Ashes to Dust

William Elliott Whitmore | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 22, 2005)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Southern Records
• ASIN: B00074WMR8
• Also Available in: Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #163,882 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars redirection makes perfect, April 30, 2005

By 

Andrew D. Nelson "The Boy-Dean" (Texas City, TX USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Ashes to Dust (Audio CD)

I can certainly hear the Tom Waits references, but there's no Beat Generation at work here at all. Captain Beefheart is a better click, especially thinking about CB's almost-mainstream "Clear Spot" album. WEW has a much less rangy voice than the Captain's 4 1/2 octaves, and his lyrical concerns are much less arty/underground, though burials do figure prominently...

What I liked best about this album was its fondness for the subject matter of working folks, but not in a studied, academic or ironic sense. While I like the Be Good Tanyas, for instance, they often irritate me, in part because I hear so much Holy Modal Rounders in their arrangements and even vocals. Both of these groups approach their work with an irreverence that often gets in the way of the song itself (of course, the Rounders were designed to be stoner "acid folk", which is an excuse if you actually lived through that errrrrra).

"Ashes to Dust" presents a decidedly mature take on old things. WEW is not a songster who takes on personas (Dylan, Springsteen), because there is always the sense that he is the guy in the song. Pretty hard to pull off and he does it on every cut this album. The arrangements are simple and contemporary, with his playing being noticeably improved over "Hymns." I love "Sorest Eye," "Hub Cale" and "Heart in Your Hand" in particular, with the latter's lines "You're a rainstorm, a fire and a trainwreck/All wrapped up in ribbons and lace" being up for an alltime-country writing award--both my male and female friends like the whole idea of that line, for the same reasons. This is really one hell of an album, and the growth Whitmore has shown makes me anxious to see what he does next. Duet with Gillian Welch? Mercy.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Impressive sophomore effort, June 9, 2005

By 

Thomas L. Hall (San Joaquin Valley, CA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Ashes to Dust (Audio CD)

This is powerful stuff. Whitmore has the idiosyncratic voice of an unholy fusion of Tom Waits, John Prine and Townes van Zandt. What the hell, a little of Larry McMurtry thrown in, too. His instrumental sense is reminiscent of the Harry Smith Anthology, that is sparse and unadorned. He is singing the blues but not what one would expect from a rural Iowan who is not yet thirty years old. My wife was very surprised when I told her that and she feels he is likely a reincarnated "old soul." This album is not for everybody but my wife, who despises Tom Waits and generally doesn't care for the blues, was favorably impressed as I obviously am.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars SAW HIM LIVE...UNBELIEVABLE!!!!, January 23, 2006

By 

William R. Schmidt "Ironman44" (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Ashes to Dust (Audio CD)

I just saw William Elliot Whitmore Live the other day near Chicago and I have to say he sounds exactly like his CD, but it is more amazing to see him live, he commands the audience and no one can speak a work once he opens his mouth. If you do not own any of his work then i suggest that you go and buy the best new artist around! ....and if I could give more than 5 stars I would