Five Albums I'm Looking Forward to This Fall, Part 5

5) Patty Griffin, Silver Bell, Oct. 8

image: billboard.com

As an artist who didn't even pick up a guitar until age 16, Patty Griffin has proven herself as a solid songwriter since debuting with 1996's Living with Ghosts.  Each subsequent release has steadily climbed the U.S. sales charts, and American Kid peaked at #36 (fun fact: she's currently dating former Zeppelin Robert Plant, her collaborator on the album).  Her journey to songwriting prominence began after a 1992 divorce, when Griffin became a regular performer on the Boston coffeehouse scene before signing with A&M.  At 49 years of age, Griffin's career arc is an enigma between the singer-songwriter generation of the '70s and the current indie folk genre.

Yes, Patty Griffin just released American Kid on May 7.  However, Silver Bell contains songs that were recorded for a 2000 release.  The songs were shelved following a change in ownership at A&M records and Griffin's subsequent departure from the label.  Two of the songs were so strong that they drew attention from the Dixie Chicks, who definitely know how to choose the right cover songs and turn them into hits.  "Top of the World", as recorded by the Chicks, served as the namesake for the country group's 2003 tour and live album.  The other song, "Truth #2", was released on the Chicks' multiplatinum 2002 album Home.

Griffin's own recordings are more sparse than the Dixie Chicks versions, so I'm looking forward to the official release of an album already known to contain two definitive songwriting gems.  Although already bootlegged online, Griffin has rerecorded several tracks and remixed the album.  Stripped down albums require production expertise to avoid sounding like glorified elevator music. Griffin's music blends country, Americana, and rock, a recipe that is easily ruined in the studio.   Because veteran Glyn Johns, veteran producer of The Eagles and The Who, produced the album, my standards are pretty high.  Silver Bell has the potential to be Griffin's highest charting album yet.


COMING SOON:  The stories behind your favorite bands (and some of those weird, overlooked '70s groups too).  Up next: Eagles lore.