Customer Reviews

Western Wall: The Tucson Sessions

5 star:		(70)
4 star:		(30)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(11)
1 star:		(12)

 

 

As a huge fan of Emmylous Harris and a frequent admirer of Linda Rondstadt, I snatched this disc up immediately. While I enjoyed their work with Dolly Parton on the "Trio" efforts--Parton still can, quite frankly, sing both these women into the ground, at least when she's not laying the sentimentality and schmaltz on too thick--I enjoy this album even more. That has to do both with the sublime song selection and with the gorgous arrangements--even tired old warhorses like "For a Dancer" and "Sisters of Mercy" sound fresh here, thanks, in part, to Glyn Johns' shimmering production. As always, Harris is a paragon of taste, brandishing her slightly cracked soprano with a grace that is breathtaking. Rondstadt, whose voice has deepened through the years, occassionally slips into thoughtless belting (always her downfall) but, for the most part, offers glorious tones that meld with Harris' to ravishing effect. Her version of Sinead O'Connor's "This is to Mother You" is absolutely lovely, one of the many highlights here. With backup from Neil Young and the McGarrigle sisters, and additional songs from Bruce Springsteen, Patty Griffin, Patti Sciafla, and Roseanne Cash, this is that rare album: tasteful, exciting, heartfelt and lavish all at once. I cannot recommend this highly enough.

Being a longtime Linda Ronstadt fan, as well as a very devoted Emmylou Harris fan, I anxiously awaited this CD from the time I heard it was being done. When I heard of all the wonderful songwriters contributing to the CD, I was even more excited. Now, after four listens, I am ready to make a few comments but let me first say, I love the CD. The choice of songs is interesting and intelligent and I don't care if there's not a top-40 song on it. I like it and would guess other like-minded people will enjoy it as well. Unlike the recent Trio II CD where my favorite cuts were where Emmylou sang lead, there are several cuts where she sings harmony that I like just as well. Probably my favorite cut is RAISE THE DEAD where Emmylou's vocals are particularly strong. FOR A DANCER (written by Jackson Browne) is fabulous. I'm so glad to hear Linda's voice hasn't diminished in all these years and am also glad to see them recording a song of her old buddy Browne.

LOVING THE HIGHWAY MAN, the first cut on the CD, isn't my favorite but perhaps just because I have to turn down the volume about 20 second into the song! It was interesting to note Emmylou's ex-husband, Paul Kennerley on back-up vocals. And note he actually wrote HE WAS MINE, another great cut with lead vocals by Linda.

The title track, WESTERN WALL, a composition by the talented Rosanne Cash is very nicely done with Linda and Emmylou alternating on lead vocals.

1917 is an interesting song by a songwriter I'm not very familiar with, Paul Olney. I note he has also penned other songs covered by Emmylou and this is an interesting arrangement with a Spanish flair, even though the lyrics allude to a French theme. I would be interested in knowing the background of this hauntingly beautiful song.

SWEET SPOT initially was my least favorite cut off the CD, but even that's growing on me the more I listen. FALLING DOWN is another one I don't care much for -- more the arrangement and the background music overtaking the vocals. Much more likely to appeal to my teenagers than myself, I'm afraid.

Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Springsteen's songwriting skills add a depth to the CD with Patti's VALERIE and The Boss' ACROSS THE BORDER. Both are a welcome addition to the CD.

SISTERS OF MERCY shows the genuis of Leonard Cohen but I'm not that excited about the arrangement. Perhaps this will grow on me as well - I'd like it too.

Sinead O'Connor is an underestimated talent. Her songwriting skills are quite apparent in THIS IS TO MOTHER YOU. What a beautiful song. Another favorite.

ALL I LEFT BEHIND is one of the highlights of the CD. Written by Emmylou along with Kate and Anna McGarrigle with leads by Emmylou and harmony by Linda as wellas Kate and Anna, it reminds me of early Emmylou, and I couldn't be happier to hear something like this on the CD.

All in all, an outstanding CD ( did I ever have any doubt about this?).

I've been a Linda Ronstadt fan for about 20 years (more than half my life), but even I was astounded by the beauty and simplicity of this collaboration. As much as I enjoyed the two Trio albums, this surpasses them in its emotional heft and pure listening enjoyment. A little bit bluegrass, a little bit avant-garde, it's a truly new, original sound -- and that is so difficult to come by in the current cookie-cutter music business. Linda and Emmylou's voices have also never sounded better!

Two of the best vocalists (note the absence of gender qualification) to be found in any genre. And Ronstadt and Harris have surrounded themselves with a stellar supporting cast: Bernie Leadon, Andy Fairweather Low, the McGarrigle Sisters, Neil Young, et. al. Top notch songwriters, too: Jackson Browne, Rosanne Cash, Leonard Cohen and Bruce Springsteen. Even Harris turns in some strong compositions, including the haunting "Raise the Dead." While the songs lyrics make pointed references to Hank WIlliams, Sam Cooke, Bill Monroe and Robert Johnson, the chorus ("I'll never get out of your love alive") has Gram Parsons written all over it.

Some of the tracks ("Loving the Highway Man," "Falling Down") continue the genre-bending approach of Harris's 1995 Wrecking Ball. But most continue more in the vein of 1998's Trio II, which included Dolly Parton. There are sad story-songs ("1917"), songs of lost love ("For a Dancer," "Valerie"), and songs of hope and promise ("Across the Border"). But throughout you get to enjoy the achingly beautiful voices of Harris and Ronstadt. And then add Kate and Anna McGarrigle on tracks like "All I Left Behind" and you'll think you died and are listening to the voices of angels--heavenly! RECOMMENDED

Given that together they have a combined total of nearly seventy years worth of experience, it is stunning that it took Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris this long to finally get together and actually make an album. The result was WESTERN WALL. And while it may not exactly be a perfect album, or even match what these two ladies achieved separately in the 1970s, it is definitely a distinct album. In no way, shape, or form could any listener mistake these two legendary women of country and rock for wanna-bes like Faith Hill or Shania Twain.

As the title says, WESTERN WALL was recorded in Tucson, Arizona, which just so happens to be Linda's hometown. They surrounded themselves with really good songs and songwriters including Emmylou herself (I guess the only flaw in this respect is that Linda didn't try to write; she's more than capable). Although I've always been more of a fan of Linda's than Emmylou's, I can see why these two have been friends for as long as they have been. It shows every time their harmonies come together on songs from writers as diverse as Bruce Springsteen ("Across The Border"), Jackson Browne ("For A Dancer"), Sinead O'Connor ("This Is To Mother") and Patti Griffin ("Falling Down"). They get high-powered help from legendary producer Glyn Johns, and a whole truckload of musician friends: Greg Leisz, Bernie Leadon, Andy Fairweather-Low, and two appearances by their good friend Neil Young. among many others.

The only real conventional cut on the album, though it's still classic in its own way, is "He Was Mine", by Emmylou's ex-husband Paul Kennerley, with Linda on lead vocals; it is an old-school country-rocker with Leisz on pedal steel guitar and Linda at her aching best, as if the clock turned back twenty-five years. Otherwise, however, this is NOT an album that deliberately caters to the masses; those expecting such an album are probably going to come away disappointed. If, however, you really appreciate an alternative to the safe stuff that has been cluttering both pop and country radio for a long time, feel free to climb this Wall. You won't be sorry that you did.

Whenever you see reviews of an album that are as polarized as the reviews are for this one, check it out!! Those listeners expecting Ronstadt and Harris to stay in the same musical box as their previous "Trio" releases will be quite surprised. This music cannot be easily categorized. But it will enter your consciousness and you will find yourself thinking about it long after you've listened to it, and wanting to hear it again. For those who haven't heard it yet, give it a chance. For those who have heard it and dismissed it, listen to it again. For those who have heard it and love it, listen to it again.

This 1999 collaboration between Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt is more folk rock than country in its unique atmospheric sound. It opens with Loving The Highwayman, where the two share lead and harmony vocals. Written by Emmylou, Raise The Dead has her on lead, harmony and electric guitar on a moving tribute to Hank Williams and Bill Monroe.

They lovingly interpret Rosanne Cash's Western Wall, whilst 1917 is a slow melancholy ballad with some lines sung in Latin. The tempo picks up a bit on He Was Mine, a gorgeous display of interweaving voices, and on Sweet Spot, which is a type of brooding rock ballad. For me, the highlight of the album is definitely this evocative cover of Sisters Of Mercy. The simple arrangement does not stray too far from Cohen's original, but the harmonies are exquisite as are the backing vocals by Canadian folk legends Kate and Anna McGarrigle.

The next track, Falling Down is in the big rock ballad mould and is followed by the lilting Valerie, a gripping song of the road. Another highlight of the album is the Sinead O'Connor song This Is To Mother You that gets a fragile and tender treatment. Emmylou's composition, the mostly acoustic All I Left Behind, is very poetic and moving. The album concludes with Bruce Springsteen's Across The Border, a beautiful song of transcendence and hope.

Western Wall is a masterpiece in its execution, but requires some getting used to for devoted fans of Emmylou. Unlike all of her work, from Pieces Of The Sky to Stumble Into Grace, this album entirely lacks Emmylou's characteristic soulful expression. I award it four stars only in comparison to the best of Harris' work; as a folk rock album, it certainly belongs in the five star league next to the work of artists like Richard and Linda Thompson, the McGarrigles and Lucinda Williams.

On October 4 I had the honor of attending Linda and Emmylou's concert in Nashville TN at the Ryman. It was a special concert. Not only the two greatest artists of our generation were singing flawlessly but the venue (The Ryman Auditorium) was the perfect place to witness such great art. This recording is like a masterpiece painting...each time one encounters it..another aspect is exposed. Everytime I play this recording I get deeper appreciation for the artists and their music. The music is haunting. This is a masterpiece.

Western Wall was recorded in Tucson, Arizona. Tucson is surrounded by mountains, (high enough for skiing in winter) and boasts cacti-filled desert 'forests', lush riparian zones, vibrant hispanic and American Indian communities. There is a sense of history nearly everywhere you turn.

Western Wall is alive much like the city where it was recorded. Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt combine to form an organic harmony less forced than on the Trio albums. Ronstadt's warm voice, alternating effortlessly between powerful and tender; perfectly complements Harris' unique sound that manages to be both haggard and delicate.

The material, from such diverse writers as Harris, Leonord Cohen, Springsteen, Jackson Brown, even Sinead O'Connor, fits together effortlessly. Songs like 'Loving the Highwayman', '1917', and 'Across the Border' sound so lived-in and true they might have been folk odes of a century ago.

From the powerful chorus of torment in the opening cut 'Loving the Highwayman' to the idyll of love in the closer 'Acoss the Border', the album is populated by dreamers, broken souls seeking peace, and those who would provide it. The singers embrace these lost and lonely amidst varying musical settings some spare and pure, others echoing the sound of Harris' dreamy, guitar-driven 'Wrecking Ball'. They end up with a work of art that will stay with you a long, glorious time.

This is an excellent album that I still enjoy listening to over and over. Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris has often collaborated together, their voices seem to meant for each other to sing with. Linda's velvety soft voice with Emmylou's songbird type voice, make for a good match. They recorded TRIO albums with Dolly Parton (in fact TRIO II had been released earlier in the year in 1999, even though it was recorded in 1994). However, without Dolly the result is still a great album. WESTERN WALL: THE TUCSON SESSIONS is an interesting collection of cover songs and originals about love and loss. There's some interesting songwriters throughout the set - Patty Griffin, Andy Prieboy, Rosanne Cash, Leonard Cohen, and Bruce Springsteen. I think the best song on the album is the haunting "1917", a song about the soldiers and women in World War I. An interesting cover choice is of Sinead O'Connor's "This Is To Mother You". The sparse arrangements lead to some great focus on the voices, and the harmony. "He Was Mine" is probably the most radio friendly song here, where Linda sounds in top form. Other highlights on the set include "For a Dancer", "Raise The Dead", "Western Wall", "Falling Down", "Valerie", and more. Excellent album!