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Audio CD: Release Date 2003-06-03
Publisher: Acony Records
Artist: Gillian Welch, Gillian Welch
Sales Rank in Music: #2344
Product Review
Soul Journey, Gillian Welch's fourth album, features solo, duo and band performances - a departure from the 2001 release Time (The Revelator). Contributors to the album include Greg Leisz (Beck, K.D. Lang ) and Jim Boquist (Son Volt). Produced by long-time collaborator David Rawlings. Acony. 2003.
Amazon.com
Blessed with a soulful and expressive voice and an innate grasp of the melodies and themes of traditional country music, Gillian Welch has made three beautiful, often brilliant, albums. Yet, one can make the case that she's still searching for her own true artistic voice. Soul Journey brings her ever closer to that elusive goal. After 2001's austere, solemn, at times inscrutable Time (The Revelator), this follow-up finds Welch showing more warmth, ease, and openness as both singer and songwriter. As the title portends, the concept of travel (physical and emotional) is a prevailing thread throughout these 10 tracks; she sings of rolling stones "on the road to sin," travelers on "black highways," girls "running around with the ragtop down" and "at the station rolling slow." These characters, perhaps autobiographical, are simultaneously searching for and running away from their pasts, while soft drums, fiddles, organs, and Dobros add a welcome bit of lightness. With the trusty David Rawlings again at Welch's side, the songwriting and production till the earth between their old-time heroes and more modern troubadours like Townes Van Zandt and Neil Young (both the bucolic strummer and, on the closing "Wrecking Ball," the ragged electric wanderer). For Welch and for us, Soul Journey is yet another fascinating rest stop on the never-ending road to self-discovery. --Marc Greilsamer
Title Tracks for Soul Journey
1. Look At Miss Ohio
2. Make Me A Pallet On Your Floor
3. Wayside/Back In Time
4. I Had A Real Good Mother And Father
5. One Monkey
6. No One Knows My Name
7. Lowlands
8. One Little Song
9. I Made A Lovers Prayer
10. Wrecking Ball
Customer Reviews
Average Customer Review
(53 customer reviews)
69 of 71 people found the following review helpful
The fourth stop on Welch's musical Journey!, June 3, 2003
Kori Frazier (Kent, OH United States) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Soul Journey (Audio CD)
There's something about Gillian Welch's music that is enough to make any listener believe that she is a walking anachronism. Her low, haunting vocals, combined with acoustic, traditionally styled songs create music that sounds as if it came right out of the era when the recordings of Jimmie Rodgers and the Carter Family gave birth to country music over seventy years ago. In short, from her lyrics to instrumentation to appearance, Welch seems decidedly out of place in a culture where the very mention of country music conjures up images of Faith Hill and a skankily clad Shania Twain. Despite the fact that she is one of the most underrated musicians in the music world, Welch, along with her musical partner David Rawlings, is apt at producing music that consistently wow her fan base.Thus, it is no surprise that Soul Journey, Welch's fourth album, is no exception to this rule. The follow up to 2001's critically acclaimed Time (The Revelator), Welch once again delivers a collection...Read more
60 of 64 people found the following review helpful
so much more than One little song, June 9, 2003
Larry L. Looney (Austin, Texas USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Soul Journey (Audio CD)
...Gillian Welch has provided, with this, her fourth album, proof that she's not just a flash in the Americana pan. She's a talented, creative artist who has (thankfully) found a way to release her product on her own label, thereby controlling more aspects of the process than many artists are lucky enough to enjoy. Unfettered by the `do this - do that' voices in a corporate office, she and her songwriting/performing partner David Rawlings can see their vision placed into the hands of their fans untouched by the forces of corporate greed. And that's a real good thing. The duo's listeners have been able to see the songwriting talents at work in their recordings expand and mature over the course of their four releases - there are songs here that stand up to the best work on her astonishing debut album, REVIVAL, as well as the high points that can be heard on HELL AMONG THE YEARLINGS and TIME (THE REVELATOR).The arrangements on these tracks are mostly simple - but don't make the...Read more
30 of 33 people found the following review helpful
Love makes us into madmen, October 8, 2003
By A Customer
This review is from: Soul Journey (Audio CD)
I'm a very sensible guy. I love my wife, I love my children, I do my work, I pay my mortgage etc. However for the last few years I have been having a secret affair with Gillian Welch and Dave Rawlings and their art, an affair of the heart. I'm simply in love with the sounds they make. Because I am in love the fact that I think Soul Journey is the fourth perfect CD that they have released may not mean much to you. You are free to dismiss such claims as the ranting of a madman, a man driven mad by love. But if you are curious about what sounds could inspire such passion in an otherwise calm and collected soul.... Soul Journey or any of the others are fine places to start. If I had to pick, I'd say in general that Soul Journey is their best CD yet. Something tells me the one to follow will be their best ever too. They just keep getting darker and brighter, closer to the bone and closer to the light.
(53 customer reviews) 
The fourth stop on Welch's musical Journey!, June 3, 2003 
so much more than One little song, June 9, 2003