Good lyrics. Not really my type of music but I enjoyed this album. Found her voice soothing.

Maybe not my thing. Could see the appeal while camping.

Great voice, good vibes. It’s a 3 because I respect it and could envision myself putting it on while recovering from pneumonia or childbirth.

Shes very reminiscent of Adrianne Lenker. Very folky vibe. Her voice is very well used. I wish she made better songs because I see the potential in her.

Love.

Middle of the road

Calm and lyrical

I immediately recognized that she was one of the sirens from O Brother Where Art Thou and that was more exciting than the album itself. 5/10

The beautiful use of the acoustic guitar on the opening track ‘Revelator’, and the soft, delicate vocals, really set this album up well and made me feel like I was in for a lovely, pleasant folk album. For the most part I was right, the album is ‘lovely’ it I was looking for a single word to describe it. But realistically as the album progresses I couldn't help but feel increasingly bored, as if I was waiting for a bit more variety or excitement. 7/10.

Beautiful songs, i just wasn't feeling the sad vibes

Pretty. If I were laying down on a nice grassy field with my eyes closed and nothing but summer winds and the smell of flowers brushing my face, I would have rated this a 5

Pretty nice country/folk album. Started strong but lost me a bit at the Elvis song. Wouldn’t say it’s one of the best albums of all time but a decent listen.

Started out very slow acoustic but turned out to be very good.

Fine, a few nice guitar parts, just doesn't do much for me.

Gentle. Sweet but lacking drums for me

Første sporet er americana done right. Elsker det. Minner en del om Mark Kozelek's greier når han gidder å prøve i stedet for å bare ramble som en unhinged 50-åring som akkurat har oppdaget Facebook. Kanskje med en klype Sufjan Stevens av Seven Swans perioden...? Men så blir skiva frustrerende. Jeg kan tollerere litt run of the mill cuntry og muricana, men hun beviser jo at hun kan bedre enn låter som My First Lover (ugh) og Red Clay Halo (helt jævlig), så det er synd hun skal drive å cosplaye som cuntry gal. Dear Someone og April the 14th er fine sanger som ligger akkurat litt utenfor hva jeg liker. Avril 14 tror jeg egentlig ikke jeg ville stusset over om den kom imellom feks. Revelator og Everything Is Free, men det er lettere å legge merke til det jeg ikke like når den kommer imellom fullbarka cuntry og et pesudo-ironisk nostalgi-runk. Klarer akkurat å grine til seg en treer på grunnlag av gjennomgående godt lydbilde. Selv en ikke-så-bra låt som I Want to Sing That Rock and Roll har elementer ved seg som høres ut som den friske pusten country trenger for å ikke være en misfornøyelig lytteopplevelse. Samme gjelder Elvis Presley Elvis. Utrolig døvft materiale, idiotiske country-harmonier, men et gitarspill som kan gi gåsehud og en vokalpresetasjon som backer det opp. Det er synd hun ikke har en censor som stopper henne fra slike uheldige innfall. De siste to låtene på skiva er slowcore med litt mer country-harmoni på vokalen enn jeg foretrekker, men det er såpass bra at jeg kan gjøre et unntak. På I Dream a Highway synes jeg hun treffer en god balanse med vokalen, og jeg tenker på det som kunne ha vært. Den hadde kanskje ikke trengt å være 15 minutter da, tror hun kunne fått til det samme på 8.

has some enjoyable songs

I liked the first song in the album. Don't recall much afterwards.

I have quite a bit of Gillian Welch on my playlists, but listening to a whole album in one sitting can get a little boring.

This is like the good witch side of Liz Phair. A non ear bleeding Joni Mitchell. I feel like she is a product of the Lilith fair era. It’s not bad but easily forgotten

I dig the harmonies. Little too sleepy for me in total. I like the folkiness.

Her third album. Country. Nice vocals, nice songs and nice musicianship. It was all...nice. no more, no less.

I get it, and can respect it. Not for me.

"Dear Someone" is a cool song....shes got a nice voice and they are good tunes, I like this kind of music more than the frequency I listen to it. Feels like something my Dad likes and would listen to on WXPN. I enjoy it, and I would go 3.5 with maybe a round down to preserve my snobbish reviewer credibility.

It was an almost perfect 50/50 split between 'this is quite nice' and 'this is quite boring'. It screams of 3 stars to me.

solid Americana

Decent

I really wanted to like the album more than i did. I enjoy the style and Gillian intent. My issue is with her voice tone and her long notes do grate on me after a while. Perhaps there is insufficient variety in the album for me?

I like :) soft n cute

Never heard of Gillian Welch. Her name sounds more like belonging to an English girl you first met at primary school from a council estate rather than an US Country singer. First impressions is that this music is ideal for putting on when you’ve gone to bed, switched off the lights to relax as sleep takes over and not filling your head with too much complexity. I like to do this when I’ve had a really raucous and exciting evening when my senses have been at 100% and I need to come down. Such as last night when my team, the mighty Leeds United, beat the sickeningly entitled Chelsea 3-1. For that fact 3 stars go to Gillian because it is quite an enjoyable album and I will be listening again tonight as I slip off still bathed in the glow of that magnificent win. 3/5 4/12/25

Gillian Welch's voice is pretty and unique, and while there were some parts of this album, I really enjoyed, overall it was just a solid three for me. It's one I would like to go back and give a full listen to another time, however.

The lyricism in this album is really good, but still a little slow. I don't think that it is anything crazy, but solid enough that you aren't completely bored.

calm as hell. usually don't like this type of stuff but if it mellow enough i can get down with. good background music.

Cozy, same category as Norah Jones. Could be 4 but it lacked standouts

This was pretty good. Maybe not quite 4 stars good.

I like the vibes.

Loved the vocals and music. High 3 maybe growing to a 4.

Weird stuff. I liked every song but found the album as a whole kinda… boring?

Good album. Probably a 7 or 8 for me. Not sure I’ll revisit. Slow and no songs really stuck in my head. Just not my style overall.

Not my cup of tea. Quite country but I was surprised I got through the whole album no problem

Love 'Everything Is Free', the rest unfortunately not as much.

I’m learning. When I rolled a “Country, Singer Songwriter” album with a somewhat low rating this morning, I decided not to just write it off before listening to it. For that, I was rewarded with an album that more or less surprised me a ton. It was a dark, gross, and very rainy day outside today. Somehow, listening to this peaceful album with the rain pouring outside was just the vibe I needed to get through the day. The rain actually added to the experience, which was cool and unexpected. Listening to Gillian and her soothing voice made the rain feel more serene, peaceful and less chaotic, if that makes any sense. This album is a fairly mixed bag of genres and tone shifts at random points, so it also gets bonus points for feeling unique and interesting. It will shift between a soft spoken Singer Songwriter piece, more traditional Modern Country, or sometimes even some Country Rock, that last one of course being my favorite. Every song stands out from the last for both better and worse, which as I’m finding out over the course of this project, is actually pretty hard to do. The more Modern Country drawl ditty songs like “Elvis Presley Blues” don’t really do it for me, but even those I don’t straight up dislike. The opener, “Revelator”, was so good that I added it to my playlist. It’s got a killer riff at the end, and is both peaceful and also kicks ass. The song builds on itself and culminates in a song that ends up just being fantastic from start to finish. So, yeah. I’m learning. Never judge a book by its cover, go in with an open mind, and you might just end up being very surprised. Great album you have here Gillian!!

This was very pleasant. I enjoyed the more modern sound of alt country bleeding into indie americana. Her voice was velvet and the songs were well constructed if a bit sparse at some points. I'll listen to this again as my wife would like it.

Not my bag, mostly acoustic/country western ditties in the form of female-centered folk. I bet someone else really likes this! But not for me.

If the hills have eyes, they are listening to this while watching you

I thought it was gonna hate this But its decent Far far too long, but decent

I’ve heard of Gillian Welch, but only a couple songs. The music is sad and reminiscent of Americana. David Rawlings accompanies her well, but sometimes the music feels like it’s missing something. Perfect front porch jam though, but definitely something I need to be in the mood to listen to.

Nice voice and some nice musical sounds but this was not particularly interesting.

Looking forward to this one! I know Welch's name, but not her music very well. Let's see where this goes...

It's...an album....sounds fine just didn't match my energy

Not my thing but listenable.

Enjoyed it. Non offensive. Old school country style

True Appalachian country showing a strong mix of guitar skills and solid harmonies. While this isn’t my typical listening, it is certainly enjoyable and showcases Gillian’s talent as a vocalist and guitar player. Poetic lyrics elevate the album with a depth of experience and heart.

she’s got a nice voice

6.5/10 not my favorite, i sort of like the genre, but it just didn’t speak to me. i liked maybe one or two songs on their own but that’s about it. not bad, however

Beautiful voice and lyrics. A bit too slow for me at times, but a good album nonetheless. “Red Clay Halo” is a delightful song. 3/5 Probably won’t listen again

this album is a really beautiful piece of music. it's got the craft, the polish - the competency!! - to land as a solid album. i want to give this album its laurels because it got me, incorrigible acoustic set hater, feeling things about an album that really only featured guitar, vocals, and banjo. that being said, this still really isn't my scene, and i only got through one listen through before i had to turn it off and listen to something else. i might be a little more prejudiced now that other acoustic acts will have to match ms. welch: if you aren't making me teary eyed over some banjo, get off the stage!! highlights - revelator, my first lover, red clay halo, april the 14th part 1, i dream a highway

simple, sparse, emotional.

Really love her earlier stuff and this is OK, but if these songs were any fucking slower they'd have to be played backwards to be understandable.

The first track got me hyped but the album was just ok for me. 3.5

Albums to fall asleep to but not necessairly in a bad way.

I used to love music like this. Now it bums the shit out of me. Voices, guitar, and lyrics are beautiful. But dude. This last song is longer than some of my relationships.

It's not bad but, it already sounded old when it was new. This is not a next step in the development of music, not the start of a revival of old music and, while not bad at all, not good enough to be essential. Doesn't help that I don't like folk and country very much in general.

There were some really beautiful songs on this album, and she had a lovely voice. But god, did this drag! Had the album been half as long this would have got an extra star or two 3 ⭐️

Never heard of this artist. A little too soft for my taste but I respect what she brings.

This one was definitely country although in a few songs it kinda sounded like they were trying to do like pop or rock. The country was definitely very sad and in the second song it kinda sounded like a lullaby. It was good though.

4-star first spin. Idiosyncratic and intriguing. Got lost in the 15-minute final track. Then during the second spin I got very interested in shutting it off halfway. Ask me again in a month.

Does good as what it does, but what is does don’t does it for me

= the Beatles This is more folk than country and for some reason I can swing with folk but can not stand country. The best song is about a good genre.

3/5

It's hard to criticize something so organic and heartfelt. It's definitely soothing. I could see giving it another listen at some point I suppose. 3/5 #199

I had trouble figuring out how I felt about this record. I think the more alt-country type songs are so awesome, but they felt at-odds with the more folksy songs throughout. Overall, pretty solid, just a little discombobulated. Best Track: I Dream A Highway

It was fine alt country in the vein of Indigo Girls.

3 eh

theres an empty space inside my heart

Not bad

Whether or not you love this album is probably gonna depend a lot on how you feel about the closer, "I Dream A Highway". For me, up to that point, the album was fine. Pretty good, even, I'd say. Normally I don't think I'd vibe too much with this spare "one or two guitars and a voice" kind of arrangement, but here... I'unno. It's the kind of album where, like a fellow group member has said, even if you don't understand the lyrics the emotions are clear and obvious enough that they can help carry you through regardless. Overall, it's a pretty chill record (sort of odd to call it "chill" given the themes I assume it has), and Gillan has a nice singing voice. Paired up with the sounds of crickets chirping, like you're sitting on a backyard porch as the day's winding down into night... I can dig it. But then we get to "I Dream A Highway". There are two perspectives I feel like you can take on this song. The first is that it's a meaningful, spiritual experience, and the absolute centerpiece of the album. It's a song about missing your loved ones, and how you can only dream of finding a way back to them — but you can't. Time has passed, and nothing can make the clock go back. Nothing can ever be the same. It's grief for passing and for time itself. And to some people, this song addresses that beautifully over 14 minutes and simple, spare accompaniment. To some, it's an absolute masterwork. But then to others — and this is the second take — it's 14 minutes and boring as gawdamm piss. It's an absolutely endless song about... Whatever the hell, that feels like it's running in place with the neverending loop the guitar is stuck in and the basic lyric format that just repeats over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and... Y'get it. There's no movement whatsoever and always feels like it's still just starting. It's lyrically obtuse in a way that thinks it's clever and deep, and it's sonically lowkey to a point of annoyance. It's the absolute nadir of this album and its sonic aesthetic. Where do I fall, myself? I think... Somewhere close to the middle of the spectrum... Though more leaning towards the second. Like, I don't necessarily hate it... But I think it does absolutely emphasize all of the problems I have with this album. For one, for as much as the spare acoustics **can** be chill and pretty, and there **is** enough variety between songs to make them stand out from one another... I'unno, I just don't think I'm a fan of wholly acoustic albums like this. Or at least this "slow country" style of it. Seriously, I really thought that "I Dream A Highway" would never end. And, second, while even if, again, the emotions on this album are strong enough to carry through if you don't understand the lyrics... It's still maybe a bit too "artsy" for my tastes? I mean, I was only able to understand what this song was about by going on YouTube and reading other people's comments. Like, if the poet's gonna come up to me and expect me to be impressed because their lyrics are **really deep**... All I can do is shrug and go, "Yeah, I get what they mean." I really wanted to give this album a pass, honestly. On vibes alone, it's a nice time. And, again, I think Gillian's a good singer; no matter my issues, I'm not gonna dispute that. But where a fellow group member bumped this album up to a 10 based on how much they loved "I Dream A Highway"... For me, I think my gut instinct looking at its 14 minute runtime was right. I get the emotions of it — honestly, I do — but I can't front: it brings the whole album down for me. To where if I were to ever revisit this album again, it would absolutely not be in full. Maybe just "Everything Is Free"... I don't know. It's kind of a bummer I'm being so down on this album, but, eh, so it goes. If you don't mind, I'm gonna go dream of shorter songs — or at least ones where stuff **happens**, goodness.

Didn't hate it but in no rush for a second listen.

Kinda surprised with all the 5s this album has on here. Not that it's a bad album, it's just kind of a snooze. Songs are fine, Gillian's vocals are soothing, the guitar playing is well executed and the production is fresh sounding for something that's nearly 25 years old. But there's just nothing to get excited about. I didn't hate it nor love it, so I guess it's probably an average 3..

I quite like some Gillian Welch, however a whole album at once I don't think is for me... 😬😅

Folksy and with soul, just didn’t catch mine.

Would be 3.5 if possible. Better than average but not good enough to be 4. No stand out songs

Another singer/songwriter/guitarist...sigh. However this was a fairly bright n breezy, folksy, country-ish album, and didn't set off my anti-Country-&-Western prejudices. A pleasant album, but not one I'll listen to too often.

As much as I appreciate what Gillian Welch does, her records just bum me out too much.

It was pretty mid. Not bad, not great. Except that last track. 14 min is too long for what it was. Half of it annoyed me. Then it picked up a bit and then the album ended. Shucks man.

Melancholisch, Slow, Country, Lagerfeuer, Gitarrenlastig

I was listening to this on a plane and I swear the cabin depressaurised because this knocked me the fuck out. Literally never heard of this artist or album before in my life. Pleasantly surprised, sort of? Red Clay Halo was probably the standout of the entire album; where Welch finally leaned into the country genre she so heavily hinting at the first few songs. I found those songs previous to Red Clay Halo to be a bit lame and tasteless. Generic singer songwriter, basically. Anyways, after Welch found her genre, she then ruins it by having almost every song sound exactly the same as the other. Like apart from the live one (Rock and Roll, I think?), every song sounded exactly the fucking same. Did they all sound yhe same as a good song? Absolutely. Did it get jading? Oh you fucking bed. A bass guitar or anything except the same fucking 2 acoustic guitar chords for 45 minutes would be nice. She didn't even bother to change her singing tone for any songs. Gillian Welch is definitely talented, and it's showcased here through songwriting and the first couple of songs. Where this is a letdown is how repetitive and single toned this thing is. I definitely didn't mind it, but I'm not coming back to this. The last song can fuck off too. FIFTEEN MINUTES, are you kidding??

Really not the most standout affair not would it rate among some of my favorite Country tracks. But it was still perfectly listenable. Goodness, if I had to note anything as a standout/pro I suppose it had a good placement of tracks. The shifts in tone and tempo kept things fresh and from melding together.

A mixed bag, some high points on here. Much like a drive out west, it's quite long and can begin to blend together. The Last track would have been a highlight for me if it weren't so long and repetitive. After a few listens I can safely say this is not best experienced while at your boring office job. It's not a casual listen and asks a bit more from the listener. I don't think it's a perfect album and there are a few skips on here but it's well-made, charming and Welch's vocals are next level. If it were a lot of other artists I think I would outright hate some of the tracks on here. Highlights: Revelator, April the 14th Part 1, Everything Is Free

I first heard of Gillian in the O Brother Where Art Thou soundtrack. That soundtrack led to my love of Allison Krauss. Solid bluegrass music. This album is rather mellow…..very mellow, but I like it ok.

Descent album but nothing special.

Rating: 3.4 This could have been great if the lyricism was more creative. A lot of these albums have this problem. The music will be the most beautiful and magical thing you’ve ever heard and then they’ll repeat “TIIIIIIIIME THE REVELATOR” 25 times. I have some kind of hard-wired mental avoidance for repetitive noises so this held this album back from being excellent for me.

Talented singer. Appealing, simple country tunes.

Gillian Welch has a great voice. These are really good songs but most of them are a bit too mellow for me. I think I like her better as a background singer on other people's records.

It's good, but I feel like if I listened to it while I was driving through rural country it'd be an amazing 4/5 vibe.

Been getting a lot of 2000s albums lately. I can’t complain. It’s nice living in the somewhat-present once again. I’ve never heard of Gillian Welch, though she appears to have had quite a well-received career. I’m guessing I’m in for another singer/songwriter affair. Yeah, this ain’t bad. The tragedy of these singer/songwriter albums is that they’re all very lyrics-focused, and the part of my brain which focuses on writing these reviews can’t also support listening closely to the lyrics. In any case, I appreciated what I heard, though I must admit that this album doesn’t have a lot of variety and progressively loses me as it goes along - especially in the final quarter. In any case, there's some good cuts here. “Revelator” is a solid opener, featuring a very good vocal performance from Welch and a great, subdued acoustic sound. “Red Clay Halo” ain’t half bad. Easily the most “traditional country” song on the album, with unpretentious lyrics to boot. The instrumental is also pretty good – especially during the second half. “April the 14th” is a superior follow-up, featuring some very good lyrics and a great atmosphere. Book time. “...dark and hymnal country”. A lot of bloviating thereafter. Checking the Wikipedia page reveals that this album has been very well-received and has landed in quite a few “best-of” lists. Yeah, I think this is a solid pick. Aesthetically unique with a solid critic backing. What else could you ask for?

Okay.

++: My First Lover, Dear Someone, I Want to Sing That Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley Blues, Ruination Day Part 2 +: Revelator, Red Clay Halo +-: April the 14th Part 1, Everything Is Free, I Dream a Highway 7,2/10

Pretty good cooking music

Really slow and intricate, I can see why the reviews are polarizing. Some of the tracks were good others bored me but I think I could get there with a few more listens. 6/10

its ok

You know, I’ve given Gillian Welch a shot in the past. She just doesn’t catch on with me. I’m not mad I listened to this again. It’s pleasant enough. But nothing that brings me back consistently.

Tough one for me. The songwriting is TOP TIER and loved just about everything. EXCEPT the God/Savior/Heaven stuff. Just a real turn off for me and mostly unnecessary for the songs. Those songs push this to 3.5 for me, but dropping.

Some fine guitar and banjo playing on here. "Red Clay Halo" has an authentic Carter Family bluegrass feel with a charming little ragtime guitar solo. Anachronistic, astute. It's almost too good. And by that I mean not a note out of place, vocally or otherwise. Even "I Want to Sing That Rock and Roll, ostensibly live, has a "perfected" feel. On the other hand, this would fail if it had any edge. That's not what it's about. It's about the moods. The further into the album I got, the more endearing it became. The more my self-defensive over-analysis started to peel away. The more poetic and in a word, beautiful. Once I surrendered, I found the edginess. But after getting through it all, I see a really well-crafted album by well meaning people who are paying tribute to an art form that was born out of struggle, without ever actually experiencing the struggle themselves, giving this a polished sheen of insincerity. They did a really good job of it though.

Earlier in the album I was thinking of a 2. But I stayed open, cause maybe I would like the later album tracks. And then OMG yeah the closing track is top tier 😭😭 Gets a 3 for overall, but damn that last track was much above a 3

I love when I found new acoustic tunes. This one is great.

Brilliant guitar work. I enjoyed the country vibes but they did get a bit repetitive for me after a while, vocals also left something to be desired but overall some good songs.

I liked it a lot, very relaxing

Good timing to get this on a slow morning at the beach house. Ideal use case over coffee

3/5

Nice folk album. Some good tunes. Easy listening.

Lovely voice, but the songs are rather boring.

A woman and her guitar. For what it is, it's well-done. In an intimate setting, around a campfire on the beach at night, this would be amazing. To listen to in the office while working, well... it doesn't sound bad, but it's certainly not what I would choose for myself. And it certainly doesn't sound like something I must hear before I die.

A little hard to tell, but I may have fallen asleep to this while running on a treadmill.

Never heard of her, album was decent

6/10 - it was alright

Fine americana record that didn’t feel that much out of the ordinary until the final two songs where especially “Everything Is Free” stood out as an actual masterpiece.

Meloncholic and somber Americana music. I really enjoyed it. A standout album for 2001 I imagine, but for those listeners who brave the 2007-2019 epidemic of revival. We aren't unkind to music like this. It isn't borning, its cathartic. But that being said perhaps this is a tastemaker collection, but if I was looking for Americana and revival type music I reach for a long long list of other albums and artists. But this will not be one of them. Also that Elvis Presley Blues song was like nails on a chalkboard. Awful hook repeated over and over and over and over and over again with no added storytelling from verses.

Muy buen country de baladas tipo americana/bluegrass, con una instrumentación acústica sencilla (solo dos guitarras) pero muy cuidada y una voz tranquila y cálida que acompaña perfectamente a las letras, muy íntimas y poéticas. Un álbum en el que todas las canciones son baladas de estilo tradicional americano, nada especialmente innovador, pero que me han gustado mucho. Muy relajante y agradable de escuchar. Tanto que, a pesar de durar más de una hora y ser bastante monótono, no se me ha hecho largo para nada. No sé si merece formar parte de esta lista, pero me alegro de haberlo descubierto.

I am torn between boredom and beauty.. Here! Take 3 stars!

I liked this but I didn't find it revelatory. I appreciate that it's straight country, not some sort of pop country abomination. She's got a nice voice!

Took a walk and listened to this and it absolutely made my summer evenin'

"Wonderbread: the album". Very standard folk with little in the way of surprises. 3/5

I've always had a strange affinity for this type of music. Some of it is just straight up country and bluegrass. But sometimes it breaks the norms within the genres, which i liked. The last couple of songs didn't really hit home as much. That might be because I wasn't listening as attentively. Anyway, overall I enjoyed it.

I liked it! Nice vocal harmonies and cool chords. Pleasant voice.

A very nice listen this morning

It’s not often I’m in a mood for a low key album like this. I thought today might be that day, but it wasn’t. No questioning Gillian Welch’s talent or heart but, like her, I wish she would “sing that Rock and Roll.”

I don’t listen to a lot of country so I was glad to be exposed to this. I enjoyed it.

I found this album to be quite pretty. I'm usually not a fan of country, but this was a bit more on the folk side of the genre. The lyrics were beautiful, as was Gillian Welch's voice. I really enjoyed the simplicity of the acoustic guitar and vocals working in tandem. This was a very pleasant album, and dare I say it was the best country album I have heard on this generator so far.

difficult folk

Не мой стиль, как-то медленно очень, но если на фоне, то голос приятный.

Dear Someone Red Clay Halo (this song has a country twang) Elvis Presley Blues She sings on the 'O Brother Where Art Thou' soundtrack (including the Sirens song 'Didn't Leave Nobody But The Baby'

PRE-LISTEN: Heard her name quite a bit - she and Dave Rawlings play here pretty often - but have never explored her catalog. Let's see how it goes. I predict I will like it. WHILE LISTENING: My prediction was correct! I went to her Wikipedia page because her accent made me curious where she was from. I was caught quite off-guard by the "Early Life" section.

Definitely at times veered too country for me. The lyricism was great, the vocals solid, acoustic guitar is always great, and even some solid guitar solos in there. Overall, there's definitely a few tunes I could see listening to again, but as an album? I'd rather not.

3⭐️/5 [05.27.2025] 01.08.2026

Gillian Welch’s Time (The Revelator) earns a respectable but underwhelming ☆☆½, offering a collection of old-school folk songs that are skillfully crafted yet often drift into the realm of the monotonous. Welch’s stripped-down aesthetic and plaintive vocals aim for timelessness, but the album too frequently feels static. There are glimmers of life—“My First Lover” and “Red Clay Hero” both feature some lively banjo work that briefly lifts the mood—but even these can’t fully shake the album’s overall somber haze. “I Want to Sing That Rock and Roll” stands out, if only for being the gentlest ode to rock rebellion ever recorded, while the 14-minute closer “I Dream a Highway” feels less like an epic journey and more like a long, slow fade to black. It’s an album that reveres tradition but rarely transcends it.

I wasn't loving this at first, felt like pretty standard female singer songwriter from the early 2000s. Then the bluegrass started creeping in and it got pretty fun.

********** When I was telling when of our recent inductees to this group about this website, she asked, “how many women?”. I was sad to report that so far it’d been a fucking sausage fest as far as reviews went, there had been 2 records by female artists at the time, but there had been a White Stripes record, and we went on to discuss how underrated Meg White is as a drummer. Anyway, I’m happy that this is the second record in a row by a female artist! I hope this streak keeps going. ********** I first heard Gillian Welch on the “O Brother Where Art Thou?” soundtrack. I expected this to be new stuff trying to sound like old stuff, which usually causes me to recoil, especially when it comes to Bluegrass. I don’t know what it is, I just find any roots/bluegrass released after 1990 inauthentic and liberal boomer radio bait. But this record is certainly not that kind of thing! This is mostly 2 guitars (one song has a banjo), it’s Gillian and her partner in music, David Rawlings, playing and singing, and it’s more personal in nature, not singing about a time and place in Appalachia that neither of them lived in or experienced. The songs are mostly slow and contemplative. Time, not John, is the Revelator. Time is revealing visions of highways, past lovers, red clay halos, Elvis, and the Civil War. I recognize the value of this record. It’s good for the most part. I like the songs “Elvis Presley Blues”, and “My First Lover”, but in general, I just don’t think it’s for me. It doesn’t really excite me. The song “I Want To Sing That Rock and Roll”, is about just that. It’s well…dumb. Some may find it charming, but it’s like something you’d hear Daniel Johnston sing in full blast earnest yowl, and he’d pull it off, but it sounds out of place here. Gillian could play rock and roll! She could play anything she wants to. Her talent is obvious. Instead, there’s this “aww shucks” song about being drowned out by the loud rock n’ roll and not being able to participate. Gag me with Grammy. Then there’s the last song, “I Dream a Highway”. It clocks in at 14 and a half minutes. It is at least 9 minutes too long. I swear to God the tempo gets slower as it goes along. As much as I was dreading listening to bluegrass revival, by the end of this song I was praying for a hootenanny to break out. I’ll put this song on the next time I have a bout of insomnia. This is a decent record, but not much of Revelation. I don’t see myself revisiting this record any time soon, but I will keep any eye out for Gillian’s cameo in the general store asking for the Soggy Bottom Boys record the next time I watch my favorite movie of all time.

Pretty much every song on here would benefit from being minute or so shorter

Very cool bluegrass album. Pretty languid though; I wanted more variance in the tone and pace.

A slice of Americana, the type of thing I imagine the characters in Yellowstone listening to. Once again while not my thing, I can see why others would like it. I'm not sure I would ever intentionally listen to it again.

to me, this was just okay. I wanted to like it more but I felt like there just wasn't a lot going on! a bit too spare for my tastes.

deep inside the Gushers (tm) Laboratory, the deranged fruit experiments and human testing have violated OSHA violations one time too many. the lab doors are shuttered, but rumor tells of a lone scientist working on a controversial, top-secret project. this is the result of that scientist's life work: creating a folk album with all parameters set to "medium". hauntingly average.

Bluegrass, Americana and modern folk are not really my thing. But I do like Tori Amos, Sarah McLachlan and other similar singer-songwriters. This album bridges that gap for me in a way hits home. Welch has an earnest, forthright delivery and the acoustic guitar work is clean and masterful. This was a great surprise for me! 3.5⭐️

Lovely harmonies, but there's not a lot of variety.

Very folksy bluegrass, exceptional talent within the genre. I had listened to her in the past, actually. Despite not being in the mood for the genre, it was an easy listen.

This seems like something I would like, but I just couldn’t get into it. Giving 3 stars because maybe I will try it again

Country version of Norah Jones? A bit of a snoozer for a sunny Thursday afternoon but I really enjoy the instrumentation.

Wasn't bad...really not much else to say about it.

Very mellow and folksy album. I like Gillian's voice and lyrics. A solid 3/5.

Slow start with some solid keepers on a vibe album

Fav Song: Elvis Blues. Notes: Great story telling but a bit sleepy.

Nice chill vibe. Love her voice and the fact it isn't buried in a bunch of studio sound. That being said, nothing really sticks out of that nice chill vibe.

could have been amazing but the dirge like slowness wore me down as the album went on. still good. could have been great

Very nice-I loved Gillian Welch when I first heard her. I was feeling in kinda of a sad mood when I listened to this though. Kinda sleepy. Not bad though.

Liked one half of it, struggled with the other.

Soft, sweet and Sunday easy listenin

I haven't heard anything about the singer or the album yet. The genre has never inspired me. So my expectations were quite low. But I was surprised. I liked most of the album. I wasn't thrilled, but I enjoyed listening to it. I only found the track "I Dream a Highway" far too long and didn't listen to it to the end. 3/5

first track was good, other songs dragged a bit

Skön rest, schyssta ak-guror, men lite för mycket country. Mer folk och pop så hade jag älskat det. Nu är det lite för nära till en banjo. Trea!

Day439 - an understated lovely album

57/1001 - I listened to her cover of Radiohead's "Black Star" first to get an idea of her sound. Honest competent guitar playing (two guitarists for sure on the album). Not a fan of the vocals and the last song could've been half as long (or a quarter since it was the same instrumental for 14 minutes).

Nice bit of contemporary country that never landed on my radar when it came out. A good listen

Good overall sound, but got a little bored with it

I get it. It’s good. Not my favorite thing but if you like neo-Nashville with the old sound this could scratch an itch.

This had some solid songs on it! The title track was a great start to the album! Solid!

O brother where art thou core

Oh my gosh dachte ich als ich Singer/Songwriter/Country las. Meist sichere 1* Kandidaten bei mir. Aber dieses Album hat es geschafft mich zu Erreichen. Ist es die Stimme oder die sparsame Instrumentierung? Schon die ersten Töne, so ein dissonanter Auftaktakkord bei Revelator, haben mich aufmerken lassen. Überraschung gelungen.

3.75 Nice discovery.

Chill vibes. Love the harmonies. I like Gillian’s smooth but powerful vocals. She seems like an old soul. Appreciate the slower paced songs, makes me want to ponder my life. The more upbeat songs are fun, I like the twangy instrumentals. Bit repetitive and long at times.

I have never heard of this person but the opening track is instantly compelling. I’m reminded of the music of some friends of mine (Quiles & Cloud) and it’s clear they were influenced by Gillian Welch’s style. Beautiful harmonies, interesting and slightly discordant melodies. I somehow feel nostalgic for something I’ve never lived through. Her voice is so smooth, yet somehow still raw. Some impressive finger picking. I recently saw A Complete Unknown, and listening to “I Want to Sing That Rock and Roll” made me think of Bob Dylan playing electric guitar at the folk festival. Some songs get a bit repetitive and in the middle of the album I started to wonder if I was already bored with the style. But then it redeems itself with “Everything is Free”, which definitely makes me want to give up the rat race and live off the land/on the road. I’m not sure why “I Dream a Highway” needed to be 14 minutes of the same refrain.

Why was the last track, I dream a highway, over 14 minutes?! Honestly, cut 10 minutes off and you're good. The album had an overall good feel though. Country/folk. Put this on on a summer eve on the porch with a drink while hanging out with friends.

Some nice country and western/ blue-grass /folk. A little boring. Nice harmonies and guitar/banjo work

Revelator and Everything Is Free are easily the standout tracks here - beautiful, haunting, and genuinely great songs. The rest of the album, though, leans a little too country for me. It’s well-crafted and undeniably heartfelt, but it just doesn’t fully pull me in the way those two tracks do.

Good folk/Americana album. Not really my jam, but every once in awhile it's nice. I like the harmonies and guitar. Middle of the road for me, 3. I guess out of 5 that's just beyond the middle...

It's pleasant enough but it's not particularly distinctive or exciting, so again have to question it's inclusion in the context of 1001 essential albums.

Interesting folky country jam alright man, cool lyrics

Enjoyed the less country-oriented tracks

Good album. Her stuff isn’t found in my collection, but I enjoy her warble and hum.

This album sounds beautiful, but at the same time, I didn't find it very remarkable. I've listened to a couple of different country-inspired albums on this list already, and I think country music can offer more variety than this album did. 3.5 stars

Decent.

Meh

It’s pleasant enough but I wouldn’t listen again.

She has a really nice voice and there are some really cool guitar parts, but I can’t say I truly love it. I definitely liked it much more than expected though.

I'm starting to look at other reviews on every album now, especially when I already know the artist or album. I'll wait until after the listen if it's something I'm unfamiliar with. Gillian Welch and her accomplice David Rawlings have risen to kind of Godlike status in the folk / Americana world over the years. I do already like the genre but sometimes I don't have the patience for Welch's penchant for slower, more reflective tunes. "Dear Someone", sound like a lost 78rpm classic, for instance, but could be about 12 bpm faster. And opening the album with a 6+ minute dirge is litmus test for the listener right off the bat. "Red Clay Halo" is straight-up bluegrass and gets the feet tapping, but the energy it generates is sapped by yet another long slow tune, "April the 14th". "I Wanna Sing that Rock and Roll" straight-up sounds like the Louvin Brothers on one of their non-religious albums. One reviewer called this "dull" and "unimaginative". I challenge them to write and sing and record something a quarter as compelling. [btw this is someone who gave Kings of Leon 5 stars : / ]. --- And when I pass through the pearly gate Will my gown be gold instead? Or just a red clay robe with red clay wings And a red clay halo for my head? --- It's unfortunate that people taking the journey of this 1001 records would just say "I don't like country" or "I don't like singer-songwriters" and throw down a one-star rating. Why wouldn't this journey be about OPENING YOUR MIND to new experiences? Isn't that the whole point?

3.5 stars. Nice melodies, guitar, vox, relaxing. Everything is free is amazing songwriting.

Incredibly slow and quiet. "I Dream a Highway" would make an excellent lullaby.

I actually quite enjoyed listening to this album for the most part. Although the last song was long and made me cry, the rest was pretty good. I don't think I'd listen to it again, but it was a pleasant listen.

Definitely not a high energy album. Having gone to college in the mountains of NC when this album came out, I had heard a lot about how good Time (The Revelator) was and never had sought the album out. In general, I tend to dread songs that are 14 minutes long but I Dream a Highway was very slow yet went by very quickly for me. This is bluegrass for the new age (well, now the old age since it came out 24 years ago) and it was enjoyable. I can't say it caught my attention to where I would listen to it again but it has a place in this book.

pleasantly boring. fave song: everything is free it reminds me of the milk carton kids but so much that i want to go listen to them instead xD

Nice album

Do these country albums start to sound the same to anyone else?

This album started off well, and was the singer-songwriter style I like. Unfortunately a couple songs go a bit too hard on the country and I had to skip. The other issue comes with as the album goes on, the slower songs start to just sound too much the same for me, and my experience dulled. Funny how singer songwriter is one of my favorite genres, and yet this 1001 albums list make it one of my worst. SMH

A real mixed bag, revelator and everything is free chug along nicely but a few folk off numbers as well.

Interesting folk music, but gets boring at times.

How rare and exciting it is to get an album past the year 2000 that I know nothing about! What’s more exciting is how *not* post-2000 it sounds. This music is honest and simple in structure, allowing the listener to pay more attention to when Gillian Welch accentuates a word or repeats a phrase. The songs are good at either painting a character, or ask you to think back on a different time in one’s life. My highlight on here is “Everything Is Free” for it’s straightforward but super effective guitar melody

Uma combinação bem moderna de folk, country e um leve bluegrass. Achei um pouco monótono o mesmo andamento constante, mas me instigou a procurar outros discos da Gillian

I was pretty sure I wasn't going to like this album, but the immediate subtle/haunting minor key of the opening track "Revelator" was exactly that and kept me engaged. Favourite song on the album. Just 2 acoustic guitars, 2 voices. Not entirely sure how to grade it overall since I'm probably not going to be adding to my "must play" collection - solely due to my listening tastes. The album is very *very* low-key [the last track at 14 minutes is way way way (way) beyond necessary and a crippling stagger-to-the-end for the album - only Yes songs need to be that length] and a bit overly-Americana for my tastes, but for what it is it's fantastic. I guess I can see justifying any ranking for this but i'll give a strong 3 knowing the talent and care taken. 6/10 3 stars.

Hyvä rytmi.. rytnitön... rytmi ei rytmitytä.. ei rytmistyä. sama kama.. samaa kamaa..

Authentic, unpolished, one might even say raw. A reminder that there are lots of talented, thoughful people out there. That said this feels like an open mike night that you'd be glad you caught, if you were in the mood, but not someone you would expect to explore into superstardom later. That's not fair, Gillian is very accomplished and this album is heartfelt, I just don't love it.

слушать такое я не могу НО откуда я знаю песню ревелейтор? как узнать эти вещи?

Not an easy one for sure. The songs are slow, trudging and wistful, all with a dark and dissonant undertone and heavy traditional stylings. There is an undeniable, melancholic beauty buried underneath the scratched surface of these songs, but you really have to work for it. And honestly, I'm not sure if I'm built for that; especially when it comes to the 15-minute closing track.

I didn't expect to like this. Surprisingly, I sort of did. 3/5

I was only really familiar with Gillian Welch from the O Brother where art thou soundtrack. I found this album enjoyable, I’m not sure it’s a style of music I would often think to listen to out of choice but it was certainly an engaging listen

Very solid folk/country/bluegrass album

cutie pie

meh. It's ok. I like her style sometimes but all in all it gets monotonous.

A nice relaxing album. Pretty voice, simple structure, no surprises or anything. Perfectly middle of the road as far as albums go. Not the most exciting, but there's no real flaws with this one.

Pretty nice peaceful singing but got pretty boring towards the end. This is a low 3

Not bad. It grew on me on the second listen. I'm still not a huge fan, but I could see myself finding something in her catalog I could really get into.

This was a perfect fit for a cool November day. Love the lyrics, her voice, and the overall vibe. I'll have to take more time with this; the tracks that stood out the most were the first and last ones. Oh, and Elvis Presley Blues. 3 1/2 stars.

I always appreciate it when this project throws up a name I've never heard of or heard, so this is much appreciated. And an interesting singer-songwriter album--she has a strong voice and she and David Rawlings have a great acoustic style. The title track and "I dream a highway" are particularly good, with a haunting style and nice guitar work (and amazing that "Revelator" was their mic test version); I also enjoyed finding out that "I want to sing that rock and roll" was recorded at Ryman Auditorium (to an appreciative audience). I do wish there was more variety across the album, more from a sound and style perspective than the range of lyrics, I suppose, and I definitely preferred the tracks without as much banjo-playing, as those tended to feel shoehorned into a more bluegrass style that isn't quite as interesting/unique to me. (Although I have several albums I've enjoyed that veer into that territory, I'll admit.) I'm not at all surprised to read that she worked extensively with T-Bone Burnett and also played a role in the music for "O Brother Where Art Thou", as this album fits well into those styles, but also somewhat different; I'm reminded in some ways of artists like Daniel Lanois or Lucinda Williams or even Ollabelle. If there were more tracks like "April the 14th part 1" and "Everything is free", and fewer like "My first love" or "Dear Someone", I'd have definitely upgraded her to 4 or 5 stars (I do wish I could give a half-star more in this case, though). But I don't think that's really her/their focus, I'll admit.

Enjoyed this more than expected, my favorite was “Red Clay Halo”

I like some songs off of this album, but as a whole it gets a bit boring

Not an artist or album I was familiar with. But very gentle and soulful. The opener "Revelator" is this best here.

Good acoustic/bluegrass singer/songwriter album.

That there’s some sleepy picking’ an a strummin’ over thin but pleasant voiced Dixie storytellin’. Red Clay Halo sums it up nicely! Feel like I went to a show at the Grand Ol’ Oprey. (3.1*s) for Gillian’ Time.

I found myself going back to this album, there's something about it. The first song is subtle and understated (almost haunting) and the second song immediately changes up the vibe but maintains the singer-songwriter folk aspect. It kept me engaged throughout, never heard of her before but would put it on again. I really like her voice and how the simple backing allows for the poetic lyrics to be the highlight. You can feel her singing. I would check out more from her in the future. 3.15.

Never heard of her.

Je suis resté un peu surpris de cet album, ce n'est pas du gros country radio pop friendly comme je redoutais. C'est beaucoup plus influencé folk et minimaliste. Pas le genre que j'écouterais régulièrement, mais je comprends l'attrait. 6.5/10

Not for me

I guess this is where singer/songwriting was in 2001, when I had absolutely zero knowledge or desire to know about it. I mostly found this album to be too country for my tastes but there are a few gems in there. "Revelator" and "April the 14th pt 1" were both enjoyable and stayed away from twangs and banjos. Despite the intense length I liked “I dream a highway” as well. That’s what a sad song should sound like. The rest of these tracks sounds like something out of a 60's revival western or similar setting, which I didn't really enjoy as the message was too generic to get me to pay attention. While her singing is great from a technical perspective, her guitar playing is pretty trashy, even the title track which I liked had some really poor timings and (purposeful?) discordant bits. I didn't find either of these aspects to be particularly noteworthy. I've heard artists in bars at open mic nights that are just as good, to be honest. Maybe it’s the songwriting; it’s mostly simple but poignant on the good tracks. I’m giving this a 3 because the 3 tracks I mentioned are good. I’m sure the rest is someone’s style, but it isn’t mine.

Some nice vocals and decent guitarwork present a minimalist Americana that's a bit too straightforward and simple for its own good.

Not much for more traditional folk, but this was a decent album.

Spare stripped down Americana folk - just an acoustic guitar and a singer working their way through some deep songs and deeply familiar sounds. Welch & Rawlings are both amazing musicians who get so much out these really simple bare bones arrangements - there's loads of space, patient pauses, quiet intimate moments and subtle intensity. They're probably the best at what they do even if what they do isn't my favorite kind of Americana - give me a full band electric alt country treatment of these songs and I'd be thrilled.

Gentle acoustic