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Well worth buying and listening to again an again and again
It kicks off with the up-tempo title track, an elegy with rich allusive imagery which is followed by the urgent Green Pastures, a stirring devotional duet with Ricky Skaggs. The traditional Wayfaring Stranger comes across with great power in her mid-tempo treatment and yearning vocals. The folk/pop Paul Simon composition The Boxer gets a graceful treatment, light and lilting, while hope triumphs over despair in the slow & melancholy The Darkest Hour is just before Dawn with its beautiful male vocals.
The picking on the fast-paced I'll Go Stepping Too is breathtaking as is the overall instrumental virtuosity. It contrasts markedly with the slow, aching ballad You're Learning, a moving description of love gone wrong. Next come the joyful gospel song Jordan where male vocals make a prominent contribution, followed by the gentle ballad Miss the Mississippi. The original album concluded with the sublime Gold Watch & Chain, another up-tempo duet.... Read more ›
Wayfaring stranger, a traditional song, became a top ten country hit and ensured the success of the album against record company expectations. This was 1980, remember, when Kenny Rogers was the biggest name in country music and the Urban Cowboy craze was at its height. I love Kenny's music and the Urban Cowboy soundtrack, but there are many different types of country music and it's healthy if they can co-exist.
Green pastures is a traditional song that shares the same tune as the more famous Farther along (which Emmylou recorded with Dolly and Linda on one of their Trio albums). On this track, Willie Nelson plays gut-string guitar while Ricky Skaggs sings the song as a duet with Emmylou. Dolly provides harmony vocals but you have to listen closely to hear her contribution.
The Boxer is a cover of the Simon and Garfunkel classic. It works well as a bluegrass classic, though Emmylou did not adjust the lyrics for gender. Obviously, not many people minded as the song was released as a single and made the country top twenty.
Darkest hour is just before dawn, a cover of a Ralph Stanley song, also features Ricky Skaggs on vocals. That song is followed by the brilliant up-tempo song, I'll go stepping too - if this doesn't set your toes tapping, nothing will.
You're learning comes from the songbook of the Louvin Brothers.
... Read more ›It's not easy to pick favourites, but the title track, Green Pastures, Darkest Hour, Jordan, Miss The Mississippi and Gold Watch & Chain are particularly memorable.
Roses In The Snow is an uptempo number with breathtaking guitar playing, whilst Wayfaring Stranger is slow and mournful with a strong devotional undertone.
Green Pastures (also check out the stunning live version on the Spyboy album) is straight out bluegrass gospel and very moving. Paul Simon's The Boxer was a clever choice for a cover and it sounds sublime in this bluegrass version.
Although I've discovered much beautiful new music since the 1990s bluegrass revival, I always return to this album as one collection exemplifying the absolute best of the genre.
Very pleased to complete my collection.
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