Time (The Revelator)

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.

I don't like country but I actually enjoyed this!

If you're feeling a certain kind of way and need almost an hour of plaintive, downtempo two-piece folk music, here ya go. Otherwise, move along. A little variation from song to song would have gone a long way towards keeping my attention.

Just not my thing

She has a great voice but it’s a bit sparse production and lacks a hook to keep me engaged

Good voice, seems heartfelt, I can see why some people would like it a lot. Didn't hear a lot that felt unique or new. Doubt I'd relisten.

Right away, great voice. Nothing popped for me. It was all fine enough. I hoped something would hit the bluegrass sweet spot. Never did. It didn't really do anything to make it required listening. Also quite a few tracks that are a bit too long.

good chill acoustic

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

I will never forget the first time I listened to Time: The Revelator. It was snowing heavily and I was getting off work. I was walking from the jobsite to the train station in my sneakers, no boots. I was shivering and was just itching to get home. Throughout that time, though, a unfamiliar yet reassuring voice was in my ear, playing her guitar, singing songs about a variety of topics that either flew past me or rang some semblance of knowledge yet kept me engaged throughout the listen. I am normally not one for desert island discs but, if I were to conjure up a collection to take with me, Time: The Revelator would surely be one of them. It is revelatory in its timelessness (hehe), it would have dropped at any point in recorded history and it would still make sense there. An essential listen and an essential album.

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.

Gillian Welch and David Rawlings cracked my top 25 of 2024 with their stellar album, Woodland. While I don’t love this album quite as much, it’s still a great album. I also enjoyed her contribution to the Oh Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack. I love Welch’s ability to create a meditative trance like backdrop for her often dark and insightful stories of American life. Also worth your time and in a similar style would be Hurray For The Riff Raff, although they have a bit more full band Americana type of sound. Over all, Time (The Relevator) is an incredible Folk/American album worthy of 4 stars.

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...

This quiet little album surprised me. I found it spare, unadorned, but effective. The songs have a hazy, meditative quality that draws you in without trying to impress. It feels honest, real, and timeless, never reaching for more than it needs. Though it was quite minimalist, it was very evocative and moody. It all seemed carefully crafted yet not fussy, and it's a big change from a lot of the '70s prog rock I've been getting in the past few days, so it was like a breath of fresh air. Overall I really enjoyed it, though the final track dragged a bit for me at 14 minutes long. Still, the album made a strong impression.

Gillian has a good voice, but this is not really my kind of thing. The album feels a bit generic and I am not sure why it made the list

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.

Enjoyed the first two tracks but by track 4 I’d had enough.

Interesting folky country jam alright man, cool lyrics

Enjoyed the less country-oriented tracks

Ugh, more country music.

It's a pleasant Friday evening, you're settled on the sofa with a glass of wine watching Later with Jools Holland. Gillian Welch comes on, does a few songs, it's lovely. You decide to buy her album. You play it once, then forget about it. Until one day it surprisingly pops up in this 1001 list, and it makes you think... is Later with Jools Holland still on the telly?

2/25/25. Pretty soothing country/americana. Decent.

Another singer-songwriter album I can actually stomach, this time probably because of the tinges of dreamy darkness. Good writing background music.

Acoustic guitars With a slight twang, steady voice With time on its mind

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

Not my taste

13/02/25 I can appreciate the talent, it was just too boring.

Pleasant 3.5 stars

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.

I do like a good acoustic album

Pleasantly surprised. I thought this was gonna be some boring, whiney music. It was whiney but I liked the country flavour

Meh

Boring, dreary, dull, dull, dull, depressingly dull

Nice pleasant album.

I found this incredibly dull. If I ever have trouble sleeping, I might revisit this.

I think I listened to this album at the perfect time, let me set the scene: I’ve just got back from the shops having bought some things for the house. Nothing fancy, a few cushions for the sofa and some artwork for the walls. It’s not much but it brightens the place up and it feels more like home. It’s a cool March evening, you can tell Springs trying to fight through but it’s still a little chilly. I put this on and start pottering around the house, folding washing and putting it away, staring out my window at the cars and people crossing the bridge over the river. It’s still light outside, we’re in the golden hour. I do the last few jobs I need to get done around the flat, washing up and tidying away after putting up those paintings. I sit down on the sofa as this albums coming to an end, the new cushions are great and I’m looking at the William Morris artwork that I’ve put up with the quote on the bottom “Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.” It’s dark outside now, the days gone but every day from now it’ll stay a little lighter for a little longer. I’m quietly content, the only thing I’m missing is a cold glass of white wine as I take a moment to myself and just enjoy it. I’m happy.

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?

Bare-bones but soulfully executed and good. 3.8

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

i get the appeal and appreciate the artistry but i just don’t love this kinda stuff. just a little bit too slow and boring for me

Enjoyed this way more than expected. Strong songwriting. Snappy production helps a lot.

Gillian is an underrated legend. I have loved this album and her for years. Just an instant 5 star from me. Great album!

Just really not my genre, seems good for what it is Will I listen to again: 0%

Beige as fuck, no more of this you stupid fucking book

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

-Just what I imagine to get by something labeled as "american folk" -Nostalgia and melancholic love lyrics -Put it through an old radio low-pass filter and make it fit into "Fallout" OST -Love the sound of the guitar on this

Artiste inconnue. Beau travail de guitare sur le premier morceau. Le chant est par contre monotone et peu intéressant. Le second morceau est mortellement ennuyeux, et ceux qui suivent ne sont guère mieux. Je ne suis pas allé au bout. =>1/5

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.

Heard this album for the first time a few months ago and was blown away by the quality of it. Welch embodies the truest, dust-covered parts of country and brings them into the 21st century better than any contemporary country artists at the time. Time (The Revelator) is a beautiful album through and through: beautiful voice, beautiful instrumentation, beautiful compositions. I think of this as the spiritual successor to Joni Mitchell's Blue.

When people refer to an album as hauntingly beautiful, this is the album they should be comparing it to.

Some of the country blues numbers were great. Bit downbeat in places . Ballads were a little pedestrian.

Low energy, monotonous vocals accompanied by various strings including some plucking on a banjo, an instrument which belongs in the dumpster on top of the accordion - ask any bluegrasser. Pretty awful, but I pushed on through it.

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.

Beautiful singer-songwriter album. Deeply relaxing. Cozy harmonies and guitars.

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

Not really a fan of banjos.

only so so

I'm sorry, but I have to give this a low rating. It just didn't do anything for me, and even for a time when I cleared my mind to be open to soft, slow, singer/songwriter Americana vibes. But the album low-key sucked. It was slow and forgetful and kinda doesn't deserve to be on this list in my humble opinion. Maybe one or two songs were chill and listenable, but as a whole album I hate to say that it sucks.

Nice album

Nice to hear a significant change in Genre from this generator so far - majority has been rock and pop, with a splash of Hip Hop, nothing folky or country... until now! Gillian has a wonderful voice and storytelling ability, she conveys her feelings in such an awesome tone that kept me hanging on her every last word. Sure, folk/ country can sometimes sound a bit same samey, but in the context of this album and at this point in her career, Gillian has nailed her own sound. The Guitar is SO pretty and compliments Gillian's cadence so wonderfully. The harmonies that become more commonplace as the album progresses is the exact growth you want to hear from an album like this. All these observations, stories, poems, they crescendo into a nearly 15 minute monster; I Dream a Highway. Favourite Songs: My First Lover, Dear Someone, Elvis Presley Blues, Ruination Day, PT. 2.

Bardzo klimatyczne i surowe, ale nie jestem w stanie traktować na poważnie nikogo kto pisze trwającą kwadrans gitarową balladę. Ładne to i smutne i humorzaste, ale na Boga po co takie długie? Cowboy by dawno zasnął i spadł z konia przy czymś takim. 7/10

Emo Country

Knowing only that Welch is a singer of country/folk/Americana, I began my listen with skepticism; even when I can recognize good songwriting and performing talent, this isn’t typically the kind of music I like best. After a few songs, the album really started to win me over. Some of the songwriting on here is just stunning — I mean, “Everything is Free” by itself earns this album an entire star. Must-listen #63.

All I really know from Gillian Welch is Look at Ms. Ohio, and I love that song. Curious about the rest of the album. Love the vibe, she's got a great voice for this type of music. Man I had a period of my life where I listened to so much shit like this, this is really bringing back to that, I like this a lot. Maybe gets a LITTLE bit same-y, but I like it.

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

Always a pleasant listen. Really nice acoustic performances. I like the longer, rambling songs

I've been meaning to listen to this for a while. I'm always here for anything in the Americana/folk/singer-songwriter/bluegrass ballpark. I really liked this and plan to give it another listen because I know it will grow on me even more. The title track and April the 14th, Part I are the standouts from my first listen. Not so long ago, I had Time Out Of Mind (from 1997) by Dylan. The song Highlands is over 16 minutes long and closes the album. I Dream A Highway reminded me of this as it's over 14 minutes and also closes the album. While I love the refrain, "I dream a highway back to you," I'm still uncertain whether I enjoy its runtime. Although I did find Highlands tedious, whereas as this was relaxing. The whole album makes me want to be outside on a warm spring day, swaying in a hammock with my eyes closed.

With the first song I was initially optimistic this may provide something different to get into but the longer it went on the more bored I got. Not offensive but not interesting either.

Dull, uninteresting, unimaginative drivel! If you need something to send you to sleep, stick the last track on, which is an extraordinary repetitive rambling mess!

I think it’s quite remarkable how an album can be really quite pleasant and yet really quite dull at the same time. So hats off to them for pulling off that trick.

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.

2/5 (pretty but not my cup of tea)

3.5/5

Reminded me of home, quite lovely. I thought the last song was gonna last forever.

Yikes, this started off rough with the slowest song ever made. I hate the title song so much! And the rest don´t get better - its all so repetitive, and her voice is not my cup of tea. I hate it.

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

bonito disco to impressionado

Nice chill album, very folk-focused and a new artist for me that hit all the right notes. I'm glad this album was on the list and would definitely listen again.

Great voice. Good music. Definitely be listening to her more in the future.

The one positive is that I’m falling asleep to this. It’s truly just exhausting to listen to and I mean sure I can see why people like it but it’s truly just so so boring.

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..

Ok

Good, cosy, nice. Didn't change my life but was utterly good!

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.

Dull, generic and boring. Really not interesting to listen too at all

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

Solid...subdued. Will look into more of her catalogue. 4/5

Kiedy odpalałem ten album, czułem się lekko zmęczony. Teraz mam wrażenie, że jestem o krok od śpiączki. Nie wiem, co ta płyta robi na tej liście (ani na jakiejkolwiek innej), Wikipedia też nie jest w stanie mnie oświecić.

I couldn't finish this. Every second felt like an hour. Forth song was my limit. If this was sang during campfire I would rather run to forest to be mauled by a bear.

O matko... co za męka. Zupełnie nie mój klimat, nie trafia do mnie taka muzyka. Pewnie dałbym radę przesłuchać kilka razy i coś z tego wyciągnąć, ale nie czuję potrzeby, nie chcę tracić czasu, który mogę poświęcić innym artystom i utworom... Nie trafia do mnie to plumkanie, nie moja estetyka, nie mój styl, nie wzrusza mnie to. Nothing personal, Gillian ;_;

Nudne muzycznie i słabe tekstowo. Słabe 2

Pretty middle of the road Blue Grass. She's got a nice voice, but not sure why it's required listening. I wouldn't pick it up again.

December 28, 2024 HL: “Dear Someone”, “April 14th”, “I Want to Sing Rock and Roll”, title track Gillian Welch (& David Rawlings) will be #1001! If the list ended here, I’d feel pretty darn satisfied- with some exceptions. Kate Bush’s only album is The Sensual World? Bebel Gilberto there, but no João? Time (the Revelator), more like Timeless (the Revelation). I may need more time yet to process this album, but as far as “dark and hymnal country” goes this is up there with the best. I have never heard another song with the phrase “staggers and jags”, besides “Barrett’s Privateers”, until today. The closer is a pretty remarkable ending, with some repeats of earlier poetry and imagery, though its 15 minutes does get a bit monotonous. Only five albums left that I’ve already heard: (Led Zeppelin I, In Rainbows, Tubular Bells, Hounds of Love, & Veckatimest) so I really only have 83 left to get through! Out of 1089 🤯

Stripped down and intimate story telling. Beautiful guitar playing but the focus is firmly on the story being told and the voice delivering it. Even if I didn't speak English, I would be able to understand the story being told because of how expressive her voice is to me.

Initially this didn’t do much for me, but I did find it somewhat more enjoyable on a second listen…except for album closer ‘I Dream A Highway’. That sucked both times. At 14 minutes it was way too long for me to care.

Beautiful singing, boring songs. Sorry, but no, I really don't like these country songs. They just go on and on(in a negative sense) and seem to have no ending, which makes you let out a sigh and say, " Thank God it is over." 1.5/5 for her beautiful voice; other than that, there is nothing distinguishable in this album, just some regular country music you can find anywhere.

Alternative Country: I preferred the "Alternative" tracks to those that were more "Country".

Pleasant but just too much of the same slow acoustic style.

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.

Beautifully crafted, in a way that makes you miss the fact that they have been crafted - some of these songs (in particular "Dear Someone") sound like they were handed down through many generations of mountain people, whereas they were all written by Gillian Welch and David Rawlings). Great performances, splendid arrangements, and awesome harmonies throughout.

This is one of the finds of the Proj for me. It is so incredibly moving in places - particularly the opening and closing tracks, which really hit you like a gut punch. I think if and when I give this repeat listens, it might make its way into five territory. I'm really quite stunned by it.

✅ Everything Is Free ✅✅ I Dream a Highway Hadn’t heard of Gillian before, and it’s been a pleasure! I love her voice. Just wish the tempo were a bit faster—my stomach lurched slightly when I saw the 14-minute run time on I Dream a Highway. But it was extremely beautiful.

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

Amazing songwriting and singing. Absolutely loved it.

Not my style.

Stunning!

Alt-country, from a time it was in danger of being irrelevant. wonderfully stripped down, and the clarity of purpose that comes from two people working in tune

OK I don't usually take the time for multiple listens in this project, but by coincidence I did for this one, and the second time through was far superior to the first. I get it now, this lady is cool.

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

really great americana/bluegrass album. soft and the quality of songwriting is quite stunning. gillian's voice is quite stark and authentic. i suspect this one's not for everyone, but as someone who has had an interest in this style of music, i can say i definitely loved this one a lot.

I saw the album cover and I went "oh no", started listening, "oh no", and things did not improve. This is VERY country and I did not like it, although I did try to relax into it and appreciate it for what it was. There is strong talent here and the songs were good, but unfortunately this kind of music gets on my nerves.

Very solid folk/country/bluegrass album

I almost liked it in the first song, but then it was almost a loop of the same song for almost one hour!

Incredible songs, performances, voices, and vibe. This album has such a country gothic feel to it. True masterpiece.

cutie pie

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

Ótimo som para relaxar antes do sono a noite. Acredito que faltou um pouco de capricho na qualidade final de produção.

I had heard of this artist in passing but I never sat down to listen to her. Very much enjoyed this album.

I was first introduced to Gillian Welch through the O Brother Where Art Thou soundtrack, and been a fan ever since. This is probably my favorite album of hers.

Had this on in the background for the first listen and it is just so damned calming. I have a soft spot for stripped down alt-country. Everything is Free is a fantastic song. Just beautiful in composition and delivery. Similarly, I Dream A Highway is disarmingly beautiful in its simplicity. Drawn out to nearly 15 minutes, the instrumentation isn't doing a lot, but I'll be damned if it doesn't feel perfect. Her voice is so relaxing, it feels as if it ought to be listened to sitting in a cabin during a snowstorm with a fire rolling. This was an enjoyable ride all the way through and I could see myself throwing this on again without question. For me this is a soft 4 -- in the 8.2 territory.

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

Singer-Songwriter and Country. Probably two of my least favorite genres but we'll see! This was a snoozer for me. Liked some of the guitar in some songs but most of it was boring as hell. I did really like Dream a Highway but it was still just a bit too long. Could see this being cool to see in person in the right setting though.

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.

Never heard of her before but really great music, even if this is something I don't usually listen to.

I question the placement of this particular album on the list, because it sounds about as "typical" as you can get of a genre (in this case, of southern/country acoustic music). There's nothing groundbreaking, not much even interesting, on here – though that's not to say it's an unpleasant listen. Welch plays it very safe on Time (The Revelator), incorporating soft textures through her acoustic guitar and drawling vocals. This sound works best when leaning into the blues sound (e.g. "blue" notes, 12-bar patterns), but Welch doesn't do this in many tracks. Elvis Presley Blues is a highlight, as is Revelator for its solid execution of a guitar ballad with a catchy vocal hook. Otherwise, there's isn't much to say. Most of the album is unmemorable and doesn't push any musical boundaries. There's not much in the way of album flow, of ups and downs, of any sort of emotional journey. (In fact, there isn't much noticeable emotion at all – but that complaint can be made for a sizeable number of great albums, so I'll leave it to rest.) 2/5 Key tracks: Revelator, Elvis Presley Blues, Everything Is Free

Country

not really my type of music but i do think it is quite calming and i quite liked revelator.

Loved. Sweet. Calming.

Hmm.. boring hillbilly stuff

It was pretty enough, singer-songwritery country folk and at first I found it quite pleasant but I also started to lose patience with it not going anywhere or showing much variety or innovation. Then the final track epitomised the whole experience by lasting 15 MINUTES and also going absolutely nowhere. Meandering, to put it kindly. I'd never heard of Gillian Welch before today and there's a good chance I'll have forgotten the name by the end of the month.

A good album, I liked Revealer, My First Lover and I Dream A Highway.

Piss and shit. Sounds like every other “singer songwriter” album out there. Zzz

I expected more from this. This was pretty boring.

Will definitely be listening to more of this when I get a chance. Really enjoyed this album, especially Everything is Free and I Dream a Highway

Really enjoyed the messy instruments at the end of the first song. Sometimes this album doesn’t stand out since there’s so much good folk music out there. But the really long final song was my favorite. It felt weird and ambitious and over-dramatic and haunting!

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.

3.5 rounded up to 4. I didn’t know any songs off this album but love Look at Miss Ohio from her 2003 album.

Nice stuff. A bit languid at times, but pretty enjoyable.

This genre is not my favorite, and that’s probably the difference between a 4 and a 5 here. Because within the limitations of this genre, I think Gillian Welch is the best. Every song here is a (n Americana) banger, but you don’t end the album with a 14-minute song unless you think it’s a big artistic statement deserving of that space on the record. Luckily, it is (glares intently at The Doors). This post talks about it well: https://www.nodepression.com/i-dream-a-highway-gillian-welchs-song-of-america-explicated/ But at its simplest level, I’ve always heard it as three things: a lament for an old way of Nashville/country music that isn’t coming back (in 2001! I wonder how she feels now), a love song in the style of an Odyssey—returning to someone from your past, and a death song (where the You is God). I’m not at all confident the lyrics support all of that, just a vibe I get. But what a beautiful, mysterious way to end the album. Sublime.

If you like country there are a couple tracks that are pretty good otherwise this isn’t something you must hear.

Not usually a fan of country but this was good

You know, this really grew on me over several listens. I figured I'd like it, but the first time through I was very meh.

I was not previously familiar with the artist or album before listening. This album was a breath of fresh air. The album has a classic country/folk sound and her voice is fantastic. I enjoyed this a lot, even though this isn't a common genre for me. I would come back to this one for sure.

Damn near perfection in 51 minutes of alt-country/acoustic bluegrass. Love love love her voice.

an unexpectedly pleasant listen! i'll certainly be returning to this

Never listened to Gillian Welch before and this was a great surprise. A really varied and interesting country album with very sincere and thoughtful lyrics, and strong performances throughout

I don't know how many Gillian Welch albums are on this list but I would have guessed 1, and that it would have been her debut. She and Dave Rawlings have enjoyed one of the great musical partnerships of the past several decades and this is a fine example of it.

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.

Really enjoyed this, especially the title song, My First Lover, and the last song--I dream a highway. Sometimes Welch's voice doesn't live up to her goals for it but it really works on those songs. Nice album I'll listen to again.

Billy music

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

This was pretty solid.

Good album Standout songs: Dear Someone Elvis Presley Blues I Dream a HIghway

Pleasant enough, a little too twangy for me. The last song lingered way too long. 14+ minutes of going nowhere slowly. Yawn.

Beau dans sa retenue, son dénuement qui n'est pas pauvreté.

A little whiney.

A really lovely listen :)

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

Not for me. 1/5

I first heard this album about a year ago, when my guitar teacher recommended it to me. I've listened to it several times since then, and I'm now on my third listen for this project. I don't listen to a lot of Americana or Country, but I absolutely love this. Fantastic voice, songwriting, guitar playing and banjo playing. Will be in my regular rotation for a long time I think. 9/10

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.

She was a revelation for me. I liked her dark ballads reminding me of Lera Lynn, though this harsh contrast of these gorgeous ballads with cheerful country songs makes me confused) Anyway, it’s 4

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.

This is a good, slow and soft album. Not my cup of whiskey usually but for a drive in to work it fit well. It's like the country-folk version of Joni Mitchell Blue but wahaaay better. I know of Rawlings who collabed on this but never heard of Welch prior. I would put this on again by a nice late night bon fire or try and catch at a local pub. Surprised me with a 2.3 star rating.

My lord this album was so boring. Whether artists were talented or the lyrics were interesting didn't matter as after a couple songs I was completely checked out and couldn't wait for this to be over. I'm not sure why this makes the list as it sounded like so much other mundane coffee shop soft rock I've heard elsewhere. I would use this to put my infant child to sleep but honestly I don't ever want to listen to this again. I have no reason I needed to hear this before I die. Skip. 0.4 stars

Never heard this album before but it was great

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

I really like Gillian. I think there's some really remarkable songs here but it just doesn't quite hit the 5 star level for me. It's a definite strong 4. As a side note I listened to this uninterrupted on a rather beautiful autumn night and it seemed to be the perfect setting to do so.

Not for me

I have kind of a soft spot for singer-songwriter indie types and this album pushes that in a country direction. I wasn't sure if I would like it and I definitely did. It's sad and emotional and Welch's voice is sweet and soothing. The title track is strong and the songs on the back end are high points.

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.

It all sounds the same

I fucking love this album

The great melancholic record.

Did not finish it

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.

I could very easily write an essay on this album. I wasn’t really familiar with Gillian welch and country music is always a stranger to my British ears. But I loved this, it feels like the end of one of those movies where they’re all huddled up by a fire. I shall return to this album.

I had not listened to this album since my copy was lost in a move. I still love it's gentleness.

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

Rarely give a shit about country, but fell in love with this immediately

Country, pero no me ha llamado la atención.

The melancholic vibe of the singer-songwriter is enjoyable, though not the most original in terms of style. There’s a nice moodiness to the music, but it occasionally feels repetitive.

Liked this quite a bit with few exceptions. Melancholic without being broody. A good gray day listen.

This wasn't bad. I'd need to be in the mood for low key and mellow to listen to it again.

I think I was surprised by how much I liked this. Very pretty voice, stripped down production. I will listen to this one again.

As I get older I seem to be appreciating country music more. Beforehand I would have got bored of this after first couple of times. But I appreciated some of this album. I thought it was OK, but on first listen I didn't feel there was much depth ro this album. 6/10

Ik vind dit weer een lastige, want dat gepiel (met alle respect) op de banjo en gitaar vind ik echt master, maar tegelijk wringt er iets. En dat is, verrassend weer, de zang. Zo'n 'Red Clay Halo' legt de vinger precies op de zere plek. Het accent (wat op een aantal andere tracks reuze meevalt, dus het is een trucje) wordt er dik bovenop gelegd, de aangeleerde manier van knauwend country zingen.. Ik knap er op af. Lastig dus, want ik wil niet meteen in een soort Joni-Mitchell-reflex schieten omdat ik een vrouw in combinatie met een akoestische gitaar hoor, maar onvrijwillig overkomt het me toch een beetje. Niet elk nummer op dit album is vervelend. Het album opent en eindigt heel sterk. Jammer van het voor mijn gevoel wat commerciële middenstuk. Zweeft tussen een 2 en de 3. Waarbij ik toch voor de 2 moet gaan.

This album felt so long. It’s not bad but there’s nothing truly exciting either. The closing 14-minute song felt like an eternity. It was just like all the rest of the songs but endlessly long. 2.5 stars.

Some great songs towards the end of the album. I do like the sparseness of the music it feels very natural. The songwriting did not engage until the album was almost over.

It was decent and easy to listen to. She has a great voice and I love the older country instrumentation much more than when it is overproduced. Still wasn’t able to focus on the lyrics intently while listening so a lot of its charm might’ve been missed Rating: 3.2

A fairly minimalist folk album. If Low was an acoustic band I suspect they’d sound like this. Lots of Americana feel and at times almost a cappella.

Not my genre of music at all, and it didn't help that every song was extremely slow, and could serve as lullabies. At least it ended with a 14 minute, 44 second ballad that wasn't terrible. Favorite Track: "I Dream A Highway".

I liked this quite a bit, but I'm a little biased because bluegrass/Americana featuring female vocals is one of my favorite types of music. While really enjoyable, there are dozens of albums in this genre subset that probably have been included on this list before this album. 3.5

4.5

Glad I didn’t skip this. Very enjoyable country/folk. Great guitars, banjos, etc. 4/5

Absolutely love this album (9.5) ★★★★½

Wonderful ambience, a few more boring tracks in the middle, but mostly great

Great album. Super pretty folk/Americana songs - 4.5 stars

3.5

Nice soothing dollop of country folk. Immaculately crafted and prettily sung but a bit too gentle and not that captivating. Kinda ordinary songs that don’t really jump out. No Free Birds or Stairway To Heavens in this collection.

Great album. Heard it years ago and it was better than I remember. Title track is my favorite. 4.5 stars

It’s fascinating how much you can do with just your voice and guitar

Bluegrass has never been a thing for me. It’s not that I dislike or like, it’s just I have very little experience or context for what is good or bad. I enjoyed listening to this album but it was very mellow. It elicited sitting on a porch drinking sweet tea with a little somethin’ something’ in it and watching the dragonflies go by. I liked the harmony soul of Dear Someone and hearing her Elvis drawl on Elvis Presley Blues. It was a pleasant listen overall but I don’t know how to rank it.

I was familiar with "Everything Is Free" song before jumping into this whole album. I think with some repeated listens this one could really grow on me as a whole well beyond the song I already knew. I know she is held in high regard by many music aficionados. I'll give it another listen when I'm in the right mood. BTW - Sylvan Esso does a great cover of "Everything Is Free" PS - this song is from 2001 and it is about how music is free now (napster, MP3s,etc) and artists just will keep making music because they have an inner need to make music and they will just keep getting ripped off. Bummer.

Some very good songs in this. Her writing is hilarious and the mood is grim. Sort of like early Dylan

Ok as background music, but few of the songs had any real grab to them. I liked “Elvis Presley Blues”, but that’s the only one that made a strong impression.

Ahhhh. This is good.

Gillian is incredible. Somehow she can sing about Elvis shakin his hips and both make me laugh but also feel super heavy and complex feelings about culture / the human experience / feeling grateful / etc. Extra bonus that she's BFFs with the D'Rawl Machine.

Quite nice really

(Yawn…)

This warranted more attention than I was able to give it yesterday, but even so, the simplicity was beguiling, the lyrics were beautiful and the structure was strong. Great album (I think) 4 stars for what I think it is, but this might be adjusted when I listen again, when slightly less distracted

OK, Bluegrass singer. Not one of my favorites.

Meh.

Quaint, melodic and calm. The music and vocals are very gentle and easy to listen to. I appreciate Folk, and this is yet another record that adds to that appreciation. I like this one.

Hermosa voz!

That was a really quite nice album!

Not for me

A mellow, laid back alt-country album. Bare bones, strings squeaking, right up the mic songs. Through a log on the fire, watch the embers rise, have a drink of whiskey and listen to the album. Best Tracks: Revelator; Elvis Presley Blues; Everything Is Free

Dull while mostly not being annoying. Until the last song.

Gill has a nice voice. Not my style of music, but not horrible.

Cool name for an album but not my thing so much

This is nice folky music.

nah

Pues no me la pasé mal escuchándolo, pero no encuentro algo especialmente destacable o que al escucharlo me haga pensar que este disco pertenece a la lista de los mil mejores de la historia.

High production quality, this has a good sonic feel to it. She’s clearly a talented musician. I didn’t emotionally connect to anything though.

saw them in santa monica with my dad in 1996 and little did we know…

Revelator was a great song, rest of the album was okay

Great stripped down style of Americana. Lovely guitar and vocal harmonies.

3.5

Country music that didn't make me want claw my ears off. Mostly. I enjoyed the first couple of tracks. I thought I might be in for an udiscovered gem ... but it settled down into a pretty non desccript capret of softness.

Didn’t click

Not so bad!

Whooooooo

First song I was ready to set the album on fire, then the bajo kicked in on song 2, and it redeemed itself.

Not my style, but sounds good.

Beautiful singing and a very consistently good album. I enjoyed a few songs greatly and the storytelling of the Ruination Day songs was incredible.

This is the first artist I've been assigned that I haven't listened to at all before. I quite like artists like Lucinda Williams and Tracy Chapman, or Adrianne Lenker, whose harmonies with Buck Meek sound a lot like Gillian Welch and David Rawlings here. I also love prolonged retellings of events like the Titanic sinking or the JFK assassination, interspersed with 20th century American musical history, i.e. Bob Dylan's "Tempest" and "Murder Most Foul". However, I found this album a little uninspired and plodding. I'm not American nor particularly steeped in country music, but my impression is that sonically and in terms of its clichéd references to Americana, it's not too distinct from a lot of mass produced country dross. Seven minutes into the final song, "I Dream A Highway", I'm beginning to doubt what I just wrote. I'll give credit for giving this song room to breathe, it's a great closer. Maybe the album would have flowed better for me with a few more energetic songs, bookended by the lovely languid "I Dream A Highway".

Not the biggest country fan, but funsies

It’s not for me, I was very bored. I guess there’s an audience for this?

I like some good, haunting alt country. I didn't love every song on this record, but most of it is great and I would for sure play this again often. 4/5.

Really enjoyed this, surprisingly. It's not really my genre, but it's pretty great all the way through. 4/5

Very enjoyble listen to a genre that doesn't get enough attention. That being said, While Welch's Time (The Revelator) is an easy album there are many, many more examples of Americana, Folk, etc - heck even by female artists. I think the writer(s) chose this based on a recency bias, but heck, it's not 90s UK pop! 3.5/5

Sweet and melancholic. didn't feel as long as it is.

Listened to this twice and feel like there's more I'm missing. I like the voice and general vibe though

First two tracks have a really cool feel to them. Red Clay Halo is a good song. I Dream A Highway is awesome, its just like everything I want in a chill acoustic song.

Very sweet, kept a couple of tracks.

tämä albumi on MATEMAATTISESTI nerokas! mitä tarkoittaa tämä heh.. tarvitseeko kysyä? tieteilijät kyselee kyselee... milloin laitetaan se kynä ja paperi alas ja nautit vähän elämästä tuntisit sen viiman kasvoillasi... rrrrrraaaakaaa musikkia... raakaa lihaa... appalakit huutaa kirkuu kivusta.... veri velloo yläjuoksusta ei rannikon vetelät tiedä mitä tapahtuu... blood red river... miksi hanasta tulee punaista...mitä-,, mitä vittua... miten voi olla... o' mountains weep... close your eyes child... millonkohas loppuu psykoosi arvostelut everything is free

somewhere between folk and bluegrass with soothing female harmonies. good listen.

I dunno.

I've a strong feeling this will improve on a further listen.

Thought I wouldn't like this that much but it was fine, like the chill genre and simplicity.

Not really my kind of music.

Reserved, uneventful, tepid

Calm

Gillian Welch was perfect for the O Brother soundtrack. Not my jam beyond this context.

I can see why it is considered a good album. I just wasn't feeling it at the time possibly...

It's OK. I kept waiting for the tunes to really get going but they never did.

Constantly blown away by this woman! This album was no exception.

I'd heard her name but never really knew her music. It's pretty good!

melancholy and thoughtful country from the mountaintops. it's an album that makes you think with its lyrics. i really like albums that are like poetry, having plenty of tunes about the human condition and the pondering thoughts about it all... it's also very relaxing. i could probably sleep like a damn baby listening to this.

Very much of its time, competent bluegrassy folk.

Good album. Gillian Welch has a great voice, and the production and composition is great. Not sure why its on this list over some other more foundational bluegrass and folk stuff, but still worth a listen. 4/5

I’m not a massive folk listener, I don’t listen to it often or know much by any means…but sometimes I do like a little folk and have an itch to scratch. This was a nice album to scratch the itch I occasionally get. :) a couple of the songs I liked less than others, but generally easy listening. First half was better than the second though.

was vaguely familiar with her from that o brother where art thou soundtrack, but this is lovely! at some point i'll revisit and spend more time with it but surprised it had me sitting down and enjoying a 12+ minute track with that closer. not a big country person but alt country and alt folk i'm pretty into.

It's a pretty good folk album but I don't think it's super special. I'd be happy to listen to it any time but I wouldn't ever have a desire to put it on. There just isn't any edge to it.

Relaxing for sure, but not really for me. If I listened to music in the background it would be ok but I want to really be able to connect with an album. Nice singing and guitar work but I don't really hear anything that stands out. I can't recall anything about what I just heard.

This is how a country album should be done. A banjo, an acoustic and a great voice. An understated masterpiece. This is the kind of thing I wanted to find going through this list.

Not bad. Too country for me.

Great voice but the arrangements didn't move me. Seems like original mountain music played bare bones. Has it's worth but wouldn't be my choice

ok, but too country

3.5. Really Lovely.

First song got me very excited - discordant twangs of the guitar on that country accent felt like grounds for subversion but the PJ Harvey-ness of the guitar seemed to fade a bit. Recentered to me with April 14th - think it’s because I’m reminded of wish you were here. 3.75

Cool sad folk vibe throughout. Never heard this album before but it felt super comfortable and familiar like I want to sing along. David Rawlings lead guitar is so nice. I was thinking at the end of the I want to sing that rock j roll solo wow what a great solo and then there was applause. IlDream a Highway is like the song that never ends. Such a vibe almost like trance inducing after the first 12 minutes

I really loved this, amazing how much of a vibe they can create with just guitar and vocals.

I didn’t care for this so much. Her voice is alright but I got lost in a lot of the songs

I will give it 2 stars because she wasn't overwhelmingly whiney on the majority of her songs.

I think there’s some strong songwriting on display. But the songs themselves all sorta sound the same. It’s a perfectly fine listen but I doubt I’ll ever come back to this. 2.5/5

Not really my genre but I like aspects of it. Enough of a slight bluegrass/folk feel to make it more than just a typical singer-songwriter album.

I'm not hugely into country, but this album was pleasant enough

Very sad.

Too country. It's listed in Apple Music as singer/songwriter, but as the album goes on, the twang gets unbearable. I think she has a good voice, and the songs that don't lean country aren't awful - I could listen to them as background noise in a coffee shop. I'll give it 2 stars, because I'm fair.

Pretty, but dragged.

-when I saw that this is an "country" album, I was like "whatever", but after first listen, I actually came around to enjoying this album. -such a calm album -I like the guitars -I also like the voice -I feel like this is more of an Americana album tho -I found another rainy day album. Thanks 1001albumsgenerator.com ! -favorite songs: Revelator, Dear Someone, Red Clay Halo, Elvis Presley Blues, Everything Is Free, I Dream A Highway (<3) -least favorite song: Ruination Day

Much better than I expected it to be. I like this nitty-gritty American music, but I also can take only so much most of the time. Besides the excellent musicianship (and sparse arrangement), what really grabbed me was the sincerity of the lyrics and Welch's delivery. I listened to this one twice, back-to-back, and I'll return to it.

Dear Someone…