10339 - PATTY GRIFFIN - SERVANT OF LOVE (2015)
PATTY GRIFFIN
''SERVANT OF LOVE''
SEPTEMBER 25 2015
52:08
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1 Servant Of Love 05:06
2 Gunpowder 04:22
3 Good And Gone 03:12
4 Hurt A Little While 04:06
5 250,000 Miles 04:32
6 Made Of The Sun 03:55
7 Everything's Changed 03:42
8 Rider Of Days 03:31
9 There Isn't One Way 04:03
10 Noble Ground 04:06
11 Snake Charmer 02:33
12 You Never Asked Me 03:38
13 Shine A Different Way 05:17
All Tracks By Griffin
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Conrad Choucroun/Drums
Shawn Colvin/Vocals, Vocals (Background)
John Deaderick/Accordion, Piano
Patty Griffin/Mandolin, Piano, Vocals
Scrappy Jud Newcombe/Guitar (Electric)
Ephraim Owens/Trumpet
David Pulkingham/Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric)
Craig Ross/Bass, Drones, Drums, Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Baritone), Organ
Lindsey Verrill/Bowed Bass
Ralph White/Kalimba
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REVIEW/AMG
Mark Deming
Patty Griffin has always been an artist fearlessly, eagerly willing to follow her muse wherever it may take her, and few artists can bare their souls in the recording studio with such compelling results. For her ninth studio album, 2015's Servant of Love, Griffin has given herself more creative freedom than ever before, as it's the first release from PGM Recordings, her own independent label. While Servant of Love doesn't sound like an album she couldn't have made for one of her former sponsors, it is a bravely eclectic, often enigmatic work that doesn't announce all its attentions at first glance, but allows Griffin to use her lyrics and voice to communicate a soulful style that's as much about tone as the literal message of the verses. As the title suggests, Servant of Love is, for the most part, a collection of songs about love, but these are not love songs per se. Instead, these tunes ponder the mysteries of attraction (the title song), the downsides of failing relationships ("Hurt a Little While" and "Good and Gone"), the love of a mother for her child ("250,000 Miles"), the power of physical attraction ("Snake Charmer"), and the nexus where love and spirituality meet ("Shine a Different Way" and "There Isn't One Way"). The circular patterns of "250,000 Miles," "Made of the Sun," and "Everything's Changed" suggest Eastern modalities finding a common ground with American folk and blues, while Ephraim Owens' trumpet on "Gunpowder" and "Servant of Love" adds an earthy jazz undertow to the arrangements, which takes this album just outside the boundaries of rootsy Americana. And though some of the tunes are whisper quiet while others howl like a honky tonk on Saturday night, Griffin knows just how hard to hit the material whatever the surroundings, and her vocals are emotionally intelligent and expressive throughout, while Griffin and producer Craig Ross coax some splendid performances from their session crew. Servant of Love is an album that needs a few spins to be fully appreciated, but it's as sincere, heartfelt, and artful as anything Griffin has released to date, and if the form may seem elusive to some listeners, the content is powerful and satisfying, a reminder of why Patty Griffin is one of our best singer/songwriters.
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BIOGRAPHY/AMG
Craig Harris
The youngest of seven children, Patty Griffin grew up hearing her mother sing while doing housework and her grandmother's family sing on the front porch at night. In addition to listening intently to the Beatles, Griffin was fascinated by the music of Bruce Springsteen and Rickie Lee Jones. Although she acquired a $50 guitar and began writing songs at the age of 16, Griffin gave little thought to a career as a musician. After living in Florida for nearly two years, Griffin moved to Boston and married, and while her husband encouraged her to perform, she spent most of her time waitressing. However, upon her divorce in 1992, Griffin found herself on her own and began to perform in Boston-area coffeehouses. She quickly attracted attention to her well-crafted songs and gutsy vocals. After Griffin's over-produced demo tape reached the ears of a talent scout, she was encouraged to re-record it with just her guitar and voice. Within six months, the redone demo resulted in Griffin being offered a recording contract with A&M. The tape was later released as Griffin's debut, Living With Ghosts, and inspired comparisons with recordings by Tori Amos and Alanis Morissette. Griffin's second album, Flaming Red, was released in 1998. Both records showcased the poetic lyricism, bluesy alto vocals, and melodic guitar picking that defined her style and brought her admiration. Four years later, Griffin appeared with a modest acoustic effort entitled 1,000 Kisses. While touring in support of the album in 2002, Griffin documented behind-the-scenes footage for a future DVD collection. A Kiss in Time, which appeared in October 2003, included coverage of the tour, interviews, and two full-length videos. A separate disc capturing Griffin's live stint at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium accompanied the package. Artists such as Lisa Germano, Emmylou Harris, and Buddy & Julie Miller joined Griffin for the recording of her fourth album, Impossible Dream, which appeared in April 2004. Almost three years later, Children Running Through was released. Griffin's sixth full-length outing, the gospel-infused Downtown Church, was recorded in Nashville's Downtown Presbyterian Church, and arrived in January 2010.
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WIKIPEDIA
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WEBSITE
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TO THE TOP
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''SERVANT OF LOVE''
SEPTEMBER 25 2015
52:08
**********
1 Servant Of Love 05:06
2 Gunpowder 04:22
3 Good And Gone 03:12
4 Hurt A Little While 04:06
5 250,000 Miles 04:32
6 Made Of The Sun 03:55
7 Everything's Changed 03:42
8 Rider Of Days 03:31
9 There Isn't One Way 04:03
10 Noble Ground 04:06
11 Snake Charmer 02:33
12 You Never Asked Me 03:38
13 Shine A Different Way 05:17
All Tracks By Griffin
**********
Conrad Choucroun/Drums
Shawn Colvin/Vocals, Vocals (Background)
John Deaderick/Accordion, Piano
Patty Griffin/Mandolin, Piano, Vocals
Scrappy Jud Newcombe/Guitar (Electric)
Ephraim Owens/Trumpet
David Pulkingham/Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric)
Craig Ross/Bass, Drones, Drums, Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Baritone), Organ
Lindsey Verrill/Bowed Bass
Ralph White/Kalimba
**********
REVIEW/AMG
Mark Deming
Patty Griffin has always been an artist fearlessly, eagerly willing to follow her muse wherever it may take her, and few artists can bare their souls in the recording studio with such compelling results. For her ninth studio album, 2015's Servant of Love, Griffin has given herself more creative freedom than ever before, as it's the first release from PGM Recordings, her own independent label. While Servant of Love doesn't sound like an album she couldn't have made for one of her former sponsors, it is a bravely eclectic, often enigmatic work that doesn't announce all its attentions at first glance, but allows Griffin to use her lyrics and voice to communicate a soulful style that's as much about tone as the literal message of the verses. As the title suggests, Servant of Love is, for the most part, a collection of songs about love, but these are not love songs per se. Instead, these tunes ponder the mysteries of attraction (the title song), the downsides of failing relationships ("Hurt a Little While" and "Good and Gone"), the love of a mother for her child ("250,000 Miles"), the power of physical attraction ("Snake Charmer"), and the nexus where love and spirituality meet ("Shine a Different Way" and "There Isn't One Way"). The circular patterns of "250,000 Miles," "Made of the Sun," and "Everything's Changed" suggest Eastern modalities finding a common ground with American folk and blues, while Ephraim Owens' trumpet on "Gunpowder" and "Servant of Love" adds an earthy jazz undertow to the arrangements, which takes this album just outside the boundaries of rootsy Americana. And though some of the tunes are whisper quiet while others howl like a honky tonk on Saturday night, Griffin knows just how hard to hit the material whatever the surroundings, and her vocals are emotionally intelligent and expressive throughout, while Griffin and producer Craig Ross coax some splendid performances from their session crew. Servant of Love is an album that needs a few spins to be fully appreciated, but it's as sincere, heartfelt, and artful as anything Griffin has released to date, and if the form may seem elusive to some listeners, the content is powerful and satisfying, a reminder of why Patty Griffin is one of our best singer/songwriters.
**********
BIOGRAPHY/AMG
Craig Harris
The youngest of seven children, Patty Griffin grew up hearing her mother sing while doing housework and her grandmother's family sing on the front porch at night. In addition to listening intently to the Beatles, Griffin was fascinated by the music of Bruce Springsteen and Rickie Lee Jones. Although she acquired a $50 guitar and began writing songs at the age of 16, Griffin gave little thought to a career as a musician. After living in Florida for nearly two years, Griffin moved to Boston and married, and while her husband encouraged her to perform, she spent most of her time waitressing. However, upon her divorce in 1992, Griffin found herself on her own and began to perform in Boston-area coffeehouses. She quickly attracted attention to her well-crafted songs and gutsy vocals. After Griffin's over-produced demo tape reached the ears of a talent scout, she was encouraged to re-record it with just her guitar and voice. Within six months, the redone demo resulted in Griffin being offered a recording contract with A&M. The tape was later released as Griffin's debut, Living With Ghosts, and inspired comparisons with recordings by Tori Amos and Alanis Morissette. Griffin's second album, Flaming Red, was released in 1998. Both records showcased the poetic lyricism, bluesy alto vocals, and melodic guitar picking that defined her style and brought her admiration. Four years later, Griffin appeared with a modest acoustic effort entitled 1,000 Kisses. While touring in support of the album in 2002, Griffin documented behind-the-scenes footage for a future DVD collection. A Kiss in Time, which appeared in October 2003, included coverage of the tour, interviews, and two full-length videos. A separate disc capturing Griffin's live stint at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium accompanied the package. Artists such as Lisa Germano, Emmylou Harris, and Buddy & Julie Miller joined Griffin for the recording of her fourth album, Impossible Dream, which appeared in April 2004. Almost three years later, Children Running Through was released. Griffin's sixth full-length outing, the gospel-infused Downtown Church, was recorded in Nashville's Downtown Presbyterian Church, and arrived in January 2010.
**********
WIKIPEDIA
**********
WEBSITE
**********
TO THE TOP
**********