"From polished to gothic"

Emmylou Harris is a legendary country-rock and Americana artist. Thirty years ago she moved away from her traditional acoustic sound and collaborated with producer Daniel Lanois and engineer Mark Howard. The result (Wrecking Ball) received almost universal acclaim. The album contains twelve songs, placed in perfect order. The album opens with “Where Will I Be,” written by Lanois, where Harris asks herself: "Oh where oh where will I be / Oh where oh when that trumpets sounds". An obvious reference to the Bible. The drums and guitars are exquisite. The second song is "Goodbye" written by Steve Earle. Usually, Steve Earle says nothing to me about my life, but I must give him credit for this dark and doom-laden song. At least, for Harris interpretation of it. The third song is "All My Tears", written by Julie Miller. Harris version is more powerful and dynamic than the original. "It don't matter / Where you bury me / I'll be home and I'll be free / It don't matter where I lay / All my tears be washed away". The fourth song is "Wrecking Ball" written by Neil Young. The grumpy old man sings in the chorus. Perfect arrangement with a lot of emotions and nuances. The fifth song is "Goin' Back to Harlan" written by Anna McGarrigle. Harris version supersedes the original, which is quite an achievement considering the McGarrigle quality. The sixth song is "Deeper Well" written by David Olney and Daniel Lanois. This is one of the darkest and heaviest songs on the album. "Well, I did it for kicks and I did it for hate / I did it for lust and I did it for faith / Did it for need and I did it for love / Addiction stayed on tight like a glove". The seventh song is "Every Grain of Sand", written by Bob Dylan from "Shot of Love" whis is considered to be Dylan's last of a trilogy of Christian albums (Slow Train Coming, Saved and Shot of Love). Great interpretation, anyway. The eight song is "Sweet Old World" written by Lucinda Williams. As in the Miller and McGarrigle case above, Harris version supersedes the original. The backing vocals are provided by Neil Young, who also contributes harmonica to the track. The ninth song is "May This Be Love" written by Jimi Hendrix. An odd choice maybe, but it actually works. The tenth song is "Orphan Girl" written by Gillian Welch. This version is as good as the original. The eleventh song is "Blackhawk" written by Daniel Lanois. Good song, but in comparison with the extreme high quality songs on the album this is one of the weakest songs. And finally, the twelfth song is "Waltz Across Texas Tonight" written by Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell. And then it's over. "Wrecking Ball" is one of the best examples of creative producer meets brilliant musician. The dark gothic streak is what it makes it stand out. "Wrecking Ball" showcases perfection in every detail. The soundscape is brilliant. The site The Audiophile Man wrote: "The album displays lots of ambient detail along with a whole heap of memorable low end, featuring a clear, bottom-heavy portrayal of the toms and bass drum. Apparently that lot was recorded using ribbon mikes which might explain a lot."