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Wednesday 30 April 2014

Wrecking Ball

Emmylou's 1985 album Wrecking Ball has been featuring recently on the radio as a re-issue is currently on the go with the usual marketing gimmicks which are associated with such occasions.
Emmylou was revered as a country institution when this, her 18th studio album, was released when she was 48.
However rather than playing it safe Emmylou,who has always been willing to experiment, opted for something different from the norm with an album produced by Daniel Lanois  with mainly covers of songs by the likes of Steve Earle, Neil Young and Lucinda Williams all of whom appear on the album.
Although it was critically acclaimed winning the 1996 Grammy for Best Contemporary Folk Recording it is fair to say that it did not go down well with some of the purists amongst her country fans.
Indeed when I went to see her performing this at Glasgow's Royal Concert Hall a few members of the audience actually walked out.
Country's answer to the Bob Dylan 1966 Manchester Free Trade Hall concert and the cries of "Judas" when he went electric!
A great album and one well worth revisiting or checking out if you are not familiar with it.

Here are a couple of tracks - one written by Emmylou, Lanois and Dave Olney followed by a cover of a Gillian Welch song from her Revival album.

Emmylou Harris - Deeper Well

Emmylou Harris - Orphan Girl

2 comments:

  1. Wrecking Ball is a great album

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  2. I recall this album being on constant rotation on our "country mornings" when I worked in record stores. Still sounds great today.

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