Customer Reviews

Sara Watkins

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

It is true that much of this album is on the quiet side-- but there's a lot there if you delve. Not as experimental as her Nickel Creek bandmate Chris Thile's solos-- and if her voice bears comparison to Alison Kraus, there's a different, somewhat 'bluer' aspect, kinship with Gillian Welch (who guests here). The most striking tracks for me are the sad and gorgeous 'Pony' by Tom Waits (almost an update of 'Old Paint,' but with some kind of modern twists), the lovingly rendered simple Gospel of 'Give Me Jesus,'the spare, beautiful ballad closer 'Where Will You Be,' and the Celtic drone in the short but powerful 'Bygones.' A few are more pop, and nice more upbeat renderings of 'Long Hot Summer Day' and 'Any Old Time." Though I like 'em, I wish the instrumentals were a little more expansive/experimental--
but effective interludes in the context of the whole album. I also like the layered (if mostly unplugged), subtle accompaniment. The gentle 'acoustic' sheen may make the album seem very slight: for me though it definitely rewards repeated listens, revealing much each time.

Nickel Creek's appeal was a youthful, fresh, crisp, clean approach to both folk and bluegrass. They did each style well. Sara's style leans far to the folk side and the quality is as good as ever. The foot stomping rhythms are there at times, but the more delicate vocals and fiddle work are the centerpiece. The album's melodies are complex, addictive, and exceed what any artist should be able to produce for their first solo album. The album is peppered with hooks, yet full of depth. Every song on the album feels new and more original than your typical folk album. Sara Watkins' album pulls off the same thing Nickel Creek did for bluegrass, a broader appeal, a fresh sound, and a new perspective on what young singer-songwriters can do.

Like many fans, I was pretty broken up when Nickel Creek stopped playing together. When I heard Sara Watkins had a CD coming, I was pretty certain I was going to get it.

The CD's a little quieter than I'd hoped for, yet, there are some brilliant spots. Love the bluesy spiritual feel of "Long Hot Summer Day." "Pony" almost brought me to tears. Then again, what can I say--it's Tom Waits. "Lord Won't you Help Me" is a great road song and it's good to hear Watkins with Gillian Welch.

If you're a fan of Nickel Creek and just want a fix, getting Sara Watkins' CD isn't such a bad idea. If you enjoy bluesy-roots music, you're also going to like this collection.

Rebecca Kyle, August 2009

In Nickel Creek's albums it was clear that Sara Watkins had a very unique and wonderful voice, and those songs where she was handed the reins were always quite excellent (such as "Tomorrow Is a Long Time" and "Anthony" from Nickel Creek's "Why Should the Fire Die?"). So I was curious to see how she would do in her first solo effort.

I'll start with the songs themselves, which sadly are not up to the level I would have hoped. The majority of the songs are rather standard country fare, slow-ish bittersweet ballads, which while sounding nice don't really stand out and frankly start to all sound alike. Where Nickel Creek's albums were innovative and flowing, this album's song choices are restrained and seem stuck in one style. The two instrumentals (Frederick and Jefferson) are pretty good, but I enjoy that type of music and it may not be for everyone.

There are only two songs which break away from the somewhat plodding style of the rest of the album. The first, "Long Hot Summer Days", works magnificently and is the highlight of the album. It's more up tempo than the rest of the album, has a lot of interesting things happening in it instrumentation-wise, and really is the perfect vehicle for demonstrating what is enjoyable about Watkins' vocals. This was exactly the type of song I was hoping for from this album. The second, "Too Much", unfortunately breaks the other direction. It's easily the most "poppy" of any of the songs, and frankly seems completely out of place. Unfortunately, it's also not very good. This song probably would be a train wreck with most artists, and while Watkins' vocals sort of save it, they don't do so entirely.

So the songs themselves fall short and if this review were on the merits of the song choices alone, it would be lower than 3 stars. However, Sara Watkins' vocals save this album from being a clunker. I was concerned that in this album they might smooth out her voice through production and thus eliminate what's makes her sound unique. Thankfully this did not occur, they left the wrinkles in, and that's a very good thing. Her vocals are solid throughout the album and manage to keep the listener interested, and manage to breathe life into a song set that is otherwise fairly lifeless.

The result of this is an album that while nice to listen to, is nothing to write home about. If you like Sara Watkins' vocals, you'll probably enjoy it. It's an okay first album, but I do hope for improvement in song selection in her future efforts.

I was barely aware of Nickel Creek before, and in this case I think it is a good thing.

I love Sara Watkins's voice. She reminds me a little of Sally Dworsky, and coincidentally both came to my attention via Prairie Home Companion.

The songs are gentle, melancholy, and the musicianship is really excellent. Sometimes the strings sound Scandinavian to me.

This is a fine, mature effort with a new sound (to me, anyway). Highly recommended.

if you like buddy and julie miller, gillian welch, allison kraus, justin townes earle or lucinda williams you will love this album. its too bad that these people do not get any promotion because they make the best recorded music and you do not want to miss their live sets.

Sara has really hit her stride! Her musicianship is at the top and her vocals, already spectacular are developing into a real force! A most wonderful collection of tracks.

I bought Sara's CD for my road trip through the beautiful state parks in Northern Minnesota. The tunes were a perfect back drop for the quiet, piney vistas and will always remind me of that perfectly peaceful trip along the blue-sky shores of Lake Superior. While there are definite parallels to Alison Krauss and even Dolly Parton, I agree there's something earthier in her voice that is somehow respectful TO the songs. For instance, there's something particularly soothing about "Pony." She handles it with loving care. She doesn't just sing the songs, she sort of paints them. I can't describe it any other way.

Sara Watkins has created a respectable solo album, after many years as a 1/3 part of the trilogy which made up the Nicklecreek singer/songwriters. Her voice is airy, clear, and delicate, perfectly tailored to her own compositions - especially effective are "All This Time", "My Friend", and "Will We Go". She also quite beautifully, and effectively, sings other's songs, most particularly - Jon Brion's "Same Mistakes", Jimmie Rodger's "Any Old Time", and Tom Wait's "Pony". She is less successful with faster, rougher music - "Long Hot Summer Days" and "Too Much" really overwhelm her voice, and the 2 instrumentals are okay, but not great. Yes, Sara's an excellent fiddle player, but "Freiderick" and "Jefferson" are too short. They seem more experimental, rather than important musical contributions. All in all, a pretty good CD, a good beginning for Sara as a soloist.

I've bought all of Nickel Creek's major releases and many of their side project albums, as well. This holds up well against any of those.

Of course she has a beautiful voice and is a great fiddler.

It is definitely softer and more country, folk or Americana than NC's latest album. Those slower songs, after a few listens, really shine. There's a beauty in there that is easily overlooked.