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Gillian Welch - Hell Among The Yearlings Audio CD

A fair review of the Gillian Welch "Hell Among The Yearlings" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all Gillian Welch reviews here, or go back to the Gillian Welch tabs.

Gillian Welch Band: Gillian Welch
Title: Hell Among The Yearlings
Rating:
Release Date: 1998-07-28
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Caleb Meyer 2: Good Til Now 3: Devil Had a Hold of Me 4: My Morphine 5: One Morning 6: Miner's Refrain 7: Honey Now 8: I'm Not Afraid to Die 9: Rock of Ages 10: Whiskey Girl 11: Winter's Come and Gone

Once Again, She'll Be Coming Around The Mountain
The points made there aplly here as well. The bulk of this review has also been used to review Gillian Welch's "Revival". Although that effort was slightly superior than the CD reviewed here.

*******

The Carter Family, Maybelle and Sara Carter, June Carter Cash, Jean Ritchie and so on. What they all have in common is that they form part of the line of our common mountain music heritage. I am sure that there are others whom I could have included without doing an injustice but I wanted to make this point. Just as the folk revivalists of the 1960's searched for roots musicians (once they knew they were still alive and kicking and waiting, just waiting, for a second chance) to emulate and then extend those musical traditions today there is a need for develop a new generation of mountain music singers. That task has been made infinitely easier by the emergence over the past decade or so of Gilliam Welch in order to keep this mournful mountain music alive. This CD under review, "Revival", from 1996 is my prima facie case for that last statement.

I do not, honestly, know the details of this singer's background although I have heard that she is from some upscale background in California. And that is the rub here. Before I knew that information, whether it is true or not, I would have sworn on that proverbial stack of bibles that she was from the hills and hollows of Harlan County, Kentucky or somewhere nearby. That gives her plenty of credibility in my circles. What gives her more, much more is her voice and her song selection as she goes through the mountain women's litany of troubles: not enough money, two many kids, a hard-drinking, two- fisted man who takes out his frustrations on . . . well you know the rest. And then there are the songs of lost, like "Orphan Girl" (the first song of Ms. Welch's that I ever heard), longing and, of course, out in those lonely hills facing an inscrutable god, death. Stand outs here are the gruesome "Caleb Meyer" and the soulful "Miner's Refrain". Welcome to the mountain music tradition. .


Modern "Old-Time" and "New Grass" Meets the Blues
At first, I didn't listen to this one because her other CDs had higher ratings overall in the reviews. I heard of Gillian Welch through the "O Brother" movie and soundtrack (one of the "sirens"), and began to listen to cuts off some of her CDs. But, when I decided to listen, I was immediately hooked. I bought the CD and haven't been disappointed in the least. As a matter of fact, this one grows on me the more I hear it. Gillian has a "lazy" style on this that is perfect for those moody-weather days (or any others for that fact). She combines "old-time", "new grass" and "blues-flavor" in a modern, acoustic (except for one song) fashion that is addictive. I hope she does more work like this CD!.


New Favorite!!!!!!
She blew me away!!! This amazing vocalist and musician was by far one of the best I have ever heard. I never new of Gillian Welch until I went to a concert in Berkeley,CA recently. She brings so many emotions with her music. The instruments are soulfinding. Her voice is unbelievable. A must have for anyone who appreciates heartfelt, beautiful music.


New Yorker Profile
Google "Gillian Welch" "New Yorker". There is a great profile of Welch and Rawlings in the New Yorker titled "The Ghostly Ones".


Gillian Welch's Pinnacle Album
Gillian Welch's sophomore album, Hell Among The Yearlings, has to be her best in my best opinion. What do you get listening to a Gillian Welch recording? You get a collection of heartfelt, melodic, simple, and beautiful songs that range from melancholy to inspiring.

Welch teams up on most songs with her partner in crime, David Rawlings. . whom (if you've seen this guy, i'm sure you'll agree) is an absolute magician on the guitar. It is such a treat to see these two perform live (or on tv, like I've seen them). The two work so well together. As much as I love Gillian Welch's music, I have to credit David Rawlings for giving it that extra special touch.

Best tracks here include, in no special order, My Morphine, Good Til Now, Miner's Refrain, Winter's Come and Gone, and I'm Not Afraid to Die. Buy this cd, it is her best. Her last cd, Soul Journey, was a departure from her previous works, and is alright. But I definitely hope for something like "Yearlings" on her next effort.


You can see a complete list of all Gillian Welch discography, or go back to the Gillian Welch tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.

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