All I can really say about Patty Griffin's new album, Downtown Church, is: Wow, what a knockout.
It was all recorded at the Nashville Downtown Presbyterian Church, and the lineup of contributing musicians is amazing and impressive: Besides Emmylou Harris, there's Buddy Miller (who also produced), Shawn Colvin, the great Gospel singer Regina McCrary, and Mike Farris.
"Little Fire" is fairly representative: Like the album, it's a nonstop treat for people who love heartfelt roots music. It ranges from rockabilly to folk to Gospel in its range, but what's most striking is the purity of its sound.
I was tipped to this album earlier this summer when Griffin, Harris, Miller and Colvin toured together for a series of intimate concerts, including the one I saw at Seattle's Woodland Park Zoo. It was a great show, and it featured several of the cuts on this record. And as you can see, they all seemed to genuinely enjoy playing together.
