Cute, curly-headed diva Beth Rowley won many hearts with her charming Violets EP. Born in Peru and raised in the English West Country, Rowley has been mentored by Carleen Anderson and now follows up on the success of that EP with Little Dreamer, an album that continues her sweetly old fashioned, Motown-esque blend of blues, gospel, soul and jazz--all peppered with a classic mainstream sheen. Produced by Steve Power (Blur) and Kevin Bacon & Jonathan Quarmby (Richard Hawley, Finlay Quaye), the album discloses a voice as jaw-droppingly flawless and hopelessly compelling as a Norah Jones or Amy Winehouse, but with atmospheric traces of Karen Carpenter, Aretha Franklin and Eva Cassidy too. Tracks like the stunning gospel blues of "Almost Persuaded" and soulful single "Oh My Life" are good examples of what to expect from this cozy, feelgood album. The reggae pulse of "I Shall Be Released" tends to undermine the power and beauty of the original, but slow, heartfelt blues numbers like "One Cloud" more than make up for these blips. Rowley plays it safe on Little Dreamer, but it's a stunning collection nonetheless. --Danny McKenna

From Small Beginnings........., 27 Aug 2008
Was wondering what to buy recently when I saw a review of this album and an interview with the singer in a sunday magazine.Turns out that this is a brilliant album,and has traces of blues,gospel,pop,country,and a touch of the brilliant Karen Carpenter about it.

Stand-out tracks for me include the intense deep gospel of Nobody's Fault But Mine and One Cloud,and the lighter yet still uplifting pop of So Sublime and i Shall Be Released.

A varied collection then in some ways,yet with a pleasing undercurrent of blues running throughout the whole album to string it all together and give it a sense of identity.

Really uplifting and at times extremely powerful! For once the hype may be justified!

Disappointed, 24 Jul 2008
I think I must have bought a different album to the one Chris McKenna reviewed. I was expecting an album with a range of vocal talents but what I heard was a reasonably nice album with nothing outstanding from the mass of young white female singers currently extant after the demise of Eva Cassidy. There is not one track I can recall as compulsive replay. I suppose I could just about hear the Carla Anderson influence but she (Carla) has a certain je ne sais quoi that black "soul" singers have. Where is the Amy Winehouse/early Motown/Blues rawness?
I'm sorry but Ms Rowley has a nice voice and sings mid range songs very well but she has to develop a different style to achieve lasting popularity.
I shuffled this album with Madeleine Peyroux, Catherine Russell and other similar artists and my friends could not tell the difference. After that I gave the CD away and bought Alice Russell instead - now she's versatile. . .

Beautiful voice and some top tracks but a few poor ones, 23 Jul 2008
I bought this album based on 3 songs I had heard which are superb.
There are a few others that are ok but a lot of mediocre maybe boring ones in comparison fill the rest of the album.
Knowing this I would probably have downloaded the 3 great tracks individually.

Great new talent, 01 Jul 2008
A superb album - an exciting new voice, on both the cover versions and the originals, and confident handling of several genres (I don't find the current 'blues singer' pigeon-holing very helpful, although she can handle this genre well). OK, she probably can develop a bit more edge and drive and surely will, but she's well on the way. Strongly recommended!

Great voice, bigger potential, 23 Jun 2008
She's got a great voice and can handle a range of styles with ease.

Her pop radio songs are somewhat misleading as her handling of blues and gospel numbers on this album is exceptional.

Yes, there are echoes of other great female artists here, but her voice and style is distinctive and good enough to ensure she doesn't get consigned to the 'if you like this, you'll love this' category.

A refreshing new talent and voice in a sea of increasing pop mediocrity.

Martha is the youngest of the Wainwright clan (with brother Rufus two years her senior), and she's also still the one with the most to prove, even after her eponymous 2005 debut captured hearts aplenty via a delightful bundle of timeless folk ruminations with intriguingly fraught seams--and one infamously foul-mouthed diatribe against her father (folk singer Loudon Wainwright III). It's hard to know whether the family association does her more harm than good, but what is certain is that sophomore album I Know You're Married But I've Got Feelings Too is as complex and emotionally tumultuous as its title and lays to rest any doubts regarding the reach of her artistry. From lavish psychedelic arrangements in "Tower" to "You Cheated Me" and "Hearts Club Band" which gush with the slick country-pop of Fleetwood Mac, to "So Many Friends" and "Bleeding All over You" alternating between Kristen Hersh's husky folk persona on one hand and Kate Bush's gallivanting tonsils on the other, all the way to "Niger River" which quivers and ebbs, fluttering between peaks with eastern trace-like qualities, she sounds both utterly liberated and firmly in control. It's a more challenging experience than the first record, but covers so much more ground and is richer for it. In spite of the title it can surely no longer be a case of always the mistress and never the bride. --James Berry

From Small Beginnings........., 27 Aug 2008
Was wondering what to buy recently when I saw a review of this album and an interview with the singer in a sunday magazine.Turns out that this is a brilliant album,and has traces of blues,gospel,pop,country,and a touch of the brilliant Karen Carpenter about it.

Stand-out tracks for me include the intense deep gospel of Nobody's Fault But Mine and One Cloud,and the lighter yet still uplifting pop of So Sublime and i Shall Be Released.

A varied collection then in some ways,yet with a pleasing undercurrent of blues running throughout the whole album to string it all together and give it a sense of identity.

Really uplifting and at times extremely powerful! For once the hype may be justified!

Disappointed, 24 Jul 2008
I think I must have bought a different album to the one Chris McKenna reviewed. I was expecting an album with a range of vocal talents but what I heard was a reasonably nice album with nothing outstanding from the mass of young white female singers currently extant after the demise of Eva Cassidy. There is not one track I can recall as compulsive replay. I suppose I could just about hear the Carla Anderson influence but she (Carla) has a certain je ne sais quoi that black "soul" singers have. Where is the Amy Winehouse/early Motown/Blues rawness?
I'm sorry but Ms Rowley has a nice voice and sings mid range songs very well but she has to develop a different style to achieve lasting popularity.
I shuffled this album with Madeleine Peyroux, Catherine Russell and other similar artists and my friends could not tell the difference. After that I gave the CD away and bought Alice Russell instead - now she's versatile. . .

Beautiful voice and some top tracks but a few poor ones, 23 Jul 2008
I bought this album based on 3 songs I had heard which are superb.
There are a few others that are ok but a lot of mediocre maybe boring ones in comparison fill the rest of the album.
Knowing this I would probably have downloaded the 3 great tracks individually.

Great new talent, 01 Jul 2008
A superb album - an exciting new voice, on both the cover versions and the originals, and confident handling of several genres (I don't find the current 'blues singer' pigeon-holing very helpful, although she can handle this genre well). OK, she probably can develop a bit more edge and drive and surely will, but she's well on the way. Strongly recommended!

Great voice, bigger potential, 23 Jun 2008
She's got a great voice and can handle a range of styles with ease.

Her pop radio songs are somewhat misleading as her handling of blues and gospel numbers on this album is exceptional.

Yes, there are echoes of other great female artists here, but her voice and style is distinctive and good enough to ensure she doesn't get consigned to the 'if you like this, you'll love this' category.

A refreshing new talent and voice in a sea of increasing pop mediocrity.

I blame Jools Holland, 20 Jul 2008
Believe me, it's usually the other way round. Usually I have nothing but praise for the man and his show that introduce me to so many fantastic artists. But in the case of this album, seeing Martha Wainwright perform on that show before purchasing `I Know You're Married, but I've Got Feelings Too' has ruined me, because if I hadn't seen her perform live I would have been blissfully unaware that in the right form this collection of songs presents an absolutely incredible portrait of a uniquely charismatic singer/song-writer. But not when they're delivered with decidedly less passion on an over-produced album that is not a proper showcase for these beautifully written songs and the tortured/passionate voice that always performs to perfect spine-tingling effect in the right setting.

The prime example is track 7- `So Many Friends'- my favourite song when I heard it performed by Martha on the show. An incredibly subtle song that soared into a gloriously ironic chorus on which Martha's voice was tortured and triumphant in equal measure. On the album version her voice dwindles to a pathetic whimper, only then to be drowned out by unnecessary instrumental accompaniment. Why (I ask of nobody in particular) was her voice not allowed to be heard in the true glory evident in all her live performances? It's a mystery to me.

This is emblematic of the album as a whole, but that's not to say there aren't some really cool tracks. Such as track 3- `Jesus and Mary' (7/10) and track 8- `In the Middle of the Night' (8/10) and track 9- `The George Song' (7/10). But I personally could have done without the musical flourishes and would have much preferred a starker offering that boiled down these songs to their most natural elements i.e. Martha's strong voice and her exceptionally emotional delivery. I haven't heard Martha's first album, so going by the comments of previous reviewers I'll be buying that very shortly in order to discover whether it's a better showcase for this infectiously eccentric artist.

The rating might be needlessly harsh and this album is undoubtedly a grower with inspiration and catchy tunes by the bucket-load, but there's no escaping that almost tangible disappointment in this album that just doesn't do justice to Martha's talent.


I know you're married, but I'm not feeling this., 08 Jul 2008
The warm and understated sound of her debut CD (3 years ago) is replaced with a fuller augmented bells and whistles rock band sound, which merely serves to make the music sound ordinary, and which causes Martha's distinctive vocal style to work too hard to rise above.

The reservations many had about Martha's songwriting on her first (although I thought it was pretty good) have been proved right here. Some songs are good, but none are as striking as Factory, TV Show, Who Was I Kidding or BMFA from the former.

I never review anything without at least 10 listens and sorry to say this CD has remained a chore to sit through. Martha needs to get back to basics, quit smoking, and concentrate her vocal technique on interpreting songs instead just rehashing her vocal chops.



Its That 2nd Album Thing!, 16 Jun 2008
Yep, Enjoyed her first offering, which was/is more refreshing.
Like a few hear I agree, she's grown-up, not good. And she got married, whats she like!
I've only played it twice, 3 might be pushing it, sorry.
Hey, When she gets divorced we might get a good 3rd album, with swearing and stuff!! fingers crossed!

A Grower, 07 Jun 2008
I really liked her previous album and bought this but felt disappointed at first...
But it's grown on me - her voice is truly unique and I love it.
She's evolving and that's a good thing - can't wait for the next album!

the talent of wainwright, heriditory!, 04 Jun 2008
i had been waiting for the follow up to martha's critically acclaimed debut self titled album. this shows pure genius, simply anything that is touched by martha shines a light. obvious cameo's from parent's and brother rufus and the immense pete townsend.
my fav track although the decision was difficult is 'jesus and mary' powerful in many ways, vocals put massive emphasis on the quite basis but quirky background music.
other stand out tracks, opening rocker 'bleeding all over you' lots of wording and promoting of the album title and 'comin tonight'. comin tonight gives the first taste of pete townsend on guitars, marthas vocals are sounding early joni mitchell to patti smith. the diverse 'the george song' samples just how talented martha and rufus are when they are put together, why not release a joint album???!
in fact this album is both intense and amazing, ive had the privilage to go see martha live a few times now and she never disappoints.

Joel and Ethan Coen have long established themselves as film stylists without peer: from Blood Simple to Fargo, their movies have never been less than fascinating, and there has never been any question that their films could not have been made by anyone else. In T-Bone Burnett, the producer of the soundtrack for O Brother, Where Art Thou?, they have finally met their match: Burnett's work in assembling a collection of pieces for the Depression-set film is as skilled and entrancing as the film itself.

Despite the presence of Emmylou Harris, Gillian Welch, Alison Krauss and bluegrass legend Ralph Stanley, the stars here are the songs themselves, a host of traditional songs augmented by archival recordings. The collection is also a showcase for a host of lesser known and forgotten bluegrass masters: The Cox Family, collaborators with Krauss; Norman Blake, a sideman for Bob Dylan and June Carter Cash; country gospel group The Whites, who once counted Ricky Skaggs as a member (and who, here, cover the Carter Family); and young bluesman Chris Thomas King among them. All bring life to their songs, and the results are sublime--and, at times (Krauss and a choir's take on "Down To The River to Pray", Blake's instrumental version of the oft-repeated "I Am A Man of Constant Sorrow"), downright entrancing.

Some of these songs can be found on Alan Lomax collections. If you enjoy this album, we also highly recommend the Harry Smith Anthology of American Folk Music and Woody Guthrie's Asch Recordings series. --Randy Silver

From Small Beginnings........., 27 Aug 2008
Was wondering what to buy recently when I saw a review of this album and an interview with the singer in a sunday magazine.Turns out that this is a brilliant album,and has traces of blues,gospel,pop,country,and a touch of the brilliant Karen Carpenter about it.

Stand-out tracks for me include the intense deep gospel of Nobody's Fault But Mine and One Cloud,and the lighter yet still uplifting pop of So Sublime and i Shall Be Released.

A varied collection then in some ways,yet with a pleasing undercurrent of blues running throughout the whole album to string it all together and give it a sense of identity.

Really uplifting and at times extremely powerful! For once the hype may be justified!

Disappointed, 24 Jul 2008
I think I must have bought a different album to the one Chris McKenna reviewed. I was expecting an album with a range of vocal talents but what I heard was a reasonably nice album with nothing outstanding from the mass of young white female singers currently extant after the demise of Eva Cassidy. There is not one track I can recall as compulsive replay. I suppose I could just about hear the Carla Anderson influence but she (Carla) has a certain je ne sais quoi that black "soul" singers have. Where is the Amy Winehouse/early Motown/Blues rawness?
I'm sorry but Ms Rowley has a nice voice and sings mid range songs very well but she has to develop a different style to achieve lasting popularity.
I shuffled this album with Madeleine Peyroux, Catherine Russell and other similar artists and my friends could not tell the difference. After that I gave the CD away and bought Alice Russell instead - now she's versatile. . .

Beautiful voice and some top tracks but a few poor ones, 23 Jul 2008
I bought this album based on 3 songs I had heard which are superb.
There are a few others that are ok but a lot of mediocre maybe boring ones in comparison fill the rest of the album.
Knowing this I would probably have downloaded the 3 great tracks individually.

Great new talent, 01 Jul 2008
A superb album - an exciting new voice, on both the cover versions and the originals, and confident handling of several genres (I don't find the current 'blues singer' pigeon-holing very helpful, although she can handle this genre well). OK, she probably can develop a bit more edge and drive and surely will, but she's well on the way. Strongly recommended!

Great voice, bigger potential, 23 Jun 2008
She's got a great voice and can handle a range of styles with ease.

Her pop radio songs are somewhat misleading as her handling of blues and gospel numbers on this album is exceptional.

Yes, there are echoes of other great female artists here, but her voice and style is distinctive and good enough to ensure she doesn't get consigned to the 'if you like this, you'll love this' category.

A refreshing new talent and voice in a sea of increasing pop mediocrity.

I blame Jools Holland, 20 Jul 2008
Believe me, it's usually the other way round. Usually I have nothing but praise for the man and his show that introduce me to so many fantastic artists. But in the case of this album, seeing Martha Wainwright perform on that show before purchasing `I Know You're Married, but I've Got Feelings Too' has ruined me, because if I hadn't seen her perform live I would have been blissfully unaware that in the right form this collection of songs presents an absolutely incredible portrait of a uniquely charismatic singer/song-writer. But not when they're delivered with decidedly less passion on an over-produced album that is not a proper showcase for these beautifully written songs and the tortured/passionate voice that always performs to perfect spine-tingling effect in the right setting.

The prime example is track 7- `So Many Friends'- my favourite song when I heard it performed by Martha on the show. An incredibly subtle song that soared into a gloriously ironic chorus on which Martha's voice was tortured and triumphant in equal measure. On the album version her voice dwindles to a pathetic whimper, only then to be drowned out by unnecessary instrumental accompaniment. Why (I ask of nobody in particular) was her voice not allowed to be heard in the true glory evident in all her live performances? It's a mystery to me.

This is emblematic of the album as a whole, but that's not to say there aren't some really cool tracks. Such as track 3- `Jesus and Mary' (7/10) and track 8- `In the Middle of the Night' (8/10) and track 9- `The George Song' (7/10). But I personally could have done without the musical flourishes and would have much preferred a starker offering that boiled down these songs to their most natural elements i.e. Martha's strong voice and her exceptionally emotional delivery. I haven't heard Martha's first album, so going by the comments of previous reviewers I'll be buying that very shortly in order to discover whether it's a better showcase for this infectiously eccentric artist.

The rating might be needlessly harsh and this album is undoubtedly a grower with inspiration and catchy tunes by the bucket-load, but there's no escaping that almost tangible disappointment in this album that just doesn't do justice to Martha's talent.


I know you're married, but I'm not feeling this., 08 Jul 2008
The warm and understated sound of her debut CD (3 years ago) is replaced with a fuller augmented bells and whistles rock band sound, which merely serves to make the music sound ordinary, and which causes Martha's distinctive vocal style to work too hard to rise above.

The reservations many had about Martha's songwriting on her first (although I thought it was pretty good) have been proved right here. Some songs are good, but none are as striking as Factory, TV Show, Who Was I Kidding or BMFA from the former.

I never review anything without at least 10 listens and sorry to say this CD has remained a chore to sit through. Martha needs to get back to basics, quit smoking, and concentrate her vocal technique on interpreting songs instead just rehashing her vocal chops.



Its That 2nd Album Thing!, 16 Jun 2008
Yep, Enjoyed her first offering, which was/is more refreshing.
Like a few hear I agree, she's grown-up, not good. And she got married, whats she like!
I've only played it twice, 3 might be pushing it, sorry.
Hey, When she gets divorced we might get a good 3rd album, with swearing and stuff!! fingers crossed!

A Grower, 07 Jun 2008
I really liked her previous album and bought this but felt disappointed at first...
But it's grown on me - her voice is truly unique and I love it.
She's evolving and that's a good thing - can't wait for the next album!

the talent of wainwright, heriditory!, 04 Jun 2008
i had been waiting for the follow up to martha's critically acclaimed debut self titled album. this shows pure genius, simply anything that is touched by martha shines a light. obvious cameo's from parent's and brother rufus and the immense pete townsend.
my fav track although the decision was difficult is 'jesus and mary' powerful in many ways, vocals put massive emphasis on the quite basis but quirky background music.
other stand out tracks, opening rocker 'bleeding all over you' lots of wording and promoting of the album title and 'comin tonight'. comin tonight gives the first taste of pete townsend on guitars, marthas vocals are sounding early joni mitchell to patti smith. the diverse 'the george song' samples just how talented martha and rufus are when they are put together, why not release a joint album???!
in fact this album is both intense and amazing, ive had the privilage to go see martha live a few times now and she never disappoints.

Stunning, evocative music., 14 Apr 2008
I'm not from the US, my family hail from Kashmir and I was born in the UK, grew up listening to punk rock but WOW! The soundtrack literally drips with the era and place it hails from; every time I hear a snippet I swear I can feel the heat and smell the wheat - so amazing!

Diverse selection of old-time music, 01 Jul 2005
The music here, like the film it provides the soundtrack for, is presumably intended to take us back to the thirties. Several songs from that era are featured along with traditional material that would have been popular then. Recorded mainly with state-of-the-art technology (except for some old recordings that are included and re-mastered), the sound quality is far superior to anything available in the thirties. Several different types of music can be found here - blues, gospel, country and folk - mainly performed by contemporary artists with a deep respect for tradition. I'll just pick out some of them although there are many excellent songs here.

Even Alison Krauss sticks firmly with tradition here - she often brings contemporary influences into her music these days but not here. Alison can be heard here on Down to the river to pray (as a solo singer), I'll fly away (providing harmony vocals for lead singer Gillian Welch) and Didn't leave nobody but the baby (joining Gillian and Emmylou in three-part harmony).

The inclusion of two Carter Stanley songs on a soundtrack such as this is predictable but welcome, with the Whites performing a superb version of the oft-recorded Keep on the sunny side, while the Peasall children (Hannah singing lead with Sarah and Leah providing harmony vocals) are in great form on In the highways. Children's recordings rarely impress me but this track does.

One song here that surprised me (though perhaps it shouldn't have) is Big rock candy mountain. It can be found on plenty of albums of children's songs, when it is invariably presented as an up-tempo song that children can (if they wish) sing along to. Here we get the original 1928 recording by Harry McLintock, who sings it at a more measured, reflective pace, showing that there is more to this song than I originally thought. I still prefer it as an up-tempo song generally but I'm glad I heard this version. I wonder what the Peasall sisters would have done with this song.

The Coen brothers clearly hoped that this soundtrack would provide a resurgence of interest in traditional music. While this soundtrack was a big commercial success, it seems that the majority of people who bought it (and continue to buy it) regard it as something of a novelty. Nashville record labels signed some traditional singers (Elizabeth Cook, though not featured here, is one that comes to mind) but they didn't get enough airplay on American country radio, so such artists were dropped and Nashville returned to its contemporary format. I'm sure that this soundtrack helped to win some new fans for traditional music, but not as many as the Coen brothers would like.

a lovely mix of traditional music, 04 Nov 2003
Performed by some of today's best singers, this multi-Grammy Award winner is a marvelous addition to any country/folk music collection. Some of these artists are at the top of their field, but some will be "discoveries" for most of us, like the beautiful rendition of "Hard Time Killing Floor Blues" by Chris Thomas King, a versatile young man who is versed in many styles, and here sings in the old blues tradition and does it brilliantly.

The highlights for me are: The legendary Ralph Stanley, with his plaintive acappella chant of "O Death", which carries with it all the pain and soul of Appalachia, and the purity of "I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow" by the Soggy Bottom Boys, who consist of Union Station member Dan Tyminsky on lead vocals and guitar, backed by Harley Allen and Pat Enright. For anyone who likes traditional music, you can't get any better than this.
Another acappella gem is "Didn't Leave Nobody but the Baby", with Emmylou Harris, Alison Krauss, and Gillian Welch harmonizing like an angels from another era. Everything on this disc recalls days gone by; there is a refreshing simplicity, and a lot of the songs are filled with faith.

There is exquisite musicianship on this CD, and it is a nice long one at 60'34 minutes. The booklet insert is something I appreciate too; it is a collage of yellowed stained paper on peeling walls, with a terrific layout, and as it says on one of its pages, "Old-Time Music Is Very Much Alive".

oh brother where art thou, 13 Jul 2002
first class traditional country and a bit of bluegrass. represents excelent value for money. so many good tracks its hard to pick one that shines above the rest.listen to YOU ARE MY SUNSHINE by norman blake if you are not tapping your toes then someone has nailed your feet to the floor.then there's I'm a man of constant sorrow-Soggy bottom boys Wow!then for a real treat try The Stanley Bros. Angel Band Traditional country at its best. many other great tracks from Alison Krauss the queen of country and the Whites with keep on the sunny side,backings are fantastic. This is one CD you won't be dissapointed with

GREAT ALBUM . . . BUT TRY BEFORE YOU BUY, 06 Jun 2002
Let me make one thing clear. "O Brother..." is one of my favourite films of all time. Not only that, but the musical soundtrack is one of its strongest features and stands as a valuable cultural document in its own right. In short, this is an album that anyone who loves country, bluegrass or folk music is likely to want in their collection.

So why, as I write, am I tossing up whether to only give it four stars? The answer is that I'm attempting to review it, not as a collector's item or a socio-historical document but as an album of music for repeated listening in the comfort of your own home. For that reason I'm not going to review the film rather than the album, as some reviewers here have done, because I don't assume that every listener is going to have the movie playing back in their heads as they listen to the music.

Rather, my comments are based on how this album will sound to someone who has picked up on the hearsay, or watched the Grammy ceremony, and is tempted to go out and buy this as a musical compilation. And in that setting, many listeners are going to be disappointed. The fact that a song has integrity, emotion, historical importance or great musicianship doesn't automatically make it great entertainment.

There are some standout contributions: The title song is long-term loveable (although why four different renditions of the tune are needed on the album is a mystery - a couple of the "period" instrumental versions which work well on the movoe soundtrack are somewhat less successful as pure listening music. Alison Krauss and Gillian Welch are as usual faultless. Ralph and the other Stanleys are devastating. But how many times will you want to listen to the 4+ minutes of prison chant that opens the album? Or the squeaky kiddy song (the Peasalls)? Or the ancient ditties like "Big Rock Candy Mountain"? After a couple of spins, you may find yourself reaching for the skip button more than is comfortable.

I'm not really knocking this record - in a sense it's a masterpiece. And it's rightly selling by the millions. But if you haven't seen the film I'd give it a whirl in the listening booth before you part with your cash.

Emmylou Harris has always had a way with woe. On All I Intended To Be, she seems more maudlin than ever as she sings her way through songs about loss, heartbreak, even the odd funeral. Of course, this is the kind of material Harris has always been comfortable with, but as her career and years advance gracefully, so her gliding soprano seems to breathe ever more refinement and soul into her material. All I Intended To Be has been produced by Brian Ahern, her former husband and the man behind her first 11 albums--another reason the album sounds so comfortable and accomplished. Joined by a virtuoso set of players including keyboardist Glen Hardin and multi-instrumentalist Stuart Duncan, plus vocalists Vince Gill, Buddy Miller, and Dolly Parton, Harris blends a handpicked selection of cover versions with her own material. Tracy Chapman's "All That You Have Is Your Soul" gets a honeyed reworking, as does Merle Haggard's "Kern River" and Mark Germino's "Broken Man's Lament". Billy Joe Shaver's "Old Five" and "Dimers Like Me" both get respectfully and sublimely covered too. But her own songs - in particular "Sailing Round the Room" and "Gold" - stand up well to these evergreens. An eclectic and profound set, All I Intended To Be is also one of Harris' best in recent years.--Danny McKenna

From Small Beginnings........., 27 Aug 2008
Was wondering what to buy recently when I saw a review of this album and an interview with the singer in a sunday magazine.Turns out that this is a brilliant album,and has traces of blues,gospel,pop,country,and a touch of the brilliant Karen Carpenter about it.

Stand-out tracks for me include the intense deep gospel of Nobody's Fault But Mine and One Cloud,and the lighter yet still uplifting pop of So Sublime and i Shall Be Released.

A varied collection then in some ways,yet with a pleasing undercurrent of blues running throughout the whole album to string it all together and give it a sense of identity.

Really uplifting and at times extremely powerful! For once the hype may be justified!

Disappointed, 24 Jul 2008
I think I must have bought a different album to the one Chris McKenna reviewed. I was expecting an album with a range of vocal talents but what I heard was a reasonably nice album with nothing outstanding from the mass of young white female singers currently extant after the demise of Eva Cassidy. There is not one track I can recall as compulsive replay. I suppose I could just about hear the Carla Anderson influence but she (Carla) has a certain je ne sais quoi that black "soul" singers have. Where is the Amy Winehouse/early Motown/Blues rawness?
I'm sorry but Ms Rowley has a nice voice and sings mid range songs very well but she has to develop a different style to achieve lasting popularity.
I shuffled this album with Madeleine Peyroux, Catherine Russell and other similar artists and my friends could not tell the difference. After that I gave the CD away and bought Alice Russell instead - now she's versatile. . .

Beautiful voice and some top tracks but a few poor ones, 23 Jul 2008
I bought this album based on 3 songs I had heard which are superb.
There are a few others that are ok but a lot of mediocre maybe boring ones in comparison fill the rest of the album.
Knowing this I would probably have downloaded the 3 great tracks individually.

Great new talent, 01 Jul 2008
A superb album - an exciting new voice, on both the cover versions and the originals, and confident handling of several genres (I don't find the current 'blues singer' pigeon-holing very helpful, although she can handle this genre well). OK, she probably can develop a bit more edge and drive and surely will, but she's well on the way. Strongly recommended!

Great voice, bigger potential, 23 Jun 2008
She's got a great voice and can handle a range of styles with ease.

Her pop radio songs are somewhat misleading as her handling of blues and gospel numbers on this album is exceptional.

Yes, there are echoes of other great female artists here, but her voice and style is distinctive and good enough to ensure she doesn't get consigned to the 'if you like this, you'll love this' category.

A refreshing new talent and voice in a sea of increasing pop mediocrity.

I blame Jools Holland, 20 Jul 2008
Believe me, it's usually the other way round. Usually I have nothing but praise for the man and his show that introduce me to so many fantastic artists. But in the case of this album, seeing Martha Wainwright perform on that show before purchasing `I Know You're Married, but I've Got Feelings Too' has ruined me, because if I hadn't seen her perform live I would have been blissfully unaware that in the right form this collection of songs presents an absolutely incredible portrait of a uniquely charismatic singer/song-writer. But not when they're delivered with decidedly less passion on an over-produced album that is not a proper showcase for these beautifully written songs and the tortured/passionate voice that always performs to perfect spine-tingling effect in the right setting.

The prime example is track 7- `So Many Friends'- my favourite song when I heard it performed by Martha on the show. An incredibly subtle song that soared into a gloriously ironic chorus on which Martha's voice was tortured and triumphant in equal measure. On the album version her voice dwindles to a pathetic whimper, only then to be drowned out by unnecessary instrumental accompaniment. Why (I ask of nobody in particular) was her voice not allowed to be heard in the true glory evident in all her live performances? It's a mystery to me.

This is emblematic of the album as a whole, but that's not to say there aren't some really cool tracks. Such as track 3- `Jesus and Mary' (7/10) and track 8- `In the Middle of the Night' (8/10) and track 9- `The George Song' (7/10). But I personally could have done without the musical flourishes and would have much preferred a starker offering that boiled down these songs to their most natural elements i.e. Martha's strong voice and her exceptionally emotional delivery. I haven't heard Martha's first album, so going by the comments of previous reviewers I'll be buying that very shortly in order to discover whether it's a better showcase for this infectiously eccentric artist.

The rating might be needlessly harsh and this album is undoubtedly a grower with inspiration and catchy tunes by the bucket-load, but there's no escaping that almost tangible disappointment in this album that just doesn't do justice to Martha's talent.


I know you're married, but I'm not feeling this., 08 Jul 2008
The warm and understated sound of her debut CD (3 years ago) is replaced with a fuller augmented bells and whistles rock band sound, which merely serves to make the music sound ordinary, and which causes Martha's distinctive vocal style to work too hard to rise above.

The reservations many had about Martha's songwriting on her first (although I thought it was pretty good) have been proved right here. Some songs are good, but none are as striking as Factory, TV Show, Who Was I Kidding or BMFA from the former.

I never review anything without at least 10 listens and sorry to say this CD has remained a chore to sit through. Martha needs to get back to basics, quit smoking, and concentrate her vocal technique on interpreting songs instead just rehashing her vocal chops.



Its That 2nd Album Thing!, 16 Jun 2008
Yep, Enjoyed her first offering, which was/is more refreshing.
Like a few hear I agree, she's grown-up, not good. And she got married, whats she like!
I've only played it twice, 3 might be pushing it, sorry.
Hey, When she gets divorced we might get a good 3rd album, with swearing and stuff!! fingers crossed!

A Grower, 07 Jun 2008
I really liked her previous album and bought this but felt disappointed at first...
But it's grown on me - her voice is truly unique and I love it.
She's evolving and that's a good thing - can't wait for the next album!

the talent of wainwright, heriditory!, 04 Jun 2008
i had been waiting for the follow up to martha's critically acclaimed debut self titled album. this shows pure genius, simply anything that is touched by martha shines a light. obvious cameo's from parent's and brother rufus and the immense pete townsend.
my fav track although the decision was difficult is 'jesus and mary' powerful in many ways, vocals put massive emphasis on the quite basis but quirky background music.
other stand out tracks, opening rocker 'bleeding all over you' lots of wording and promoting of the album title and 'comin tonight'. comin tonight gives the first taste of pete townsend on guitars, marthas vocals are sounding early joni mitchell to patti smith. the diverse 'the george song' samples just how talented martha and rufus are when they are put together, why not release a joint album???!
in fact this album is both intense and amazing, ive had the privilage to go see martha live a few times now and she never disappoints.

Stunning, evocative music., 14 Apr 2008
I'm not from the US, my family hail from Kashmir and I was born in the UK, grew up listening to punk rock but WOW! The soundtrack literally drips with the era and place it hails from; every time I hear a snippet I swear I can feel the heat and smell the wheat - so amazing!

Diverse selection of old-time music, 01 Jul 2005
The music here, like the film it provides the soundtrack for, is presumably intended to take us back to the thirties. Several songs from that era are featured along with traditional material that would have been popular then. Recorded mainly with state-of-the-art technology (except for some old recordings that are included and re-mastered), the sound quality is far superior to anything available in the thirties. Several different types of music can be found here - blues, gospel, country and folk - mainly performed by contemporary artists with a deep respect for tradition. I'll just pick out some of them although there are many excellent songs here.

Even Alison Krauss sticks firmly with tradition here - she often brings contemporary influences into her music these days but not here. Alison can be heard here on Down to the river to pray (as a solo singer), I'll fly away (providing harmony vocals for lead singer Gillian Welch) and Didn't leave nobody but the baby (joining Gillian and Emmylou in three-part harmony).

The inclusion of two Carter Stanley songs on a soundtrack such as this is predictable but welcome, with the Whites performing a superb version of the oft-recorded Keep on the sunny side, while the Peasall children (Hannah singing lead with Sarah and Leah providing harmony vocals) are in great form on In the highways. Children's recordings rarely impress me but this track does.

One song here that surprised me (though perhaps it shouldn't have) is Big rock candy mountain. It can be found on plenty of albums of children's songs, when it is invariably presented as an up-tempo song that children can (if they wish) sing along to. Here we get the original 1928 recording by Harry McLintock, who sings it at a more measured, reflective pace, showing that there is more to this song than I originally thought. I still prefer it as an up-tempo song generally but I'm glad I heard this version. I wonder what the Peasall sisters would have done with this song.

The Coen brothers clearly hoped that this soundtrack would provide a resurgence of interest in traditional music. While this soundtrack was a big commercial success, it seems that the majority of people who bought it (and continue to buy it) regard it as something of a novelty. Nashville record labels signed some traditional singers (Elizabeth Cook, though not featured here, is one that comes to mind) but they didn't get enough airplay on American country radio, so such artists were dropped and Nashville returned to its contemporary format. I'm sure that this soundtrack helped to win some new fans for traditional music, but not as many as the Coen brothers would like.

a lovely mix of traditional music, 04 Nov 2003
Performed by some of today's best singers, this multi-Grammy Award winner is a marvelous addition to any country/folk music collection. Some of these artists are at the top of their field, but some will be "discoveries" for most of us, like the beautiful rendition of "Hard Time Killing Floor Blues" by Chris Thomas King, a versatile young man who is versed in many styles, and here sings in the old blues tradition and does it brilliantly.

The highlights for me are: The legendary Ralph Stanley, with his plaintive acappella chant of "O Death", which carries with it all the pain and soul of Appalachia, and the purity of "I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow" by the Soggy Bottom Boys, who consist of Union Station member Dan Tyminsky on lead vocals and guitar, backed by Harley Allen and Pat Enright. For anyone who likes traditional music, you can't get any better than this.
Another acappella gem is "Didn't Leave Nobody but the Baby", with Emmylou Harris, Alison Krauss, and Gillian Welch harmonizing like an angels from another era. Everything on this disc recalls days gone by; there is a refreshing simplicity, and a lot of the songs are filled with faith.

There is exquisite musicianship on this CD, and it is a nice long one at 60'34 minutes. The booklet insert is something I appreciate too; it is a collage of yellowed stained paper on peeling walls, with a terrific layout, and as it says on one of its pages, "Old-Time Music Is Very Much Alive".

oh brother where art thou, 13 Jul 2002
first class traditional country and a bit of bluegrass. represents excelent value for money. so many good tracks its hard to pick one that shines above the rest.listen to YOU ARE MY SUNSHINE by norman blake if you are not tapping your toes then someone has nailed your feet to the floor.then there's I'm a man of constant sorrow-Soggy bottom boys Wow!then for a real treat try The Stanley Bros. Angel Band Traditional country at its best. many other great tracks from Alison Krauss the queen of country and the Whites with keep on the sunny side,backings are fantastic. This is one CD you won't be dissapointed with

GREAT ALBUM . . . BUT TRY BEFORE YOU BUY, 06 Jun 2002
Let me make one thing clear. "O Brother..." is one of my favourite films of all time. Not only that, but the musical soundtrack is one of its strongest features and stands as a valuable cultural document in its own right. In short, this is an album that anyone who loves country, bluegrass or folk music is likely to want in their collection.

So why, as I write, am I tossing up whether to only give it four stars? The answer is that I'm attempting to review it, not as a collector's item or a socio-historical document but as an album of music for repeated listening in the comfort of your own home. For that reason I'm not going to review the film rather than the album, as some reviewers here have done, because I don't assume that every listener is going to have the movie playing back in their heads as they listen to the music.

Rather, my comments are based on how this album will sound to someone who has picked up on the hearsay, or watched the Grammy ceremony, and is tempted to go out and buy this as a musical compilation. And in that setting, many listeners are going to be disappointed. The fact that a song has integrity, emotion, historical importance or great musicianship doesn't automatically make it great entertainment.

There are some standout contributions: The title song is long-term loveable (although why four different renditions of the tune are needed on the album is a mystery - a couple of the "period" instrumental versions which work well on the movoe soundtrack are somewhat less successful as pure listening music. Alison Krauss and Gillian Welch are as usual faultless. Ralph and the other Stanleys are devastating. But how many times will you want to listen to the 4+ minutes of prison chant that opens the album? Or the squeaky kiddy song (the Peasalls)? Or the ancient ditties like "Big Rock Candy Mountain"? After a couple of spins, you may find yourself reaching for the skip button more than is comfortable.

I'm not really knocking this record - in a sense it's a masterpiece. And it's rightly selling by the millions. But if you haven't seen the film I'd give it a whirl in the listening booth before you part with your cash.

Just Beautiful, 08 Jul 2008
Takes a couple of listenings, but after that it just blows you away. Several standout songs, particularly "How she could sing The Wildwood flower" (which I took to be a reference to an earlier generation of the Carter Family rather than June Cater and Johnny Cash) "Gold" is just beautiful, but particularly the magnificent "Sailing Round the Room". Anybody remember the last poor, or even average, album Emmylou made?

Touching The Sublime, 06 Jul 2008
The title : a fanfare, a declaration and a manifesto.

This collection of thirteen new recordings brings us
to some kind of pinnacle in Ms Harris's long career.

She must know this to be true. The evidence is there for us to hear.

After the dry, rasping austerity of 'Red Dirt Girl' (2000);
the warm, reassuring classicism of 'Stumble Into Grace' (2003)
and the uncomfortably eneven collaboration with Mr Knopfler,
'All The Road Running' (2006); 'All I Intended To Be' is a
trancendent epiphany. A true and perfect wonder.

Maturity of voice and musical vision; finely honed interpretive insight
and the ability to create a sense of intense gravitas from the simplest
ingredients are all marks of an artist functioning at the very
height of her remarkable powers.

A track by track deconstruction would seem somehow ignoble given
material of such consumate beauty.

Suffice to say that with the song 'All That You Have Is Your Soul'
the world seems to turn to face the sun. Music to warm the coldest spirit.

Either side of it twelve more wonderful examples of songs to raise
your hopes and break your heart.

Quintessential.

Inimitable.

Sublime.


A disappointment, 02 Jul 2008
Not rubbish. How could any Emmy Lou Harris album ever be, but be returning to producer Brian Ahern, she has effectively gone back to the sound if her 1976 album "Quarter Moon in a Ten Cent Town", and that's one step too far back to the future. After the progressive nature of her last three albums, Emmylou has obviously decided she doesn't want her rock fans any more, and to say the same thing again,she's gone backwards.

Make no mistake though, this album is beautifully played and exquisitely sung (who would have expected anything else) but after a few listens, I can't remember any of the songs.

A huge disappointment, and if in any doubt buy "Quarter Moon", it's fabulous.

They say there's ne progress in this kind of music, and here's the proof

Exceptional, 26 Jun 2008
Rapidly shaping up to be one of the best of 2008, this is probably Emmylou Harris's best record since Spyboy, although stylistically it is closer to Wrecking Ball, and I have to add that there was nothing at all wrong with the intervening works.

It was a well-placed, curiosity-pricking ad for Spyboy, Harris's 1998 live album, that got me started. Until then I'd only had a vague regard for the "country" genre. After, I was hooked, and was amazed at her ubiquity, finding her making appearances with Lucinda Williams, Nanci Griffith, Rodney Crowell, Sheryl Crow, Dolly Parton and Linda Ronstadt, as well as being the driving force behind the Gram Parsons tribute The Return Of The Grievous Angel (Brilliant. I don't care what the reviewers say).

And they return the compliment, with Dolly here joining Harris on Gold, their voices intertwining perfectly.

Emmylou Harris is not, of course, just about country. The rhythm section she brought to London in the wake of Spyboy would not, on the evidence of their jamming mid-concert, have looked out of place with Herbie Hancock. Ricky Skaggs, at one time part of Harris's band, remarked rather petulantly of her more recent music that it was "not country", but all of it, country and otherwise, shares a cabinet with Miles Davis, Joni Mitchell and The Clash in my world. The label is everything and nothing.

But though country is, I guess, what this latest offering is closer to, what counts is that the songs, music and production add up to an exceptional experience.

Songs first. Some great originals; some superb covers. Standouts in the latter category are Merle Haggard's Kern River; Billy Joe Shaver's Old Five And Dimers Like Me; and a totally stunning version of Tracy Chapman's All That You Have Is Your Soul, which comes about closest to a political statement here, and has a trace of Lovin' You Again, from Cowgirl's Prayer, just as the rendition of Crowley and Routh's Beyond The Great Divide has a fade reminiscent of Gone, Long Gone from Trio II. Almost inevitably there is also a song cowritten by Harris with the McGarrigles, How She Could Sing The Wildwood Flower. Also inevitable is that the sisters joined in on the recording.

Musically there is a stellar array of contributors, armed with an arsenal of instrumentation from mandolin, through accordion, banjo and fiddle, together with the obligatory guitars, Dobro and steel and some exotica such as mandocello and baritone electric guitar. Musicians include old standbys such as Buddy Miller (the only thing a girl needs, as she described him when they appeared on Jools Holland's show) and John Starling.

Finally, the production, and the tribute to that element is that, although this collection has taken several years in gestation it sounds, as Bob Harris observed when Emmylou appeared on his radio programme, of one time.

Two closing notes. First, listening this gave me an even greater appetite to listen to Harris's back catalogue. And second, it is very seldom that I will play a record two times in succession: this is one of the exceptions.


The Best for Years, 25 Jun 2008
Fantastic album. The best that Emmylou has made for years and the Brian Aherne production and recording magic shines through. Great to hear some of the old Hot Band still doing their stuff. If you love Emmylou's music, you can't not have this album.

From Small Beginnings........., 27 Aug 2008
Was wondering what to buy recently when I saw a review of this album and an interview with the singer in a sunday magazine.Turns out that this is a brilliant album,and has traces of blues,gospel,pop,country,and a touch of the brilliant Karen Carpenter about it.

Stand-out tracks for me include the intense deep gospel of Nobody's Fault But Mine and One Cloud,and the lighter yet still uplifting pop of So Sublime and i Shall Be Released.

A varied collection then in some ways,yet with a pleasing undercurrent of blues running throughout the whole album to string it all together and give it a sense of identity.

Really uplifting and at times extremely powerful! For once the hype may be justified!

Disappointed, 24 Jul 2008
I think I must have bought a different album to the one Chris McKenna reviewed. I was expecting an album with a range of vocal talents but what I heard was a reasonably nice album with nothing outstanding from the mass of young white female singers currently extant after the demise of Eva Cassidy. There is not one track I can recall as compulsive replay. I suppose I could just about hear the Carla Anderson influence but she (Carla) has a certain je ne sais quoi that black "soul" singers have. Where is the Amy Winehouse/early Motown/Blues rawness?
I'm sorry but Ms Rowley has a nice voice and sings mid range songs very well but she has to develop a different style to achieve lasting popularity.
I shuffled this album with Madeleine Peyroux, Catherine Russell and other similar artists and my friends could not tell the difference. After that I gave the CD away and bought Alice Russell instead - now she's versatile. . .

Beautiful voice and some top tracks but a few poor ones, 23 Jul 2008
I bought this album based on 3 songs I had heard which are superb.
There are a few others that are ok but a lot of mediocre maybe boring ones in comparison fill the rest of the album.
Knowing this I would probably have downloaded the 3 great tracks individually.

Great new talent, 01 Jul 2008
A superb album - an exciting new voice, on both the cover versions and the originals, and confident handling of several genres (I don't find the current 'blues singer' pigeon-holing very helpful, although she can handle this genre well). OK, she probably can develop a bit more edge and drive and surely will, but she's well on the way. Strongly recommended!

Great voice, bigger potential, 23 Jun 2008
She's got a great voice and can handle a range of styles with ease.

Her pop radio songs are somewhat misleading as her handling of blues and gospel numbers on this album is exceptional.

Yes, there are echoes of other great female artists here, but her voice and style is distinctive and good enough to ensure she doesn't get consigned to the 'if you like this, you'll love this' category.

A refreshing new talent and voice in a sea of increasing pop mediocrity.

I blame Jools Holland, 20 Jul 2008
Believe me, it's usually the other way round. Usually I have nothing but praise for the man and his show that introduce me to so many fantastic artists. But in the case of this album, seeing Martha Wainwright perform on that show before purchasing `I Know You're Married, but I've Got Feelings Too' has ruined me, because if I hadn't seen her perform live I would have been blissfully unaware that in the right form this collection of songs presents an absolutely incredible portrait of a uniquely charismatic singer/song-writer. But not when they're delivered with decidedly less passion on an over-produced album that is not a proper showcase for these beautifully written songs and the tortured/passionate voice that always performs to perfect spine-tingling effect in the right setting.

The prime example is track 7- `So Many Friends'- my favourite song when I heard it performed by Martha on the show. An incredibly subtle song that soared into a gloriously ironic chorus on which Martha's voice was tortured and triumphant in equal measure. On the album version her voice dwindles to a pathetic whimper, only then to be drowned out by unnecessary instrumental accompaniment. Why (I ask of nobody in particular) was her voice not allowed to be heard in the true glory evident in all her live performances? It's a mystery to me.

This is emblematic of the album as a whole, but that's not to say there aren't some really cool tracks. Such as track 3- `Jesus and Mary' (7/10) and track 8- `In the Middle of the Night' (8/10) and track 9- `The George Song' (7/10). But I personally could have done without the musical flourishes and would have much preferred a starker offering that boiled down these songs to their most natural elements i.e. Martha's strong voice and her exceptionally emotional delivery. I haven't heard Martha's first album, so going by the comments of previous reviewers I'll be buying that very shortly in order to discover whether it's a better showcase for this infectiously eccentric artist.

The rating might be needlessly harsh and this album is undoubtedly a grower with inspiration and catchy tunes by the bucket-load, but there's no escaping that almost tangible disappointment in this album that just doesn't do justice to Martha's talent.


I know you're married, but I'm not feeling this., 08 Jul 2008
The warm and understated sound of her debut CD (3 years ago) is replaced with a fuller augmented bells and whistles rock band sound, which merely serves to make the music sound ordinary, and which causes Martha's distinctive vocal style to work too hard to rise above.

The reservations many had about Martha's songwriting on her first (although I thought it was pretty good) have been proved right here. Some songs are good, but none are as striking as Factory, TV Show, Who Was I Kidding or BMFA from the former.

I never review anything without at least 10 listens and sorry to say this CD has remained a chore to sit through. Martha needs to get back to basics, quit smoking, and concentrate her vocal technique on interpreting songs instead just rehashing her vocal chops.



Its That 2nd Album Thing!, 16 Jun 2008
Yep, Enjoyed her first offering, which was/is more refreshing.
Like a few hear I agree, she's grown-up, not good. And she got married, whats she like!
I've only played it twice, 3 might be pushing it, sorry.
Hey, When she gets divorced we might get a good 3rd album, with swearing and stuff!! fingers crossed!

A Grower, 07 Jun 2008
I really liked her previous album and bought this but felt disappointed at first...
But it's grown on me - her voice is truly unique and I love it.
She's evolving and that's a good thing - can't wait for the next album!

the talent of wainwright, heriditory!, 04 Jun 2008
i had been waiting for the follow up to martha's critically acclaimed debut self titled album. this shows pure genius, simply anything that is touched by martha shines a light. obvious cameo's from parent's and brother rufus and the immense pete townsend.
my fav track although the decision was difficult is 'jesus and mary' powerful in many ways, vocals put massive emphasis on the quite basis but quirky background music.
other stand out tracks, opening rocker 'bleeding all over you' lots of wording and promoting of the album title and 'comin tonight'. comin tonight gives the first taste of pete townsend on guitars, marthas vocals are sounding early joni mitchell to patti smith. the diverse 'the george song' samples just how talented martha and rufus are when they are put together, why not release a joint album???!
in fact this album is both intense and amazing, ive had the privilage to go see martha live a few times now and she never disappoints.

Stunning, evocative music., 14 Apr 2008
I'm not from the US, my family hail from Kashmir and I was born in the UK, grew up listening to punk rock but WOW! The soundtrack literally drips with the era and place it hails from; every time I hear a snippet I swear I can feel the heat and smell the wheat - so amazing!

Diverse selection of old-time music, 01 Jul 2005
The music here, like the film it provides the soundtrack for, is presumably intended to take us back to the thirties. Several songs from that era are featured along with traditional material that would have been popular then. Recorded mainly with state-of-the-art technology (except for some old recordings that are included and re-mastered), the sound quality is far superior to anything available in the thirties. Several different types of music can be found here - blues, gospel, country and folk - mainly performed by contemporary artists with a deep respect for tradition. I'll just pick out some of them although there are many excellent songs here.

Even Alison Krauss sticks firmly with tradition here - she often brings contemporary influences into her music these days but not here. Alison can be heard here on Down to the river to pray (as a solo singer), I'll fly away (providing harmony vocals for lead singer Gillian Welch) and Didn't leave nobody but the baby (joining Gillian and Emmylou in three-part harmony).

The inclusion of two Carter Stanley songs on a soundtrack such as this is predictable but welcome, with the Whites performing a superb version of the oft-recorded Keep on the sunny side, while the Peasall children (Hannah singing lead with Sarah and Leah providing harmony vocals) are in great form on In the highways. Children's recordings rarely impress me but this track does.

One song here that surprised me (though perhaps it shouldn't have) is Big rock candy mountain. It can be found on plenty of albums of children's songs, when it is invariably presented as an up-tempo song that children can (if they wish) sing along to. Here we get the original 1928 recording by Harry McLintock, who sings it at a more measured, reflective pace, showing that there is more to this song than I originally thought. I still prefer it as an up-tempo song generally but I'm glad I heard this version. I wonder what the Peasall sisters would have done with this song.

The Coen brothers clearly hoped that this soundtrack would provide a resurgence of interest in traditional music. While this soundtrack was a big commercial success, it seems that the majority of people who bought it (and continue to buy it) regard it as something of a novelty. Nashville record labels signed some traditional singers (Elizabeth Cook, though not featured here, is one that comes to mind) but they didn't get enough airplay on American country radio, so such artists were dropped and Nashville returned to its contemporary format. I'm sure that this soundtrack helped to win some new fans for traditional music, but not as many as the Coen brothers would like.

a lovely mix of traditional music, 04 Nov 2003
Performed by some of today's best singers, this multi-Grammy Award winner is a marvelous addition to any country/folk music collection. Some of these artists are at the top of their field, but some will be "discoveries" for most of us, like the beautiful rendition of "Hard Time Killing Floor Blues" by Chris Thomas King, a versatile young man who is versed in many styles, and here sings in the old blues tradition and does it brilliantly.

The highlights for me are: The legendary Ralph Stanley, with his plaintive acappella chant of "O Death", which carries with it all the pain and soul of Appalachia, and the purity of "I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow" by the Soggy Bottom Boys, who consist of Union Station member Dan Tyminsky on lead vocals and guitar, backed by Harley Allen and Pat Enright. For anyone who likes traditional music, you can't get any better than this.
Another acappella gem is "Didn't Leave Nobody but the Baby", with Emmylou Harris, Alison Krauss, and Gillian Welch harmonizing like an angels from another era. Everything on this disc recalls days gone by; there is a refreshing simplicity, and a lot of the songs are filled with faith.

There is exquisite musicianship on this CD, and it is a nice long one at 60'34 minutes. The booklet insert is something I appreciate too; it is a collage of yellowed stained paper on peeling walls, with a terrific layout, and as it says on one of its pages, "Old-Time Music Is Very Much Alive".

oh brother where art thou, 13 Jul 2002
first class traditional country and a bit of bluegrass. represents excelent value for money. so many good tracks its hard to pick one that shines above the rest.listen to YOU ARE MY SUNSHINE by norman blake if you are not tapping your toes then someone has nailed your feet to the floor.then there's I'm a man of constant sorrow-Soggy bottom boys Wow!then for a real treat try The Stanley Bros. Angel Band Traditional country at its best. many other great tracks from Alison Krauss the queen of country and the Whites with keep on the sunny side,backings are fantastic. This is one CD you won't be dissapointed with

GREAT ALBUM . . . BUT TRY BEFORE YOU BUY, 06 Jun 2002
Let me make one thing clear. "O Brother..." is one of my favourite films of all time. Not only that, but the musical soundtrack is one of its strongest features and stands as a valuable cultural document in its own right. In short, this is an album that anyone who loves country, bluegrass or folk music is likely to want in their collection.

So why, as I write, am I tossing up whether to only give it four stars? The answer is that I'm attempting to review it, not as a collector's item or a socio-historical document but as an album of music for repeated listening in the comfort of your own home. For that reason I'm not going to review the film rather than the album, as some reviewers here have done, because I don't assume that every listener is going to have the movie playing back in their heads as they listen to the music.

Rather, my comments are based on how this album will sound to someone who has picked up on the hearsay, or watched the Grammy ceremony, and is tempted to go out and buy this as a musical compilation. And in that setting, many listeners are going to be disappointed. The fact that a song has integrity, emotion, historical importance or great musicianship doesn't automatically make it great entertainment.

There are some standout contributions: The title song is long-term loveable (although why four different renditions of the tune are needed on the album is a mystery - a couple of the "period" instrumental versions which work well on the movoe soundtrack are somewhat less successful as pure listening music. Alison Krauss and Gillian Welch are as usual faultless. Ralph and the other Stanleys are devastating. But how many times will you want to listen to the 4+ minutes of prison chant that opens the album? Or the squeaky kiddy song (the Peasalls)? Or the ancient ditties like "Big Rock Candy Mountain"? After a couple of spins, you may find yourself reaching for the skip button more than is comfortable.

I'm not really knocking this record - in a sense it's a masterpiece. And it's rightly selling by the millions. But if you haven't seen the film I'd give it a whirl in the listening booth before you part with your cash.

Just Beautiful, 08 Jul 2008
Takes a couple of listenings, but after that it just blows you away. Several standout songs, particularly "How she could sing The Wildwood flower" (which I took to be a reference to an earlier generation of the Carter Family rather than June Cater and Johnny Cash) "Gold" is just beautiful, but particularly the magnificent "Sailing Round the Room". Anybody remember the last poor, or even average, album Emmylou made?

Touching The Sublime, 06 Jul 2008
The title : a fanfare, a declaration and a manifesto.

This collection of thirteen new recordings brings us
to some kind of pinnacle in Ms Harris's long career.

She must know this to be true. The evidence is there for us to hear.

After the dry, rasping austerity of 'Red Dirt Girl' (2000);
the warm, reassuring classicism of 'Stumble Into Grace' (2003)
and the uncomfortably eneven collaboration with Mr Knopfler,
'All The Road Running' (2006); 'All I Intended To Be' is a
trancendent epiphany. A true and perfect wonder.

Maturity of voice and musical vision; finely honed interpretive insight
and the ability to create a sense of intense gravitas from the simplest
ingredients are all marks of an artist functioning at the very
height of her remarkable powers.

A track by track deconstruction would seem somehow ignoble given
material of such consumate beauty.

Suffice to say that with the song 'All That You Have Is Your Soul'
the world seems to turn to face the sun. Music to warm the coldest spirit.

Either side of it twelve more wonderful examples of songs to raise
your hopes and break your heart.

Quintessential.

Inimitable.

Sublime.


A disappointment, 02 Jul 2008
Not rubbish. How could any Emmy Lou Harris album ever be, but be returning to producer Brian Ahern, she has effectively gone back to the sound if her 1976 album "Quarter Moon in a Ten Cent Town", and that's one step too far back to the future. After the progressive nature of her last three albums, Emmylou has obviously decided she doesn't want her rock fans any more, and to say the same thing again,she's gone backwards.

Make no mistake though, this album is beautifully played and exquisitely sung (who would have expected anything else) but after a few listens, I can't remember any of the songs.

A huge disappointment, and if in any doubt buy "Quarter Moon", it's fabulous.

They say there's ne progress in this kind of music, and here's the proof

Exceptional, 26 Jun 2008
Rapidly shaping up to be one of the best of 2008, this is probably Emmylou Harris's best record since Spyboy, although stylistically it is closer to Wrecking Ball, and I have to add that there was nothing at all wrong with the intervening works.

It was a well-placed, curiosity-pricking ad for Spyboy, Harris's 1998 live album, that got me started. Until then I'd only had a vague regard for the "country" genre. After, I was hooked, and was amazed at her ubiquity, finding her making appearances with Lucinda Williams, Nanci Griffith, Rodney Crowell, Sheryl Crow, Dolly Parton and Linda Ronstadt, as well as being the driving force behind the Gram Parsons tribute The Return Of The Grievous Angel (Brilliant. I don't care what the reviewers say).

And they return the compliment, with Dolly here joining Harris on Gold, their voices intertwining perfectly.

Emmylou Harris is not, of course, just about country. The rhythm section she brought to London in the wake of Spyboy would not, on the evidence of their jamming mid-concert, have looked out of place with Herbie Hancock. Ricky Skaggs, at one time part of Harris's band, remarked rather petulantly of her more recent music that it was "not country", but all of it, country and otherwise, shares a cabinet with Miles Davis, Joni Mitchell and The Clash in my world. The label is everything and nothing.

But though country is, I guess, what this latest offering is closer to, what counts is that the songs, music and production add up to an exceptional experience.

Songs first. Some great originals; some superb covers. Standouts in the latter category are Merle Haggard's Kern River; Billy Joe Shaver's Old Five And Dimers Like Me; and a totally stunning version of Tracy Chapman's All That You Have Is Your Soul, which comes about closest to a political statement here, and has a trace of Lovin' You Again, from Cowgirl's Prayer, just as the rendition of Crowley and Routh's Beyond The Great Divide has a fade reminiscent of Gone, Long Gone from Trio II. Almost inevitably there is also a song cowritten by Harris with the McGarrigles, How She Could Sing The Wildwood Flower. Also inevitable is that the sisters joined in on the recording.

Musically there is a stellar array of contributors, armed with an arsenal of instrumentation from mandolin, through accordion, banjo and fiddle, together with the obligatory guitars, Dobro and steel and some exotica such as mandocello and baritone electric guitar. Musicians include old standbys such as Buddy Miller (the only thing a girl needs, as she described him when they appeared on Jools Holland's show) and John Starling.

Finally, the production, and the tribute to that element is that, although this collection has taken several years in gestation it sounds, as Bob Harris observed when Emmylou appeared on his radio programme, of one time.

Two closing notes. First, listening this gave me an even greater appetite to listen to Harris's back catalogue. And second, it is very seldom that I will play a record two times in succession: this is one of the exceptions.


The Best for Years, 25 Jun 2008
Fantastic album. The best that Emmylou has made for years and the Brian Aherne production and recording magic shines through. Great to hear some of the old Hot Band still doing their stuff. If you love Emmylou's music, you can't not have this album.

A triumphant return!!!!, 26 Aug 2008
Long awaited new album from Glen - to start on a slight negative it took me three times playing the CD for it to really kick in - and when it did it was brilliant. Slightly over produced and the CD is too "loud" - but what a great return to Capitol Records!!!! Like Johnny Cash later CD's songs you would not usually associate with Glen - but he makes them each his own. Stand out tracks for me are Tom Petty's "Walls" (made to sound like a 60's Campbell record) and John Lennon's "Grow Old With Me". In fact I can't take the CD off the player and each and every track gets better and better the more you listen. This is far superior to the rather bland Neil Diamond release earlier this year and this CD certainly deserves the same recognition - and air play! Welcome back Glen Campbell.

Best album of 2008, 23 Aug 2008
If someone had told me 5 years ago that my 3 favorite artists in 2008 would be Johnnie Cash, Neil Diamond and Glen Campbell I would have told you where to go.

This is truly a masterpiece, I downloaded the album from iTunes after hearing "good riddance" on the radio, as soon as I played the first track my plans for the rest of the evening went out the window, I must have played it back to back 6 or 7 times. "All I want is you" is the perfect song to seduce the love of your life to.

Don't bother with the downloads, just by the CD (or vinyl), believe me this is one album you'll be playing over and over again.

The voice remains, 03 Aug 2008
I've always had a soft spot for Glen Campbell. His early hits, such as "Wichita Lineman", "Galveston" and "By The Time I Get To Phoenix", remain some of Jim Webb's best compositions and that voice always rang true. On this outstanding return to form, Mr Campbell was apparently asked to sift through a mountain of songs before deciding on the 10 selections chosen. Not a Jim Webb song in sight but an eclectic mix it is. In order they are composed by Travis, 2 back to back Tom Petty's, Dave Grohl, Jackson Browne, The Replacements, U2, The Velvet Underground, Green Day and John Lennon. As I said, an eclectic mix. I believe that Mr Campbell is now in his 70's and he has had well documented problems but it's amazing how strong his voice has stayed. Instead of taking the "safe" Rick Rubin route (don't get me wrong, I like the latest Neil Diamond, Jakob Dylan, John Mellancamp and Johnny Cash "American" series but it seems to be where all the "old timers" go for credibiity)he opts for a style more akin to his hits from the 60's and 70's and it's all the better for that. If you're curious, buy this CD on spec. You'll be pleasantly surprised! Favourites? Try "Sing", "Sadly Beautiful", "Grow Old With Me"..... just try 'em all! Surprise packet of the year? I think so!

Typecast them as rootin', tootin' cowboy rockers if you will, but Aha Shake Heartbreak shows the Kings Of Leon have more to offer than beardy rock classicism. Indeed, for all the talk of Neil Young or Creedence Clearwater Revival, the outfit this Nashville-based band of brothers (and one cousin) resembles most is New York new-wavers The Strokes: it's there in Nathan Followill's minimal, metronomic drum rhythms, there in Matthew Followill's spare guitar lines, and there in frontman Caleb Followill's insouciant, beer-chugging drawl.

That said, brother Caleb's lyrical concerns are strictly of the old school: the likes of "Taper Jean Girl" and "Milk" deal with wine, women and song, although if you can decipher his ragged Southern twang - at times, eerily reminiscent of Frank Black's mangled Mexican on the Pixies' "Vamos" - you perhaps deserve some sort of medal. The Kings' strongest suit is probably their fast numbers - see "The Bucket", a hymn to the touring lifestyle hauled along by the seat of its pants by a rabid clatter of tom-toms. But "Milk" offers a rare moment of neat fragility, Caleb relating an eccentric tale of a girl with an "hourglass body" to the gentle pulse of Nathan's bass drum. --Louis Pattison

From Small Beginnings........., 27 Aug 2008
Was wondering what to buy recently when I saw a review of this album and an interview with the singer in a sunday magazine.Turns out that this is a brilliant album,and has traces of blues,gospel,pop,country,and a touch of the brilliant Karen Carpenter about it.

Stand-out tracks for me include the intense deep gospel of Nobody's Fault But Mine and One Cloud,and the lighter yet still uplifting pop of So Sublime and i Shall Be Released.

A varied collection then in some ways,yet with a pleasing undercurrent of blues running throughout the whole album to string it all together and give it a sense of identity.

Really uplifting and at times extremely powerful! For once the hype may be justified!

Disappointed, 24 Jul 2008
I think I must have bought a different album to the one Chris McKenna reviewed. I was expecting an album with a range of vocal talents but what I heard was a reasonably nice album with nothing outstanding from the mass of young white female singers currently extant after the demise of Eva Cassidy. There is not one track I can recall as compulsive replay. I suppose I could just about hear the Carla Anderson influence but she (Carla) has a certain je ne sais quoi that black "soul" singers have. Where is the Amy Winehouse/early Motown/Blues rawness?
I'm sorry but Ms Rowley has a nice voice and sings mid range songs very well but she has to develop a different style to achieve lasting popularity.
I shuffled this album with Madeleine Peyroux, Catherine Russell and other similar artists and my friends could not tell the difference. After that I gave the CD away and bought Alice Russell instead - now she's versatile. . .

Beautiful voice and some top tracks but a few poor ones, 23 Jul 2008
I bought this album based on 3 songs I had heard which are superb.
There are a few others that are ok but a lot of mediocre maybe boring ones in comparison fill the rest of the album.
Knowing this I would probably have downloaded the 3 great tracks individually.

Great new talent, 01 Jul 2008
A superb album - an exciting new voice, on both the cover versions and the originals, and confident handling of several genres (I don't find the current 'blues singer' pigeon-holing very helpful, although she can handle this genre well). OK, she probably can develop a bit more edge and drive and surely will, but she's well on the way. Strongly recommended!

Great voice, bigger potential, 23 Jun 2008
She's got a great voice and can handle a range of styles with ease.

Her pop radio songs are somewhat misleading as her handling of blues and gospel numbers on this album is exceptional.

Yes, there are echoes of other great female artists here, but her voice and style is distinctive and good enough to ensure she doesn't get consigned to the 'if you like this, you'll love this' category.

A refreshing new talent and voice in a sea of increasing pop mediocrity.

I blame Jools Holland, 20 Jul 2008
Believe me, it's usually the other way round. Usually I have nothing but praise for the man and his show that introduce me to so many fantastic artists. But in the case of this album, seeing Martha Wainwright perform on that show before purchasing `I Know You're Married, but I've Got Feelings Too' has ruined me, because if I hadn't seen her perform live I would have been blissfully unaware that in the right form this collection of songs presents an absolutely incredible portrait of a uniquely charismatic singer/song-writer. But not when they're delivered with decidedly less passion on an over-produced album that is not a proper showcase for these beautifully written songs and the tortured/passionate voice that always performs to perfect spine-tingling effect in the right setting.

The prime example is track 7- `So Many Friends'- my favourite song when I heard it performed by Martha on the show. An incredibly subtle song that soared into a gloriously ironic chorus on which Martha's voice was tortured and triumphant in equal measure. On the album version her voice dwindles to a pathetic whimper, only then to be drowned out by unnecessary instrumental accompaniment. Why (I ask of nobody in particular) was her voice not allowed to be heard in the true glory evident in all her live performances? It's a mystery to me.

This is emblematic of the album as a whole, but that's not to say there aren't some really cool tracks. Such as track 3- `Jesus and Mary' (7/10) and track 8- `In the Middle of the Night' (8/10) and track 9- `The George Song' (7/10). But I personally could have done without the musical flourishes and would have much preferred a starker offering that boiled down these songs to their most natural elements i.e. Martha's strong voice and her exceptionally emotional delivery. I haven't heard Martha's first album, so going by the comments of previous reviewers I'll be buying that very shortly in order to discover whether it's a better showcase for this infectiously eccentric artist.

The rating might be needlessly harsh and this album is undoubtedly a grower with inspiration and catchy tunes by the bucket-load, but there's no escaping that almost tangible disappointment in this album that just doesn't do justice to Martha's talent.


I know you're married, but I'm not feeling this., 08 Jul 2008
The warm and understated sound of her debut CD (3 years ago) is replaced with a fuller augmented bells and whistles rock band sound, which merely serves to make the music sound ordinary, and which causes Martha's distinctive vocal style to work too hard to rise above.

The reservations many had about Martha's songwriting on her first (although I thought it was pretty good) have been proved right here. Some songs are good, but none are as striking as Factory, TV Show, Who Was I Kidding or BMFA from the former.

I never review anything without at least 10 listens and sorry to say this CD has remained a chore to sit through. Martha needs to get back to basics, quit smoking, and concentrate her vocal technique on interpreting songs instead just rehashing her vocal chops.



Its That 2nd Album Thing!, 16 Jun 2008
Yep, Enjoyed her first offering, which was/is more refreshing.
Like a few hear I agree, she's grown-up, not good. And she got married, whats she like!
I've only played it twice, 3 might be pushing it, sorry.
Hey, When she gets divorced we might get a good 3rd album, with swearing and stuff!! fingers crossed!

A Grower, 07 Jun 2008
I really liked her previous album and bought this but felt disappointed at first...
But it's grown on me - her voice is truly unique and I love it.
She's evolving and that's a good thing - can't wait for the next album!

the talent of wainwright, heriditory!, 04 Jun 2008
i had been waiting for the follow up to martha's critically acclaimed debut self titled album. this shows pure genius, simply anything that is touched by martha shines a light. obvious cameo's from parent's and brother rufus and the immense pete townsend.
my fav track although the decision was difficult is 'jesus and mary' powerful in many ways, vocals put massive emphasis on the quite basis but quirky background music.
other stand out tracks, opening rocker 'bleeding all over you' lots of wording and promoting of the album title and 'comin tonight'. comin tonight gives the first taste of pete townsend on guitars, marthas vocals are sounding early joni mitchell to patti smith. the diverse 'the george song' samples just how talented martha and rufus are when they are put together, why not release a joint album???!
in fact this album is both intense and amazing, ive had the privilage to go see martha live a few times now and she never disappoints.

Stunning, evocative music., 14 Apr 2008
I'm not from the US, my family hail from Kashmir and I was born in the UK, grew up listening to punk rock but WOW! The soundtrack literally drips with the era and place it hails from; every time I hear a snippet I swear I can feel the heat and smell the wheat - so amazing!

Diverse selection of old-time music, 01 Jul 2005
The music here, like the film it provides the soundtrack for, is presumably intended to take us back to the thirties. Several songs from that era are featured along with traditional material that would have been popular then. Recorded mainly with state-of-the-art technology (except for some old recordings that are included and re-mastered), the sound quality is far superior to anything available in the thirties. Several different types of music can be found here - blues, gospel, country and folk - mainly performed by contemporary artists with a deep respect for tradition. I'll just pick out some of them although there are many excellent songs here.

Even Alison Krauss sticks firmly with tradition here - she often brings contemporary influences into her music these days but not here. Alison can be heard here on Down to the river to pray (as a solo singer), I'll fly away (providing harmony vocals for lead singer Gillian Welch) and Didn't leave nobody but the baby (joining Gillian and Emmylou in three-part harmony).

The inclusion of two Carter Stanley songs on a soundtrack such as this is predictable but welcome, with the Whites performing a superb version of the oft-recorded Keep on the sunny side, while the Peasall children (Hannah singing lead with Sarah and Leah providing harmony vocals) are in great form on In the highways. Children's recordings rarely impress me but this track does.

One song here that surprised me (though perhaps it shouldn't have) is Big rock candy mountain. It can be found on plenty of albums of children's songs, when it is invariably presented as an up-tempo song that children can (if they wish) sing along to. Here we get the original 1928 recording by Harry McLintock, who sings it at a more measured, reflective pace, showing that there is more to this song than I originally thought. I still prefer it as an up-tempo song generally but I'm glad I heard this version. I wonder what the Peasall sisters would have done with this song.

The Coen brothers clearly hoped that this soundtrack would provide a resurgence of interest in traditional music. While this soundtrack was a big commercial success, it seems that the majority of people who bought it (and continue to buy it) regard it as something of a novelty. Nashville record labels signed some traditional singers (Elizabeth Cook, though not featured here, is one that comes to mind) but they didn't get enough airplay on American country radio, so such artists were dropped and Nashville returned to its contemporary format. I'm sure that this soundtrack helped to win some new fans for traditional music, but not as many as the Coen brothers would like.

a lovely mix of traditional music, 04 Nov 2003
Performed by some of today's best singers, this multi-Grammy Award winner is a marvelous addition to any country/folk music collection. Some of these artists are at the top of their field, but some will be "discoveries" for most of us, like the beautiful rendition of "Hard Time Killing Floor Blues" by Chris Thomas King, a versatile young man who is versed in many styles, and here sings in the old blues tradition and does it brilliantly.

The highlights for me are: The legendary Ralph Stanley, with his plaintive acappella chant of "O Death", which carries with it all the pain and soul of Appalachia, and the purity of "I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow" by the Soggy Bottom Boys, who consist of Union Station member Dan Tyminsky on lead vocals and guitar, backed by Harley Allen and Pat Enright. For anyone who likes traditional music, you can't get any better than this.
Another acappella gem is "Didn't Leave Nobody but the Baby", with Emmylou Harris, Alison Krauss, and Gillian Welch harmonizing like an angels from another era. Everything on this disc recalls days gone by; there is a refreshing simplicity, and a lot of the songs are filled with faith.

There is exquisite musicianship on this CD, and it is a nice long one at 60'34 minutes. The booklet insert is something I appreciate too; it is a collage of yellowed stained paper on peeling walls, with a terrific layout, and as it says on one of its pages, "Old-Time Music Is Very Much Alive".

oh brother where art thou, 13 Jul 2002
first class traditional country and a bit of bluegrass. represents excelent value for money. so many good tracks its hard to pick one that shines above the rest.listen to YOU ARE MY SUNSHINE by norman blake if you are not tapping your toes then someone has nailed your feet to the floor.then there's I'm a man of constant sorrow-Soggy bottom boys Wow!then for a real treat try The Stanley Bros. Angel Band Traditional country at its best. many other great tracks from Alison Krauss the queen of country and the Whites with keep on the sunny side,backings are fantastic. This is one CD you won't be dissapointed with

GREAT ALBUM . . . BUT TRY BEFORE YOU BUY, 06 Jun 2002
Let me make one thing clear. "O Brother..." is one of my favourite films of all time. Not only that, but the musical soundtrack is one of its strongest features and stands as a valuable cultural document in its own right. In short, this is an album that anyone who loves country, bluegrass or folk music is likely to want in their collection.

So why, as I write, am I tossing up whether to only give it four stars? The answer is that I'm attempting to review it, not as a collector's item or a socio-historical document but as an album of music for repeated listening in the comfort of your own home. For that reason I'm not going to review the film rather than the album, as some reviewers here have done, because I don't assume that every listener is going to have the movie playing back in their heads as they listen to the music.

Rather, my comments are based on how this album will sound to someone who has picked up on the hearsay, or watched the Grammy ceremony, and is tempted to go out and buy this as a musical compilation. And in that setting, many listeners are going to be disappointed. The fact that a song has integrity, emotion, historical importance or great musicianship doesn't automatically make it great entertainment.

There are some standout contributions: The title song is long-term loveable (although why four different renditions of the tune are needed on the album is a mystery - a couple of the "period" instrumental versions which work well on the movoe soundtrack are somewhat less successful as pure listening music. Alison Krauss and Gillian Welch are as usual faultless. Ralph and the other Stanleys are devastating. But how many times will you want to listen to the 4+ minutes of prison chant that opens the album? Or the squeaky kiddy song (the Peasalls)? Or the ancient ditties like "Big Rock Candy Mountain"? After a couple of spins, you may find yourself reaching for the skip button more than is comfortable.

I'm not really knocking this record - in a sense it's a masterpiece. And it's rightly selling by the millions. But if you haven't seen the film I'd give it a whirl in the listening booth before you part with your cash.

Just Beautiful, 08 Jul 2008
Takes a couple of listenings, but after that it just blows you away. Several standout songs, particularly "How she could sing The Wildwood flower" (which I took to be a reference to an earlier generation of the Carter Family rather than June Cater and Johnny Cash) "Gold" is just beautiful, but particularly the magnificent "Sailing Round the Room". Anybody remember the last poor, or even average, album Emmylou made?

Touching The Sublime, 06 Jul 2008
The title : a fanfare, a declaration and a manifesto.

This collection of thirteen new recordings brings us
to some kind of pinnacle in Ms Harris's long career.

She must know this to be true. The evidence is there for us to hear.

After the dry, rasping austerity of 'Red Dirt Girl' (2000);
the warm, reassuring classicism of 'Stumble Into Grace' (2003)
and the uncomfortably eneven collaboration with Mr Knopfler,
'All The Road Running' (2006); 'All I Intended To Be' is a
trancendent epiphany. A true and perfect wonder.

Maturity of voice and musical vision; finely honed interpretive insight
and the ability to create a sense of intense gravitas from the simplest
ingredients are all marks of an artist functioning at the very
height of her remarkable powers.

A track by track deconstruction would seem somehow ignoble given
material of such consumate beauty.

Suffice to say that with the song 'All That You Have Is Your Soul'
the world seems to turn to face the sun. Music to warm the coldest spirit.

Either side of it twelve more wonderful examples of songs to raise
your hopes and break your heart.

Quintessential.

Inimitable.

Sublime.


A disappointment, 02 Jul 2008
Not rubbish. How could any Emmy Lou Harris album ever be, but be returning to producer Brian Ahern, she has effectively gone back to the sound if her 1976 album "Quarter Moon in a Ten Cent Town", and that's one step too far back to the future. After the progressive nature of her last three albums, Emmylou has obviously decided she doesn't want her rock fans any more, and to say the same thing again,she's gone backwards.

Make no mistake though, this album is beautifully played and exquisitely sung (who would have expected anything else) but after a few listens, I can't remember any of the songs.

A huge disappointment, and if in any doubt buy "Quarter Moon", it's fabulous.

They say there's ne progress in this kind of music, and here's the proof

Exceptional, 26 Jun 2008
Rapidly shaping up to be one of the best of 2008, this is probably Emmylou Harris's best record since Spyboy, although stylistically it is closer to Wrecking Ball, and I have to add that there was nothing at all wrong with the intervening works.

It was a well-placed, curiosity-pricking ad for Spyboy, Harris's 1998 live album, that got me started. Until then I'd only had a vague regard for the "country" genre. After, I was hooked, and was amazed at her ubiquity, finding her making appearances with Lucinda Williams, Nanci Griffith, Rodney Crowell, Sheryl Crow, Dolly Parton and Linda Ronstadt, as well as being the driving force behind the Gram Parsons tribute The Return Of The Grievous Angel (Brilliant. I don't care what the reviewers say).

And they return the compliment, with Dolly here joining Harris on Gold, their voices intertwining perfectly.

Emmylou Harris is not, of course, just about country. The rhythm section she brought to London in the wake of Spyboy would not, on the evidence of their jamming mid-concert, have looked out of place with Herbie Hancock. Ricky Skaggs, at one time part of Harris's band, remarked rather petulantly of her more recent music that it was "not country", but all of it, country and otherwise, shares a cabinet with Miles Davis, Joni Mitchell and The Clash in my world. The label is everything and nothing.

But though country is, I guess, what this latest offering is closer to, what counts is that the songs, music and production add up to an exceptional experience.

Songs first. Some great originals; some superb covers. Standouts in the latter category are Merle Haggard's Kern River; Billy Joe Shaver's Old Five And Dimers Like Me; and a totally stunning version of Tracy Chapman's All That You H