Time (The Revelator)

I wouldn’t mind any of these songs (even the 15-minute one) popping up in a playlist but I’m not gonna do all ten in a sitting again.

Nice album except for the last song, that takes it from 4 stars to ,3

I started out being bored by this album but gradually I got into the mood and it became quite beautiful.

Nice intimate Americana

3.5

I've always loved Revelator, and Everything is Free. Beautiful and sparse. But a whole album in one go is a little bit much for me.

If you want to listen to sad acoustic music that makes you want to give up on everything and jump out the window, this is the album for you! But it’s quite nice in a relaxing, melancholy kind of way.

One of the surprises of the generator for sure, timeless voice.

Soft, beautifully written and featuring that certain something that singer-songwriter/folk just DOES. A GORGEOUS overall experience that satisfies throughout. Well-written and indeed excellent.

3.75

Ok folks music. it was pretty slow beat. Not work music but sings well.

I see she featured on the o brother where art thou soundtrack which is amazing. I don’t listen to country but she has an amazing voice. I liked the bluegrass elements

Album 174 of 1001 Gillian Welch - Time (The Revelator) Rating : 4 / 5 Favorite Track : Elvis Presley Blues What a peaceful listen. Such gentle songwriting. This is a really good album. Put it on. Relax. Let it do its thing. (Side Note : Her parents were writers for the Carol Burnett Show)

Enjoyed

Lo escuché como 3 veces. Dear Someone es mi track favorito.

I’ve listened to this before on a top list. Multiple exposures solidifies the excellence.

I really enjoyed this album that I must have missed when it was first put out!

A highly polished yet broken gem.

Some sweet melancholy blues, nothin wrong with that. It's pretty enjoyable and sometimes relaxing to listen to, I could see myself listening to this again if I ever really crave some Americana blues.

Best country/ folk album I’ve probably ever heard

don't wanna be giving so many Albums 4s but this is solidly solid. some duds but I dream a highway, revelator, etc are just so good. great stuff

Interesting sound. Very country.

Pretty average, alternative country is not my cup of tea at all. In my opinion no one needs to listen to 51 minutes of that at all. Best: My First Lover Worst: I Dream a Highway

Reminded me a lot of Joni Mitchell, love her voice and the atmosphere here songs create.

Favourite tracks: revelator; I dream a highway; to my lover; Elvis Presley blues

chill but ehh.

No, not for me. I didn’t enjoy it at all

Sighed when I seen an alt country album from 2001, but pleasantly surprised with this one. Deserves to be on the list, but just not enough to add to my personal rotation

Folky, slow, chill. I guess the impact from this album is that is a female country singer and the lyrics seem to be personal. But it feels kind off slow and a bit boring to the end.

Gezellige singersongwritermuziek, twee gitaren, een vrouwenstem en meer is het niet. En het werkt prima.

Een stem die wat wegheeft van The Cranberries. Met een muzikale opzet van Ilse de Lange. En die rustige, country-achtige opzet....maakt......het...zzz....slaap....verwekkzzzzz.....

Singer-songwritermuziek voor bij het kampvuur. Ik was eerst bang voor een soort Joni Mitchell, die heel zweverig en irritant gaat lopen gillen en bleren. Maar het eerste nummer is geweldig, ik hoor Jerry Cantrell van Alice in Chains dit al spelen. Bij dat kampvuur wil ik wel zitten. Jammer genoeg houdt het dat niveau niet vast. Nr 2 is bluegrass. En bij nr3 moet ik denken aan de Louvin brothers, de broers met de kwade dronk. De rest van het album hopt een beetje heen en weer tussen country en bluegrass, het ene gedateerder dan de ander. Ik luister de plaat de volgende ochtend nog een keer en er zitten echt een paar wonderschone nummers tussen, die ik zo 5 sterren zou durven geven. Maar de meeste nummers kunnen wel wat peper in de reet gebruiken, wat extra tempo, waardoor je "hieeehaaa!" wil roepen. Het geheel haalt daardoor slechts 3 sterren. Maar dit is dus typisch zo'n album (voor mij dan) dat alle kanten op had gekund.

I've found this album very monotonous, boring, slow and musically uninteresting. For some reason I can't relate to Americana/country in any way...The only positive about this album is that it's old style and not that over commercialised country music that was so popular in the past decades in the US.

4/10. Normally not a country hater, but this felt like the musical equivalent of eating gruel. Maybe it's just because work is boring today.

Alt-country is such a boring genre. 4/10

Not terrible country. But still country.

Decent enough music but not something that I regularly enjoy or would listen to. Decent story telling.

This is really not for me. It bored me, it didn't bring anything new.

This was an absolute delight and very calm and peaceful record to listen to. Very much enjoyed it.

I kind of figured seeing the fourteen minute song awaiting me at the end of this album that it'd make or break the album for me, but it didn't really affect my view of this album from the rest of the songs at all. I mean, it got tedious a little past the halfway mark, but it wasn't so annoying it pushed the album over to the one star. This is just an album full of little things I like, such as the guitar playing, or some of the more interesting chord progressions, but none of it really comes together for me. This doesn't feel like a congruent album to me, which stuff where songs sound decades old to newer more "sophisticated" country tunes, and even a random live(?) song. Perhaps this is just supposed to be a love letter to a bunch of commonplace country musician moments, but none of it left an impact. Don't hate this, but I certainly don't get it.

Pretty nice vocals and guitar work, and I can see why people would love this, but I do not.

Fantastic, I could listen to this all day. The guitar style is my favourite - is it bluegrass or Appalachian? Either way, it's hauntingly beautiful.

Had on in the background. Sounded perfectly innocuous quiet folk that I would probably like and maybe merits another listen

7/10 not a genre I’m a big fan of, but still a pretty great album I can appreciate; very talented musician(s)

I liked the first song. That was all. Best track: Revelator Worst tracks: My First Lover, Dear Someone, Red Clay Halo, Elvis Presley Blues + all the rest.

Had its ups and downs but very nice overall

I like Gilliam Welch and I like this album. This kind of private somber comfortable feeling. Her voice does all the heavy lifting for me. So steady, that’s why it’s a good companion. Never sticks out too much. I can feel the desolation and the loneliness a mile away. But it’s cozy. This is what a lot of New England sounds like to me, I don’t know where she’s from but it feels so familiar to the folk/bluegrass scene here. I think one of my friend’s parents put this on a lot I’m the car. Just feels like home. 3/5

I knew the name but never listened. Absolute banger of an album. Some great alt country. Have to explore more of her discography.

- I respect the voice and guitar playing but this is not for me - Didn't mind the faster/twangier songs, but a lot of them were way too slow - Boring to listen to imo

- enjoyable but not my favorite - My First Lover was great

Good classic country

Folksy country. Reminded me of some others I have heard but can't put a finger on what. Perfectly fine. 3.5

Slow does not equal boring, people. This album is full of clever imagery and allusion. She's a great songwriter. This was far from boring. Bonus points for the stealth two-parter. Best tracks: April the 14th Part 1 and Ruination Day Part 2

god

what a great sounding album! worth of repeated listens.

Not my type of music at all, being country/folk, but a decent album.

Really great americana/folk album Gets a little bit boring in the middle but the first and last tracks make up for it Favourite tracks: Revelator, My First Lover, I Want To Sing That Rock and Roll, I Dream A Highway

made me sleepy - boring lullabies

Sweet but a bit samey

Nice

Forgettable a bit

Sometimes this website is nice to me. Sometimes it gives me an album I already know I'll love. Sometimes it gives me an album that I'm already intimately familiar with. Sometimes it throws a curveball and catches me looking and gives me something that I'd never have found otherwise. This falls squarely in that last category. My goodness, what a voice Gillian has. Her vocals are drop dead gorgeous, and her guitarwork is no joke either. Revelator, Everything Is Free and I Dream A Highway are worth the price of admission alone-- but just about everything here is pure alt-country gold. The southern-fried donkey in me is happy he's got another album he's been needing for his entire life. A red clay 4/5.

It just kinda washed over me like a non-offensive and bland wave

This would be nice sitting on the porch of an Appalachian cabin, but would require me to go to an Appalachian cabin

Was ready to be bored but her dark silky voice over bare bones folk was exactly what I needed today. Could be talked up to a five.

C&W is not for me

Vähän yllätyin että tää levy on tällä listalla :D Ei siinä, tää on kova levy mutta kun tuota Everything Is Freetä on tullut niin paljon kuunneltua. Hyvää akustista folkkia ja suoraan mun akustiselle listalle taas

Fine for what it is, but not my jam

Actually a pretty good folk album! I really liked Gillian vocal skills, soothing voice and an interesting range. Instrumentally, I'm not into folk that much, I think you really have to be in a mood to appreciate it, but somehow Gillian made it much easier to get into this album with her skills. Positive experience.

was good but not my vibe

Country, pero no me ha llamado la atención.

not for me

Interesting. I didn't hate it, but I wouldn’t listen to it again

Let me die with a hammer in my hand.

Country music has a lot more to over than just cowboy stuff and this album is a wonderful example for it. This is alternative country sliding into folk with darker, brooding themes. I love it! The opener is gorgeous. After a while you'd wish for more diverse arrangements though.

Love a good steel guitar

2.5

Generally I like this kind of music. You can hear a country tone to it. The songs did feel quite heavy though and maybe it just caught me ina. Different mood Favourite track: Revelator

Beautiful folk album! Really enjoyed this one and excited to discover more from her. 8 out of 10

Here's another name I've heard a million times but never listened to. Some really great bluegrass, singer-songwriter stuff here. Will listen to more.

Not bad tbh

Damn I was reading ab this album while listening to the last album and expected to fully hate it. But it’s so good. Nothing like i’ve really listened to before but i love it. Wow. Was not expecting a 4 here

This is a nice album but too low energy for me.

Theoretically, this is up my alley. I should have liked this, but I didn’t. It was too country for my singer-songwriter tastes and too singer-songwriter for my country tastes.

Es agradable pero nada nuevo.

El primer tema te quita vida, realmente. Sonido medio viejo para la época, como queriendo evocar algo que mucha gente ya hizo, y mejor. La voz linda, algo de Joni Mitchell, algo de Jewel. Rescato el tema "My first lover", tiene algo de Fleetwood Mac. Demasiado country para mi gusto. Creo que estoy redondeando para abajo/siendo mala, pero porque no creo que vuelva a escuchar esto en mi vida. Y menos el último tema, que dura 15 min.

temas favoritos: red clay halo, april the 14, ruination day, everything is free Música para no tener problemas de plata, y recolectar tomates por mero gusto. Aburridisimo. Tono demasiado agudo y monotono. Las violas están buenas, pero todo el disco está grabado con demasiado brillo, un sol insoportable. Nada grave que me haga pensar en que hay vida abajo de la tierra. Siento que es música para tener algunos esclavos en una casucha de un amplio terreno, mientras nos hacemos los veggies. Amo el folk, pero no este. Y los temas que dicen rnr y blues, no lo son, engaño! Además me dio ganas de comer pancito caliente y estoy a dieta. Un disco con olor a humedad. Podría haberme muerto sin escuchar este disco tranquilamente. Tiene un hit que conocia de antes, y no sabia que era de ella, lindo tema, claramente ahi puso la bala. Pasó Joni Mitchell y dijo que le faltaba tomar mucha leche.

Un disco ideal para un día de lluvia. No lo conocía y me gustó, lo voy a escuchar de nuevo en estos días. Me sumo al team que milita la media estrella, le hubiera puesto tres y medio pero redondeo para arriba.

Irregular, sutil, de melodías imprevistas. Gillian Welch no termina de forjar un disco redondo, pero logra capturar mi atención con momentos de alta sensibilidad.

bland and generic

Utterly beautiful.

It’s alright just decent country 3/5.

Some of the songs are a little long winded but overall not bad

Top 3 Songs: 1 - Revelator (1) 2 - Everything Is Free (9) 3 - I Want To Sing That Rock and roll (6)

Beautiful and simple folk infused with country and bluegrass (with the banjo). Reminded me of 70s pop, but also reminds me of Taylor Swift's Folklore and Evermore albums 2 decades later. Several songs I didn't care for, but many were decent and soothing, and I especially enjoyed the epic "I Dream a Highway" as a background tune. It isn't especially impressive or flashy or innovative, but it certainly offers something nice and consistent that's rare to find. Favorites: Revelator, My First Lover, Dear Someone, Everything is Free, I Dream a Highway

Today's album was a real surprise! Before today, I hadn't heard of Gillian Welch before, or so I thought. Turns out, she provided a few songs to the O' Brother Where Art Thou soundtrack. That happens to be one of my favourite movies, and I also own that soundtrack on vinyl. The songs she provided are: Didn't Leave Nobody But The Baby and I'll Fly Away, two absolutely beautiful songs! Upon listening to this album, it was more of the same. Bluegrass/folk/singer songwriter with subtle country undertones. Absolutely love the guitar/banjo combo that is prevalent on most songs on the record. I Dream A Highway is an absolute epic of a song, clocking in at 14 minutes in length. I Want to Sing That Rock and Roll is a lively song that was recorded live. April 14th (Part 1) tells the story of a few shitty things that happened on that date throughout history. This story is continued in Ruination Day (Part 2). The topics include: The sinking of the Titanic, a severe dust storm hits the US Midwest, leading to the area being called the Dust Bowl, and the assassination of Abe Lincoln. The way that Gillian weaves lyrics and music is absolutely perfect. Overall, a phenomenal album today. One I will definately be listening to more often! Favourite songs: Red Clay Halo, Revelator, April the 14th (Part 1), My First Lover, Everything is Free Least favourite songs: Ruination Day (Part 2) 4/5

Te soft 2*

i’m sure there are plenty of albums just like this which are better, but to me nothing compares

Good folk album - I can hear it being an influence for later folk & country artists.

Not notable in any way, really - the live track was nice, but everything else felt so stereotypically singer-songwriter that it didn't leave much impact, if any. Not sure if there's historical context I'm missing, but man have I been getting some boring albums here lately.

2,5

What a soulful, autobiografical and yet traditionalist american folk record. Great Pick!

Phenomenon songwriting, musicianship, with intimate soulful vocals. I knew how good “Everything is Free Now” is, but turns out the whole album is gold

Some great songs but also some dull ones. I mostly liked the really sparse instrumentation but I’m intrigued to see if any of her other albums have a fuller sound. 4 stars mainly for the title track, my first lover, red clay halo and Elvis Presley blues.

Pretty unspectacular

I feel like this was something that suburban white moms would have listened to. Completely forgettable. I can't remember if I even finished it because the songs all sounded the same to me. I saw a cool bird while I was outside listening to this though.

It was boring, but relatively nice on my ears, like a funny science teacher.

Relaxing album, listed as singer/songwriter and at points it felt like country but I think that's the perfect album for that genre. Gillian has a great voice and many of these songs seem sad and nostalgic in a good way. Enjoyed this one!

Excellent album. I know Gillian Welch, she's one of those songwriters perennially nominated for Grammys that most people have never even heard. But I've certainly heard "Everything is Free," an amazing song about the devaluation of music and the emotional labor of artists. I think I first heard it via cover(s) from Phoebe Bridgers and Courtney Barnett. It sounds like a song that's been around forever, and I know it will. There are other fantastic songs on here too, even on first listen. "Elvis Presley Blues" felt more insightful than the entirety of Baz Luhrmann's shitty movie. Loved the long, drawn-out closer that is "I Dream a Highway." I will always welcome heavy songwriter albums like this on the list. Favorite tracks: Everything is Free, Elvis Presley Blues, My First Lover, I Dream a Highway. Album art: Pretty simple shot of Gillian, gets the job done I suppose. For this kind of music, it would hardly make sense to do much more than this. 4.5/5

Sweet voice and guitar, lightly dark lyrics, nice all around

3 stars. very pleasant

It's country and I suffered through it.

Experiments a little between folk and country, but there isn’t much to say about this album…

I was fully prepared to downvote this because 'Country', but there's some really lovely soft songs in here in places and I had a nice time with it in general.

One of the easiest games of ‘guess the rhyme’ so far. Very trite and obvious lyrics backed by unremarkable meanderings.

Nice but not breathtaking

Seg

Boring. Generic sounding.

Good country

I would like to find more country music like this

Liked this more than I thought I would!!

li

really nice folk vibe, not my fav but revelator is a great track

I really wanted to like this.

A mighty achievement in the field of boredom.

Springtime in a coffee shop

There have been albums to come up here that I called boring. Typically folk, singer-songwriter affairs. Well, this record is more boring than any of those previous entries. This probably has appeal to those who like bluegrass or Americana, but I neither enjoy or relate to this music. If I could sum my opinion into one word, it would be - zzzzzzzz.

This album makes me feel so romantic about music. Just so soft yet forceful, so tender yet unrelenting. Gillian Welch takes complete hold of your attention and you are naturally drawn into the level of detail in the instrumentation. Beautiful textures that develop gently. I believe that we don’t need constant stimulation and a million different instruments to make something so layered and dense, and this is a great example of letting the art breathe. Something simple can be so much. There’s just a wonderfully admirable level of depth here that I will continue to wade through. Faves: Revelator, Everything Is Free, I Dream A Highway, Dear Someone, Elvis Presley Blues, I Want To Sing That Rock And Roll, Red Clay Halo

Afskaplega róleg og notaleg plata. Ekki minn tebolli samt.

I liked this a lot, though a couple songs (the initial title track, and Everything is Free) stood way above most of the rest for me, which came across as pretty standard bluegrassy folk, well performed but not extraordinary.

Country. Folk. Dulce. Un poco aburrido.

Enjoyed it more than I thought I would, favorite song would be My First Lover.

Had never heard of this before but how perfect is it?! Beautiful understated singing and melodies. A fantastic discovery

I think I might like a different album by Gillian Welch, but this specific one was just a little boring to me as a whole. Best tracks: My First Lover and Ruination Day Pt. 2

It's nice, but does it belong on this list?

Impressive, but not what I’m looking for.

so so dull

Posluša sam ga nakon petnestak godina. Sjajan album

dunno

Allison Krauss meets Joni Mitchell with a strong hint of Emmylou Harris thrown in for good measure. Norah Jones became the breakout star around this time, but a world with better sense would have made Welch a star instead.

My second favorite genre is girl with guitar (or piano). This fits.

Pari ensimmäistä biisiä jaksoi nauttia hyvällä fiiliksellä, mutta loppua kohden alkoi puuduttamaan. Voisin kuvitella tämän toimivan jossain kesäisessä mökkirannassa kun rauhassa hörppii kahvia ja tuijottaa ongen kohoa vedessä.

Ihan kiva, chilli kokonaisuus. Täytyy yrittää ehtii perehtyy enemmänkin tähän uuteen tuttavuuteen

She has a nice soothing voice that blends well with the minimalist instrumentation if guitars/banjos, but it fails to leave a mark with its songwriting and the slow tempo nature drags on a bit with the lack of dynamics in the album overall.

Nice sounding Americana that is soothing but also a little bit too monotnous

Not a bad folk album, good but didn’t grab me

Did like this, will need to listen again to get a better idea of it

Not an unpleasant listen, but overall a bit of a dirge. Seems like an album that might get better with time, or if you listen to it with the Blue Ridge mountains in the background. A surprisingly rural, country sound coming from someone from LA.

This vacillated between being generally pleasant and somewhat annoying to me. I don't typically go for this latter day old timey revivalist fare that NPR stations across the US are so enamored with. The rootsiness feels a bit forced, but it's generally inoffensive.

Nice folk/country, but overall became a bit of a background sound for me. Not bad though.

Good country album, with a relaxing mood

Too slow for my tastes

Great album, chill, but slow

I can take or leave this. The 2nd to last track was enjoyable. Overall, sparse, dark folk.

Decent album

I'd listened to this a few weeks ago. It's three stellar songs spaces throughout - Title track, I Wanna Sing and the astonishing and astonishingly long end track. They sustain interest throughout with just two guitars or banjo and vocals. Absolutely usually hate this kind of stuff, so it's a strong four.

Country de cantautora. Lentísimo. Un 1.

Country, pero no me ha llamado la atención.

I heard this one because I was deep in my LimeWire phase at the time and was downloading anything that anybody talked about. I didn't know who she was, didn't know her music. I wouldn't even consider myself a big fan of the sort of alt-folk/country whatever it is that this is supposed to be categorized under. But I loved it. 'Everything is Free' is an all-time great song for me (and quite ironically so, given my LimeWire addiction at the time). 'Revelator' isn't far behind. Plenty of good stuff in between. Love the sound of the guitars, too. Pair this with Neko Case & Her Boyfriends' Furnace Room Lullaby. (Dammit that album better be on this list somewhere or it's all horse puck.)

What are the politics of taking a Black folk song ('John Henry') and turning it into a paean to Elvis (despite the nuanced lyric, especially in the third verse where the legend of John Henry is brought front and centre). Much to ponder! I've never heard any Gillian Welch before now, and I'd like to hear more. The first couple of tunes are wonderful, spiky minor-key numbers and forbidding lyric sheets. As a whole this album lulls (anaesthetizes?) the lyric a little too much for this listener; and the music, whilst wrought in lovely shapes, is derivative. But Welch is a great, haunted singer and an even better songwriter, so these are minor quibbles.

Works. I like the ballads more than the bluegrass. A sleepy listen, but not unpleasant. Have always liked her harmonies with David Rawlings (whom I assume is the voice we hear in the background on this one). Alex, you never heard the soundtrack for O' Brother Where Art Thou? That soundtrack, somehow, was a big deal in America the year it came out and Welch is on there a good bit.

Pure and haunting and true, no matter if musical hipsters are making the music. Sometimes the homage is better than the original.

It wasn’t offensive to the ears or anything I just could not connect to it in any way

A new one to me, except Everything Is Free which I’m sure I’ve heard someone I like cover. It’s just vocals and acoustic guitar but there’s definitely something that sets it apart. It’s country, but almost completely cheese-free. A subtle, unnerving chord here, a wistful lyric there... At its best it’s quite enchanting. Probably need to be in a specific frame of mind to get the most out of it though. 3.5.

An amazing songwriter

aight

Hauntingly beautiful bluesgrass. I wish I could give it four stars, but there just really isn't enough there to justify me doing so. Lovely sounding, but lacks anything new or out there. 3/5

I bailed on this after about 3 songs. Not my thing at all. Not really a fan of singer songwriters, and I much prefer John The Revelator.

Masterful playing and production, plus honest and raw songs. This album is a masterpiece in storytelling. Elvis Presley Blues is the standout track. But there's so much choice and depth throughout. Anyone who has hang ups about Americana or alt Country should give this a listen.

enjoyable, moody

Not really my vibe

It's mid

Don't think I've ever heard of this. Opening dissonant chords are always good. For some reason, track 8, Ruination Day, Pt. 2, is not available on Spotify? Hmm, not sure about the change the second track took. All of the sudden it sounds like Oh Brother Where Art Thou, but like in a neutral way, one of the songs I'm not super into. Hmm. Now with track 3, Dear Someone, I'm starting to feel like this is too close to country for my enjoyment. Bluegrass, that's the genre. Some nice vocal harmonies and lyrics in April the 14th, Pt. 1. The next track isn't my thing, though. Feels a bit cliché, but I guess I get it. Kind of turns the old-timey gospel bluegrass on its head, makes the savior rock. Damn, I Dream a Highway is almost 15 minutes long. I love Dream Theater, but this is too boring to be this long.

Very enjoyable even if a little overly stripped down at times. I Want to Sing That Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley Blues, and I Dream a Highway were great

Beautiful, haunting, lovely voice

Really intimate americana with a live feel that is pretty engaging. Not something I'll necessarily go back to often, but at least I'm glad I know who she is now.

Good modern country music. A bit long, but still enjoyable.

Interesting album, but a bit too long.

I didn't know this artist at all and I had no expectations. Finally, the more I think about my listening, the more I say to myself that I liked the album and that I will certainly return to it. It's emotional, warm and tormented folk like there were few in the early 2000s. Does the album bring something different? Does he belong in the challenge? No idea, but very nice discovery in my case.

Boring

I love the Louvin Brothers - enjoyed them before I even started this project. I don't get why I like them so much, while something like this album, which should be in that same wheelhouse, leaves me somewhat cold. Is there some kind of perceived inauthenticity that sort of creeps through? When James Dolan, who owns the New York Knicks, plays shitty blues gigs with his band and sings over blues riffs about how hard he works in the mine, the bullshit posturing is obvious. Someone embracing a style that sounds so anachronistic has a similar hollow feeling somehow? I don't know - that's not really a fair comparison. Anyway, some tracks work better than others. Title track is good, as is Red Clay Halo, but if I want something like this, I'd rather go back to older artists like the Louvin Brothers or the Anthology of American Folk Music.

It's cool. The guitar playing is really good.

Pared back gentle songs. She has a lovely voice and the subtle harmonies round out the sound.

This album is a heartsong that speaks to the places I emerged from: slow, rural, earthy. It is interesting to read her story as an adopted child born in NYC and then being raised in L.A., finally landing in Nashville. I was somewhat sorry I did because I always thought her voice came from the kind of place I did, but it turns out that's not the case. That created a dialogue about authenticity for me, but nonetheless, an album like this by a woman whose biological mother may have grown up in the mountains of North Carolina still feels like she never left those blue hills. Or maybe has strived so hard to find them. I know the feeling.

Rev Ya Later! I wasn't ready for this album on the first go. GW's voice is great, I feel like she's carrying the weight of everyone on her shoulders. This is the new generation of folk music, I can't think of another way to describe it. Revelator hits those feelies that you bury away. It's raw, slow, plain, reflective and heartfelt. It's like a doorway to and old-time-y musical dimension that I've never experienced. I can't think of a time that I'd pick this up to listen to, but I'm happy to have the pleasure of turning this on.

Some enjoyable bluegrass, some less enjoyable bluegrass (too slow), and some even less enjoyable country. Gillian is a great songwriter, and I like her voice, but most of this didn't do it for me. Enjoyed the title track though.

I listened to this album a fair amount in the early 2000s. It occupies the same sad hole in my heart where Aimee Mann and Elliott Smith also reside. I can only listen to them when it's a little gloomy out and when I am in a certain mood. Gillian Welch's voice and harmonies are beautiful. I love the way the music highlights traditional bluegrass instruments like the banjo but with a dark twist. If I had one critique it would be that sometimes the music is so slow and soft it sometimes takes on a droning/dirge-like feel that can put me to sleep. Like I said, gotta be in the right mood.

Gillian’s voice is top notch. The sec harmonies are wonderful. I liked Elvis Presley Blues quite a bit. I am not a banjo fan. The sound is thin. It can sound good at times, but I can only ever hear two versions: the fast finger picking or the slow plucky version here. There is only so much of it that I can take. Also some of her vocal voicings are off putting, like the sustained, chromatic second to last line in each verse of Ruination Day Part 2. I swayed from ugh I should turn this off (2) to wow this is beautiful (4). If all banjos were replaced with some equivalent guitar part, this would earn another ⭐️ and a place in my library.

Didn't enjoy.

Uninteresting in every way

Fine.

first song was good but just not for me

Favourite track(s): Revelator; My First Lover; Elvis Presley Blues Missing the usual percussion, the genre to me just lacks variety. The album is actually okay in this regard, but some tracks are just not unique enough, thus blending together. Her vocals are comfortable but I just cannot identify with that Red Clay / Banjo mentality.

i'm very glad to learn about this

Good

Spare and haunting in a way that leaves the listener oddly fulfilled. Just gorgeous.

country cringe

I enjoyed this off and on. But overall I found it kind of sleepy. I'll go 2.5 round up to 3 for now.

Loved this. Buttery folky harmonies, finger picks n strums. What more do ya need?

Ehh not for me but not as bad as UB40 2/5

Strong start, repetitive finish.

Thus is lovely. County/Americana can be a bit suspect but this is sparse, haunting and leaves a warm feeling. 2 people picking acoustic guitars and GWs velvet voice. It all holds together well as an album. Will play again. Strong 4.

Really enjoyable. Very nearly a 4*

First heard Gillian playing on the Inside Llweyn Davis soundtrack, instantly drawn to her voice and style. This was a really nice listen, I didn't skip a single track and even went back to listen to a few a second time. Fav track: I Want to Sing Rock and Roll.

I tried to like it as it's a genre of music that I find myself listening to more often these days. It never pulled me in.

Sounds like a million other artists.

ei ole minun genre tällainen folk, vaikka kuulosti hyvältä sellaiselta. kauniita kappaleita, vähän pitkiä. vika kappale jäi pituutensa takia parhaiten mieleen, avausraita iskevin.

Kuulen Welchin sävellystyössä paljon hyvää. Pidän myös hänen äänestään, joka synnyttää mielikuvan hallitusta epätäydellisyydestä. Kappaleiden parhaita puolia ei ole kuitenkaan kanavoitu tai järjestelty riittävän iskevällä tavalla, eikä se, että tiedän tämän johtuvan Welchin tietoisesti omaksumasta, verkkaisesta folk-muodosta, saa minua nauttimaan hänen biiseistään yhtään enempää. Loppupäätelmä: tykkään joistain levyn melodioista, mutten näkisi kuuntelevani itse levyä.

A pleasant, although sleepy listen. 5/10

Pas mal le pire album jusqu'à présent. Musicalement, c'est bien, mais toutes les chansons se ressemblent et sont au final un peu trop simples. M'a donné l'impression d'Aimee Man, mais plus on progresse plus ça va vers le country. Pas vraiment de chansons mémorables non plus.

That opening song is just beautiful. It made really excited for the rest of the album. While there were moments that maintained this level of beauty I found there were others bordering on folk cliche. Some of it just felt really awkward which is too bad because the highlights on this album are quite superb. I wish I could give it a 3.5.

I love Gillian Welch and can listen to David Rawlings' beautiful guitar playing all day. This album isn't as good as some of their others, though. Most of the songs are slow and all kind of end up blending together for me. By the end I was bored.

Fantastic! Great feel for period pieces. She's right up there with Allison Krause in her song writing. Loved this album and will listen to it many more times.

First time listen but I knew from the first track that I was gonna dig the whole record. Will definitely listen again.

Another “revelation” for me. What a voice! The simplicity of the accompaniment invites careful attention to nuance and fosters a refreshing intimacy. This album calls for many rehearings!

Not my jam

Melancholische folkmuziek. Leuk luisteralbum

Not really a country fan

Awesome.

This is rather a special album.

Needs a lonesome fiddle or somber piano on the slower tracks.

indie country singer open mic night, ft. repeated lyrics

Calming melodies with some strong lyrics. Not my cup of tea but still really good.

Very middle of the road, very forgettable

An extremely lovely album.

слушать заебанным по пути домой после утомительного и дурацкого дня и обязательно одному. альбом открывается не сразу, мне сначала не заходило: ну красиво, ну лампово-спокойно, я тут ващета пытаюсь наслушаться перед смертью. но эта музыка действительно очень сочетается с чувством одиночества и (извините, если пошлость) может сделать момент особенным.

Slow, sad country music solely comprising Welch's voice and acoustic guitar. Although a bit too snail paced for my tastes, it could have been a personal and delicately beautiful album. However, the excruciatingly lame "Elvis Presley Blues" and country trope laden "I Want to Sing That Rock and Roll" totally ruin it. Rating: 2.5/5 Playlist track: Revelator Date listened: 10/08/22

Zzzzzzzzzz

This album by Gillian Welch is a meandering contemplative blend of folk and bluegrass. The music itself it rather sparse which draws attention to and highlights the vocals. The album is pervaded with a sense of melancholic reflection that leaves the listener feeling the weight of the lyrics. There is an earnestness to this album which really draws me and I have found myself re-listening to it.

Calming melodies with some strong lyrics. Not my cup of tea but still really good.

A really nice album of Americana folk songs. 3.5 🌟

Cool country, but overall, not really my thing.

My default setting is rock, but it's 5 in the morning and I'm delightfully drunk. Sometimes you need to listen to something stripped back like this. Great album.

+2 stars for curing my insomnia, -1 cause I woke up flaccid and depressed.

I had never heard of this album. My wife loves this album. I think I must have been under a rock for the early 2000s, music-wise.

Revelations of red mud, blood, blues and Elvis. Strong stuff.

Not really my sort of thing at all, but no bad as far as this genre goes.

Great voice. But country folk.

C'est une première sur le générateur, j'ai aujourd'hui décidé de m'adresser directement aux citoyens américains. Mes chers habitants des Etats-Unis je vous propose une expérience : 1. Déposez le gobelet de Sprite que vous tenez dans la main et saisissez-vous d'un appareil permettant de diffuser de la musique (portable, balladeur mp3, radio, etc...). 2. Sortez maintenant des frontières etats-uniennes. 3. Faites écouter de la country à n'importe quelle personne sur votre chemin. 4. Répétez l'opération à plusieurs reprises. Étonnant, non ? Avez-vous remarqué ? Si vous avez suivi les instructions à la lettre, vous aurez probablement constaté que la country est un style qui ne parle absolument à personne ailleurs que chez vous. Laissez-nous en paix, par pitié.

On est excédés Robert, il va falloir agir et vite.

Ok country album 3 Ok, it's really good 4

Trying to understand what is novel in this album.

SO pleasant to listen to, it soothes me. I don't usually listen to music like this, but I felt like this album cast a spell on me that makes me want to return. Good American folk music makes me yearn for earlier American days. America used to have this whole mythos and majesty surrounding it. There was a unifying American spirit. Now, everything that once was sacred and beautiful has been destroyed in the name of progress. I'm not patriotic at all but the loss of such a sense of awe and majesty makes me mourn, in the same way Nietzsche mourned the "death of God". There's nothing inspiring to believe in anymore. All that's left to find meaning in is phony social justice and vapid consumer culture

Consistent, she's got a great voice - but it's country. Can country music EVER get 5 stars?

I have Revival and Hell Among the Yearlings and really liked them, but I guess I stopped with this album because grad school penury. Folks think this is where it all comes together, but I miss the intensity of the earlier albums.

Yeah, this is not a preferred flavour of guff. It's tolerable, which is more than can be said for other examples of this sort of guff, but there are too many occasions where she sounds like she's singing with her eyes shut.

Love this. Very beautiful... calming.

idk, its just not for me. i don't think welch's voice is very strong, even for the singer-songwriter genre. pretty boring album.

Country really isn't my thing, though this album was considerably less grating than a lot of country is. I enjoyed the melancholic atmosphere more than any of the songs, and I think this helped me make it through the whole thing.

I bought this album when it was first released and I still find it amazing. Gillian Welch and Dave Rawlings as a songwriting, singing, and guitar-playing duo are far, far too overlooked. Each one on their own is phenomenal; together, I really just love what they do on so many levels. My first real exposure to them as a duo was when I saw the concert film, 'Down From The Mountain', which was strung together from performances at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, TN, USA, by musicians who contributed to the amazing soundtrack from 'O, Brother, Where Art Thou?' Ms. Welch and Mr. Rawlings did a live performance of 'I Want To Sing That Rock And Roll' that went straight and deep into my heart and has never left me. It's stunning. And now I get to re-listen to the whole darn album thanks to this project. Even one listen to the opening track, 'Revelator', sets me on the journey on another plane. Thank you.

Nope

Lots of wailing

Never been my favourite genre but this is sparse and crisp and clean and is really easy on the ear. It's certainly worth listening to. Strangely enough this is the same reason some hate it- it's not upbeat enough. You can't please all the people.........

There is enough here to warrant further listening. It is certainly an album for a mood.

Her voice is very soothing. Perhaps her voice being so fragile necessitates the music being scant. Keith Moon attacking the drum kit just wouldn't work. Regardless, Mr. Rawlings is very capable picking the 6 strings.  I don't really know her music except for the gospel song  "I'll Fly Away" which she sang as a  duet with Alison Krause on the Oh Brother Where Art Thou soundtrack.

I remember hearing a live, duet version on Youtube of "Everything is Free" and thinking it perfectly summed up the state of the music industry today, from a sad but funny personal perspective. I read "How Music Got Free" around the same time. They made good companions. The title track is epic and there's really no filler on the album. Just the two of them strumming away, unaccompanied, playing original material - some Appalachian, some bluegrass, some folk, some country mixing it up enough so that it stays fresh. Great lyrics throughout! I was leaning toward a 5 but my co-judge told me to calm down.

I am liking the sparseness of the songs. Even with just a guitar, there is still variety in the songs. Ruination Part Day is so dark, whereas other songs are more cheerful. My confusion as to why this album is on the 1001 list. There are other country artists that could have easily made the list: Alison Krauss comes to mind immediately. I don't see what Gilian Welch's voice or style stands out from other country artists of this ilk. Still, I like this type of music every so often as a bit of a "palate cleanser" so to speak. I just don't find it a cut above the rest of this type.

I liked it, particularly the opener Revelator. But it didn't quite pull on the heart strings or activate the brain in the same way as other stripped down albums (like the Boss' Nebraska or Willie Nelson's Stardust). Writing good music is hard and blending vocals and instruments to generate a captivating sound is no small feat. The greats somehow figure out that fit. This is good but not great. There's some nice guitar or banjo work at times, but Welch's voice doesn't pour out of it or quite harmonize with it. Rawlings' harmony attempts added very little. At times, it's like the vocals don't belong with the music or the music doesn't belong with the vocals. Dear Someone was an exception (vocals and music felt made for each other) as was I Dream a Highway. Again, I enjoyed the album but it didn't have that seamless connection to be any more than just good.

I tried giving this two listens to see if it would connect with me but It really didn't. She's obviously a talented songwriter and a few of the tracks appealed to me but overall it's not my thing.

Pleasant. Nice. Nothing bad. Nothing great. That's the definition of a 3 for me.

Yeah cool

Time (att göra ett bra album) 😂😂

Slow, stripped down country songs. Pretty

Man... detta var swag... shoutout till henne!

Very nice. The title-track is particularly gorgeous. Will most probably revisit as years go by... Number of albums left to review or just listen to: 963 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 16 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 8 (including this one) Albums from the list I will *not* include in mine (as I think many others are more important): 12 Albums I might not be able to judge (some might end up on my final list but it's because I recognize how culturally important they are): 2

Utter garbage. Track 1 set the tone and it didn't change.

It’s Been a long time that I heard an album of which I loved every song on the first listen - wonderful

uma vibe meio texana, western suave, musica de bar uhashu

Delicious harmonies, feel bad for David Rawlins that it isn't a shared credit - he feels as much a part of this album as GW. Cowgirls are just as important as cowboys and here's the proof.

I feel like I wanted to like this but ultimately switched to my own music before it was over. Not bad at all, I guess just not for me.

first listen this sort of folk is the soul of the usa

Sparsely instrumented Country. I'm not a big country fan, but don't mind listening to the genre from time to time. This album, however, doesn't vibe with me. Revelator and April the 14th, Pt. 1 are O.K.ish, though. But generally I find the songs and singer's voice a bit irritating. 2/5.

Just kind of meh, it's a country crooner album. She's a singer-songwriter with a guitar. She's got some good lyrics and a good voice, so while it's well done it's very low-energy kind of depressing so not my jam.

I fell asleep

A little sleepy, but great. Dreaming too much of that highway. Great guitar work.

Country com bastante carga melódica.

Before the voice arrived, I knew I would like this album. I'm not sure what the non-verbal tell was; In the lyrics the attraction is clear. Religion, music, love, home, death: Holy things which we all have mysterious lonely access to. Either that or the music sounds like the country music of my folks from when I was young. As always, songs named after times, separated into parts and spread across a tracklist are welcome. As is deceptive simplicity. I haven't figured out precisely how deceptive this record is.

Really love this.

BORING AS HELL

I don't like this album at all. Country music is not my genre and while I can appreciate the vocal quality of Gillian something about her voice or tone of voice just doesn't click for me making this a double negative.

So slow you forget what she's singing about by the time she gets to the end of each line. Zero energy in a lot of the tracks and just... depressing.

Short and very sweet stripped back bluegrass roots folk. Gillian and Dave are magnetic on stage. This is a fine example of their work. Title track is the best.

Another of those albums I missed when it came out which is a shame as I love Gillian Welch's contributions to the O Brother Where Art Thou soundtrack. I'll admit Time (The Revelator) loses my interest towards the end but I have a feeling that this would fade with more listens and an increased familiarity of Welch's style of Folk Country. After this album I do want to listen to more of her work

3.5/5. This was pretty good. It's not exactly what I like to listen to, but I can appreciate it. I think the last song is too long, however.

Good for what it is but not a country fan - sorry

This is a VIBE. I love the guitar solos and acoustic sound. This is one I will definitely listen to again and again. My first lover had this down south sound to it.

6/10

An unexpected delight. Sparse, but doesn't really need much. Feels like am intimate back porch jam. Blends bluegrass, country, and folk expertly. Vocally reminds me of Bonnie Raitt. Didn't expect to give this a 5, but here we are. Favorite tracks: "April the 14th", "Elvis Presley Blues", "Everything Is Free"

Some folky shit.

Big bold ballsy bayou banjo blues n bluegrass. Bit boring.

Started listening to this, fell asleep and woke up irritated

Just not my scene

I found my calling while sitting on my roof and replacing 1688 screws: this album. I’m not sure if was the slight fear of heights, dehydration, or exposure, but it resonated with me

moody country

Based on this album, Gillian Welch is the folk version of Aimee Mann because they have like the exact same voice. Regardless, I liked this album overall but a 14 minute final track was a tad excessive even if it was still good. Fav: dear someone

Nice and relaxing. A winner

Very enjoyable

I went back and gave it another two listens that day.

Het meisje heeft potentie, maar ik zou zeggen "vooral blijven oefenen". De zang klinkt niet altijd heel helder en de gitaartjes klinken ook wel eens wat vals. Daarnaast ben ik ook gewoon niet zo'n liefhebber van dit soort zwijmelige muziek. De zangstem gaat me nu (halverwege het album) ook steeds meer irriteren. **

Just the same folk country as usual