Emmylou Harris

Wrecking Ball

Incredible. One of the best albums of the 90's.

Review Score:

(10/10)
I first heard these songs on a college radio station and on an appearance Emmylou Harris made on the World Cafe (an eclectic music show on NPR). Emmylou Harris had always been a country singer to me and my experience with country was limited. But hearing that voice against Daniel Lanois's atmospheric production was a revelation. This album defies classification. The tunes, the lyrics, the production, and the performances are all incredible. Themes of redemption, sin, and transcendence recur throughout, though many of the songs weren't written by Harris or Lanois. Unlike many country and folk singers (Not to mention Top 40 and "Adult Contemporary" performers), Harris does not choose covers at random. This record is put together to be taken as a cohesive whole, sonically, musically, and lyrically. I have since had the pleasure of hearing much of Harris's other work since purchasing this album, and much of it is very good. I'm inclined to beleive her voice is like that of Roy Orbison's, though. It seems to improve with age. The fragility and weariness of her voice on this record and Red Dirt Girl are a cut above her previous work and make them more captivating to me. Give it a listen and you'll understand

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