There are few albums as of late that have rooted themselves so deep within the subconscious of my mind. The Harrow and the Harvest, as the title suggests from Gillian Welch and her partner Dave Rawlings, has the ability to unearth the most casual listener and sow deep fruits of sadness within the soul. In an interview with Fresh Air host Terry Gross, Welch comments, "We've half-jokingly said that this record is 10 different kinds of sad."
And it is. With its stark melodies and lyrics that highlight the sadness in America's small towns, the unfulfilled expectations, disappointments, and resignations to "That's the Way That it Goes" this album, after 8 years since Welch's last album release, is a beautiful, sorrowful Americana masterpiece. One such lyric, "Some girls are bright as the morning, some girls are blessed with a dark turn of mind" says it all.
Gillian Welch and her partner Dave Rawlings will play this Tuesday, 7:30, at The Brown Theater; tickets are $29.50. This should be an intimate show and one not to miss as this album has already been placed on many lists for album of the year. My husband and I witnessed Rawlings and Welch last year at Headliners and couldn't stop talking about it for weeks. The stoic, haunting voice from Welch, the masterful vocal and guitar melodies from Rawlings--their synergism is scary. What can be accomplished with a simple duet is magical. Tickets are still available for a night of American roots, for a night to celebrate the mercurial side to life, for a night to remember.
Photo: maniadb.com
