Review:

on 2011-09-15 Bertman Said:

The mistress of morose lyrics treads on familiar ground with a gorgous new album of emotionally exposed songs. Gillian Welch sings about loss and despair with a world weary voice as warm and as comfortably inviting as your favorite flannel shirt.

Welch once again collaborates with guitarist Dave Rawlings and hits paydirt in the process. Scarlet Town has the audio trip beginning in Appalachia and shows off Rawlings brilliant accompaniment. Dark Turn of Mind is a country blues which easily rolls and sways. The way That it Goes chronicles heartache and failure at every turn without pausing to let it sink in.

This is as simple and stripped down a release as can be made, with 2 guitars, banjo, bass and hand held percussion when there is any; this austerity adding emphasis to Welch's commanding voice. Welch proves herself once again to be one of the most important voices in the contemporary Americana movement.

The intimacy conveyed in these recordings makes the listener feel as though he's next door, listening to the band warm up. Listening to her lament and bewail every misfortune possible, who'd ever believe tragedy could sound so sweet?
Rating: 8/10