Joan Baez - Dark Chords on a Big Guitar
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Free Music Notes for Dark Chords on a Big Guitar
Free Music Review: Deep as the Ocean
Hit: 5 Stars
Joan Baez's new CD is an incredible achievement, one of the year's best. Since the days when she was a major proponent of the works of Bob Dylan, she has had a knack for finding and recording some of our best songwriters. On "Dark Chords," she not only finds the right songwriters, but the right songs and surpasses the originals. Steve Earle's "Christmas in Washington" is a song that I never particularly liked in its original form. Joan embodies the song completely, inhabiting its spiritual and political implications. Duke McVinnie who has worked with Johnny Otis & J.J. Cale does a wonderful job with his dreamy guitar. On Natalie Merchant's "Motherland," Joan totally adopts the song finding levels of pathos that slept in Merchant's original fine recording, "The lust and the avarice, the bottomless, the cavernous greed, is that what you see?" Josh Ritter's "Golden Age of Radio" was one of the strongest CDs in recent years. Joan takes his "Wings" and creates a dreamy folk epic, "What makes the water holy she says is that it's the closest thing to rain." Greg Brown's "Rexroth's Daughter" is a marvelous folk tune that could have easily fit into some of Joan's earliest recordings with its themes of rape and retribution. Gillian Welch & David Rawlings' "Caleb Meyer" is about as raucous as Joan gets on this set with McVinnie's electric guitar churning ominously underneath the upbeat tempo. Caitlin Cary's "Rosemary Moore" is another great story song, a marvelous folk ballad. I suppose comparisons will ultimately be made to Emmylou Harris' "Wrecking Ball" with Dark Chord's somber themes and churning guitars. However as much as I liked that disc, Baez's set is more successful because of the amazing song choices, the unity she achieves from these disparate sources, and the incredible depth she achieves as a vocalist. This is a master recording from one of our master musicians. Enjoy!Free Music Review: Joan's new "older" voice
Hit: 5 Stars
Like other Dark Chords reviewers I feel that Joan Baez is choosing to use her voice in a particular way on this recording in a way that suits the music, the songs themselves and the times we are living in. It is a number of years since I heard Joan Baez sing live -1997, I think - when she sang "Matty Groves", from one of her earliest recordings in full soprano and faultlessly - all 22 verses! These songs on Dark Chords would not sound right sung in a high soprano voice: they are more earthy and I think Joan's treatment of them on this CD is no less than superb. To my ear this CD sounds as good - and at times as raw - as a live performance. It's true that Joan's voice is changing over time but she seems to be rising
wonderfully to the challenge of a new style suggested by the songs themselves. I feel, too, that her singing voice is now much closer than before to her speaking voice which always has to my mind been much deeper than her "achingly pure soprano" when singing. Her current singing style has a contemporary edge to it, which is likely to get more people listening to her work and more radio playing than was maybe the case previously. People I have played the CD to are using words like "mellow" and comment how well the voice and the band blend on most tracks. I was pleased to see Dark Chord listed on some website
under "Adult Contemporary". This recording seems to be leaning
towards commercial values without compromising the integrity of Joan, the main performer, or her beliefs. Joan Baez is back on the music scene (though for her die-hard fans she has always been there.) All this just to say that I like this CD very much!!! Go on, treat yourself! Buy Dark Chords on a Big Guitat and revel in the quality of a lovingly put-together piece of music craft!
Free Music Review: BAEZ AT HER BEST!
Hit: 5 Stars
With "Dark Chords on a Big Guitar", Joan Baez has graced us with a thought-provoking collection of songs that touches both the heart & soul. Reflecting the times in which we live, this is a dark album in both music and lyrics. But Joan's smile on the black & white cover photograph hints of the hope and happiness that still exist, which she proceeds to uncover through a series of 'song snapshots'.The album succeeds first and foremost due to Joan's voice & vision. Starting with "Play Me Backwards" (1992), and continuing with "Gone From Danger" (1997), Joan has honed her interpretative abilities. After 62 years of life, Joan's "lived in" voice serves as the perfect instrument for these brilliant songs. The angelic qualities of her younger voice have been replaced by a more Earthly warmth. Her range, in a sense, has gotten wider. She sings as if she has stepped into the shoes of these various personas and walked around for a while.
The next positive factor here is due to the musicians. The album's intimate sound is provided mostly by members of Joan's touring band. This makes for an unusual, but winning situation. "Dark Chords on a Big Guitar" has the sound of a live album, but with studio recorded quality.
The third ingredient in this superb mixture is the choice of songs. While there is not a dud among them, standouts include 2 Greg Brown songs: "Sleeper"; the tale of a former lover haunting our dreams, and "Rexroth's Daughter"; wherein what appears to be a search for an individual turns out to really be an exploration of the meaning of one's life. The literal & spiritual center of the album is provided by Natalie Merchant's "Motherland" and Josh Ritter's "Wings". Both of these poetic songs seem to have struck a chord in Joan, producing heartfelt renditions. We are all reminded here of the arms we have for hugging, and the "wings" we have for soaring above the fray. The album ends with Steve Earle's "Christmas in Washington", so timely (with the coming presidential election), and unfortunately also timeless, in its tale of hypocritical greedy politicians. The song's protagonist's story eerily mirrors Joan's own life's journey, and Joan gives it a knowing take.
Another of the album's highlights is Ryan Adams' "In My Time of Need". This story song shares a universal truth: We all need, whether from a friend, family, or a companion, someone to be there for us in our time of need, and us for them. Ultimately, this album contributes to the soundtrack for that provided comfort. Take a listen, and let Joan's smile and singing "just off and carry you".
Free Music Review: dark is right
Hit: 1 Stars
i too have been a huge fan - since 1962-, and i have loved just about everything she's ever done, inCLUDing her last 2 efforts. but this album is so dark, overproduced, and disjointed, with song selections that don't seem to fit either together or ms baez. lighten up, joannie :)Free Music Review: What A Mess
Hit: 2 Stars
I've been a Baez fan for decades, and this is the first time I've been disappointed. The "house band" which tends to dominate this effort is not wonderful. Then, there is the mix. There are times when Baez is almost thrown into the background while the band grinds away at it. On much of the material, Baez sounds tentative and overly careful. Certainly, there are moments of beauty in her singing, and the voice is still a thing of wonder, but overall, too much mediocre band and too little passion in the vocals.What a disappointment after six years of waiting.
November 4, 2003. Addition: I had the pleasure of hearing the October, 2003 Joan Baez at Town Hall in NYC. I can only say that the entire performance was incredibly wonderful. Koch should be ashamed at the quality of this recording. My earlier criticism of the band is misdirected. It isn't the band which sound so wretched; it's the recording. Joan Baez has never sounded better than she did in New York. Something is terribly wrong here. What gives, Koch?
By the way, I did not download this. I bought my copy at a local store. Bottom Line: Great Voice, wonderful material, disgraceful recording quality.