Gillian Welch
Time (The Revelator)
(Acony)

The princess of No Depression is back, on her own label thanks to those clods at the Big Brother Musical Society (otherwise known as Universal/Polygram). Long-time partner David Rawlings is at her flank; together they recorded Time (The Revelator) in the historic RCA Studio B, where The King still lingers in the air.

Some of the ten tendered tracks, such as the charming throwback, "I Want To Sing That Rock and Roll," sound somewhat muffled, almost as is they were coming through a watery tunnel or possibly through the thin walls of some dusty roadside flophouse. At first it’s off-centering, but as the album takes up residence in one’s skull, their distance becomes that of comfort and curiosity. Welch wields her fireside voice with simple charm and calm finesse and the compositions are clean and unfettered.

"Red Clay Halo" is the charmer of the bunch, bouncing upon the backwoods porch via carefree banjo and layered, twangy vocals, while the following "April the 14th Part 1," is the most moving, largely because Welch uses her pretty voice and fills it full of serene sadness. "Ruination Day Part 2" sounds like a traditional murder ballad, partially due to its borrowing a bit of "This Train," while the following "Everything is Free" conjures up images of Neil Young at a mellow campout. We need artists like Gillian Welch to remind us that the past is not dead as long as we can find it in the present. –Scott D. Lewis

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