Emmylou Harris
All I Intended To Be (Nonesuch)
By Kim Newman
Published: June 16th, 2008 | 1:00pm
After 40 years, 21 albums, and countless guest vocals (including duets with Gram Parsons, the man who jumpstarted her career, and providing harmony vocals for bands like Luscious Jackson and the Dixie Chicks), it is easy to consider Emmylou Harris a legend. Some even consider her single-handedly responsible for much of the current alt-country scene, what with her knack at picking songwriters to cover and promote — from Steve Earle to Gillian Welch to Kieran Kane.
All I Intended To Be, Harris’ first solo disc in five years, is an elegant and seamless album with none of the rock that sometimes creeps into her work. There’s a subtle melancholy that sweeps through the album, keeping the tempo static. Harris' emotional timbre shines through as she examines loss and searches for spiritual redemption on "Broken Man's Lament" (Mark Germino), "All That You Have Is Your Soul" (Tracy Chapman), and her own "Take That Ride." Graceful and sad, All I Intended To Be is ultimately a soothing record.
Some strong players lend Harris a hand on this one: Kate and Anna McGarrigle perform and even co-wrote two of the tracks, and Dolly Parton lends her sweet trill to "Gold" as a counterpart twang to Harris’ steady vocals. In addition to showcasing her own songwriting chops, All I Intended To Be highlights Harris’ skillful interpretations of songs by artists as disparate as Patty Griffin and Merle Haggard.
The fairly stripped-down music features a back-to-basics folk sound that emphasizes Harris' most potent gift: a crystalline voice that has become one of the music industry's most recognizable and beautiful.
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Emmylou Harris' official site
Emmylou Harris' MySpace page
Issue #35
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