Time (The Revelator)
Gillian Welch (Acony Records)

There is something so meditative and real in this recording that I return to it again and again, and for me it is the only real lasting legacy of that whole O Brother thing. Fame doesn't phase me, but if I ever met Gillian Welch, I would probably turn into an incoherent idiot. David Rawlings, Gillian's other half, is a highly original guitarist who can allude more atmosphere with a few well-chosen notes than Steven Spielberg can conjure with an entire special effects team. Lyrically this is a sometimes desolate recording, evoking some of the saddest imagery of an America in decline, but walking that road with Welch and Rawlings brings a humanity that makes it feel like everything will be alright afterall.

Those familiar with Down From The Mountain, the documentary that followed O Brother and featured the artists from that film's soundtrack, will recognize the live performance of "I Want to Sing that Rock and Roll" included here, and the burning old-school guitar solo that Rawlings lays down to great applause. Throughout this and their other recordings (Revival, Hell Among the Yearlings, and Soul Journey) there is an almost perfect marriage of music and lyric. Welch and Rawlings have very close vocal ranges, and as a result their harmonies convey an unusual intimacy, often feeling like one person singing two parts. This intimacy is carried into the music itself, which is understated but often complex as Rawlings dances around Welch's guitar with his subtle runs and dissonances. In "My First Lover," Welch even manages to use clawhammer banjo to lend the song a raw, almost sexy, drive that matches the spirit of the lyrics perfectly.

Gillian Welch and David Rawlings are truly one of the best songwriting teams working today, and though I have heard their material covered by other musicians, I always prefer the way they perform their own music. Time (The Revelator) is just them, doing what they do best.

GB

 

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