Published on Jan 14, 2002
Biographers of James Taylor, not to mention the man himself,
have taken lately to characterizing key songs in his catalog as
“secular hymns.” In other words, songs that have both a meditative,
self-cleansing quality and, at times, a unique, ethereal
beauty.
This description comes immediately to mind when listening to
Wrecking Ball, Emmylou Harris’ milestone 1995 album. In the
first place, “ethereal” pretty well defines Harris’ delicate,
immensely expressive voice. Count me among those who’ve always felt
comfortable assuming her one-time mentor Gram Parsons must have
been thinking of her when he sang of his “angel.”
Secondly, Harris’ beautiful instrument and remarkable phrasing
have never sounded better than here, set amongst the roomy,
atmospheric backdrop of Daniel Lanois’ production and guitar work.
The producer (with Brian Eno) of most of U2’s best studio work of
the past 15 years may seem like an odd choice for a female
country-rock singer, but this album makes it sound like a match
made in heaven.
There is a hypnotic deliberateness to the tempos of many of
these tracks, a certain seriousness of purpose that only serves to
underscore the quality of the songs and Harris’ performance of
them. And what a roster of songwriters: Steve Earle, Neil Young,
Lucinda Williams, Gillian Welch, Julie Miller, Anna McGarrigle,
Jimi Hendrix (!), Rodney Crowell, Lanois, and Harris herself.
Standouts include the elegiac ode to seduction, “Where Will I
Be”; the mesmerizing dirge “Deeper Well,” featuring especially
ominous guitar tones from Lanois; and the exquisite laments
“Goodbye” and “Sweet Old World.” In several cases the songwriters
accompany Harris, with Neil Young offering especially affecting
harmony vocals on the title track, a 1989 composition of his that
Harris and Lanois render in dreamy, achingly pretty tones.
Lanois’ contribution is hard to underestimate when you see how
he manages to tame Hendrix’s “May This Be Love” into a gentle duet
with Harris on which he plays the mellowest psychedelic lead guitar
you’ll ever hear. Here and on several other tracks, U2’s Larry
Mullen Jr. provides outstanding support with his sensitive,
intricate drumming.
If there’s a flaw to this album, it’s my own, and amounts to a
matter of personal taste. Many country-rock fans swear by Harris’s
voice, and it’s remarkable in its ability to convey a sense of both
vulnerability and passion. It’s just that my rock and roll heart
can only take so much of her fragile vibrato before I long for
someone who can set a deep-throated wail to a 4/4 backbeat. As a
result, I’ve come to the conclusion that I don’t need more than a
couple of Harris albums in my collection. Having said that,
however,
Wrecking Ball is number one on my list, a starkly beautiful
set of secular hymns that feature Harris at the top of her game,
supported by an all-star cast of writers and players and the subtle
genius of Daniel Lanois.