Dust Bowl Symphony

London Symphony Orchestra, Nanci Griffith | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 14, 1999)
• Original Release Date: September 14, 1999
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Elektra / Wea
• ASIN: B00000K3GT
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (43 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #33,029 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not a "must have," but fun., May 15, 2000

By 

H. Johnson "Hal Johnson" (Bella Vista, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Dust Bowl Symphony (Audio CD)

I bought "The Dust Bowl Symphony" out of curiosity, not because of any burning desire to hear Ms. Griffith accompanied by an orchestra. My favorite memory of Nanci Griffith will always be from the night I discovered her at a concert in the mid-eighties: She opened for John Prine, and stepped out with only her guitar. I was floored by her talent, and became an instant fan.

Perhaps because I discovered Nanci during a solo tour, my favorite recording of hers by far has always been "One Fair Summer Evening," a live recording in which the musical accompaniment consisted only of her guitar and the keyboards of the rock-solid James Hooker. While I've always enjoyed her studio efforts, by comparison the results have always seemed overproduced to varying degrees.

Thus, when I brought "The Dust Bowl Symphony" home, I was predisposed to agree with Steven Solder's review: I was convinced that Ms. Griffith's splendid voice would be "smothered" in the orchestral arrangement. I was pleasantly surprised, however. The mix is well done, and for the most part, intrudes less on the richness of Nanci's voice than is the case in some previous studio recordings.

That said, I wouldn't point to this CD as a "must have" for new Nanci Griffith fans. I'd give the nod to "One Fair Summer Evening" or "Flyer" instead. Still, this recording hardly ranks as an "awkward tumble," as Mr. Stolder maintains. And, since the CD consists largely of re-worked fan favorites, I suspect that most long-time Nanci Griffith followers will find "The Dust Bowl Symphony" enjoyable, and perhaps, pretty doggone fun.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Almost, but not quite., December 9, 1999

By 

Fred Waltman - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dust Bowl Symphony (Audio CD)

I am a long time Nanci Griffith fan. I really like her voice and her songs. The problem I had with this album is that her voice just does not go well with a full orchestra -- it tends to get lost. It would have been better to have a smaller group -- a chamber orchestra. My other complaint is related -- the vocals didn't have the 'bite' that I'm used to (thats not the right word but I can't think of a better one). Her songs have been about personal trials, triumphs and tribulations. Its like she sings to me personally. You can't get that same feeling when there's another 100 people (the orchestra) in the room.

I give it three stars because I still love to listen to her voice. For people not familiar with her music I'd recommend another album.

Oh, and the version of 'Its a Hard Life Where Ever You Go' is horrible -- you can't hardly hear it with the drums pounding.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars 4 1/2 Stars-It Really brings out the beauty of Nanci's songs, September 28, 2000

By 

M. Wilson "holzhaacker" (Atlanta, GA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dust Bowl Symphony (Audio CD)

I must admit that when I first heard of this album, I was really skeptical that Nanci could a) pull off an album with a full orchestra without getting covered up with the orchestration and b) do any of her songs further justice with an orchestra. But she has proven me wrong! Unlike her last two studio albums, which have been sub-par in my mind, she really shines on this album. The orchestrations are lush without being over-indulgent. While the orchestra takes away some of the earthy folkiness of some of the original versions of these songs, it definitely brings out the poetic beauty of her songs in a way that the studio could not...but without losing any of the honesty. Most of her songs simply soar with a new sense of majesty on this album. I will say though, that this album is much better appreciated after you've heard the original versions of these songs. So, this is definitely a disc for longtime nanci fans. First timers should try Flyer or Other Voices Other Rooms...or One Fair Summer Evening to get a taste of Nanci at her best before hearing this one. But, I heartily recommend this CD to anyone who just appreciates good honest music.