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White's presence cannot be ignored–he might be behind the kit, but the bluesy guitar tones and rootsy ambience of some of these arrangements bear his influence. He also acts as producer, so has had a substantial amount of input in shaping the end result. But this should not detract from the talents of our headliner, as Elson clearly has an astute ear for lilting melodies and a clever lyric. She sings with a comfortable confidence, an attractive Cat Power-like huskiness pervading pieces like Pretty Babies and The Birds They Circle; but never does she steal the limelight wholly. In this respect, The Ghost Who Walks sounds more like a full-band record than a solo affair–perhaps a result of the stellar cast assembled. Among the performers are The Dead Weather's Jack Lawrence and My Morning Jacket's Carl Broemel, and also present is Meg White's husband Jackson Smith, son of Patti.
At its best, The Ghost Who Walks effectively distils the key sonic characteristics of its various contributors. A Thief at My Door is a country-tinged tale of love deliberately ducked out of; The Truth Is in the Dirt features some splendid organ work, colouring the gaps left between six-string shrieks; and Stolen Roses brings an accordion to the fore, lending a traditional folk air to lyrical explorations of relationship misadventures. Even during its less-memorable moments, this is an album that maintains its atmosphere, and Elson is an engaging narrator (although there's no trace of her Oldham roots to be heard). But one question looms large: would this record have been made–or, more pertinently, would it be such a high-profile release–without the association with Elson's husband?
Maybe, maybe not. That she needed to get these songs out, and that they ultimately deserve to be heard, is all the answer that's necessary for now. --Mike Diver
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Customer Reviews
This was not a disappointment, and I like it all the more for listening to it repeatedly for the past two weeks. While it has some shades of Laura Marling, Emily Barker, Dixie Chicks, Alison Krauss scattered here and there, it really can't be pigeon holed ... there's a sort of blue-grass-folk vibe going on and Elson has an exquisite voice.
There may be a couple of tracks which I think are weaker than the rest, but that's just personal preference.... it's definitely worth a listen if you are at all into this genre.
Certainly, there is a lot to like here - Karen Elson's voice is smooth and melllow, fitting the music perfectly, and even though a lot of the songs echo styles from other artists, Mazzy Starr being one that immediately springs to mind, there is a subtle diversity across the tracks, drifting from blues to country to bluegrass without sounding jumbled.
So, you can safely set aside your JW prejudices (if you are narrow-minded enough to have any), and enjoy a perfectly pleasant album, ideal for chilling out to. The only worry I would have is where she would go next - more of the same would not do as she would end up being like the aforementioned Mazzy Starr, churning out albums indichiperable from one another. She is to be applauded for her mild diversity on this debut, but needs to settle on a niche for the future.
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