Nanci Griffith Album: “Clock Without Hands”

I'll admit that Nanci's newest album, "Clock without Hands," took some careful listening before I warmed up to it. Gone is the twangy little Texan poet-girl we all know and love, who's songs about leaving love behind carried an unspoken "but I don't need it anyhow" underneath the surface of regret. On this record, we hear a woman pushing 50, who's taking a good, hard look at her life, and sharing what she sees with restraint, honesty, and no pretense of bravado.

The title song captures that mood perfectly, and lays the groundwork for the rest of the album. Nanci's delivery here is subtle yet direct, and that gentle matter-of-factness steers the song away from self-pity and towards insightful confession.

The counterpoint to "Clock Without Hands" is "Where Would I Be," which seems like a throw-away pop song the first time around. But listen again, and you'll hear a little gem about salvation and gratitude, maybe a bit more polished than we're used to, but with the same quiet, reflective delivery we hear on "Clock." Yes, it's a very "pop-y" song, but imagine it in the hands of Celine Dion, and you'll appreciate the sophisticated restraint of Nanci's delivery.

As much as I like the sophisticated, mature Nanci, I was glad she let her roots show from time to time on this album. "Truly Something Fine" and "Cotton" are full of the folky sweetness that made me a Nanci fan to begin with. And "Roses on the 4th of July" is a classic "real folks" love story, a genre she's done so well in the past ("Gulf Coast Highway"), moving you to tears with nothing more than a tale about two people who love each other because of, and in spite of, everyday life.

The album does falter in a few places. I've never liked Nanci's "political consciousness" songs, (with the exception of "Hard Life") and "Armstrong" seems to be feeling around for a message, but never quite comes up with one. Plus the high-pitched beeping sound in the background always makes me reach for my cell phone...and "Travelling Through This Part of You" seems almost like a rough draft---I know what she's trying to say, but she never gets around to saying it. "Shaking Out the Snow" is probably not going to win over any new fans, because it's Nanci at her weirdest and most affected, but there's a good song in there somewhere, if you can get past the "chain-smoking cat" delivery.

The final cut on the album, "In the Wee Small Hours," is truly lovely, and sums up what she's trying to say and do on this record perfectly. It's a lullaby for a broken heart, and she sings it with sophistication and perfect phrasing, without a trace of folk-country in her voice (until you get to that last line, where she stretches the word "morning" out like a rubber band on a cereal box guitar, just to remind us that she's still Nanci Griffith.) Maybe if we ask her nicely, she'll do a whole album of old standards...but for now, "Clock Without Hands" will have to do, and it does, quite nicely.

If you are a Nanci fan, you will buy this cd regardless of what I say. I LOVED "Flyer" and I really liked "Blue Roses from the Moons", her last two recordings of mostly original material. I was not so fond of "OVOR 2" or her recording with the National Symphony Orchestra. That being said, this cd will take some getting used to. Vietnam is the recurring theme to this cd so it is not full of happy, joyful tunes. "Shaking Out the Snow" is without a doubt the most horrible song she has ever sung--the words are not bad, but her delivery is way too stylized. The first half of the cd does have some catchy tunes and I think I will grow to like them more. Nanci Griffith is one of the greatest singer songwriters of our time and I do feel that her contribution to music has been immeasurable. But since I'm being critical, I have to say that on this cd she seems too impressed with herself (to the point of charicature) and unless you are a hardcore fan, I would advise against buying this cd. If you are a novice go buy "Other Voices Other Rooms" and work your way back.

I have to admit that I'm a big fan of Nanci's, but previous recordings have left me cold. I purchased "Clock without Hands" in the hope that this album would be a return to the warmth and honesty conveyed in such recordings as "Flyer" (still her best album to date, in my humble opinion). I was not let down. If anything, this album is probably a bit too honest.

The title track is truly heart breaking, "Clock without Hands" tackles the subject of ageing and the prospect that love might have passed you by, a theme which runs through much of the album. Despite the subject matter, Nanci is never self pitying, and manages to convey feelings which many of us can relate to.

Most reviewers seem to hate "Shaking out the Snow", but for me this song is the highlight of the Album, its certainly heartfelt, and manages to convey the feeling of being left out in the cold. This track is poetic and chilling (pun intended), it grabs me by the heart.

Despite first impressions, this Album is not completely introspective, tracks such as "pearls eye view" and "Armstrong" reveal a deep social conscience which is refreshing.

This is a polished recording but not over produced, certainly its not as "rootsy" as some of Nanci's earlier recordings, but it allows room for the warmth of her voice. She sounds rather weary, and a bit battle scarred, but perhaps more sophistiacted and more beautiful than ever before. This is a difficult Album, and perhaps not to everyone's taste, but it is also the work of an artist with deep integrity, a fragile work of art.

It's been almost two years since folk singer Nanci Griffith's last album, THE DUSTBOWL SYMPHONY, was released. It's been even longer since FLYER, her last album of original material, first was placed on store shelves. Either way, fans of this talented performer have had a long wait on their hands. But now it's over, and after hearing her latest album, CLOCK WITHOUT HANDS, it is easy to say that it was well worth the wait.

Nanci Griffith has been wowing folk and country fans since the late '70s with her sweet, charming voice and powerful lyrics. As one of the many affected by Nanci's music, I knew that her latest album would be wonderful, but I never imagined it would be as good as it is. CLOCK WITHOUT HANDS is not just another addition to Nanci's long list of successes, but an emotional journey, an "awakening" as Nanci so well puts it in the album's liner notes. With three songs written about her experiences visiting Vietnam and two dedicated to her dying mother, the record seems to explore Nanci as a person, and shares with her listeners a part of her life. From the thought-provoking title track to the rollicking "Lost Him In The Sun," to the surprisingly upbeat "Pearl's Eye View" (written about Dickey Chapelle, the only woman photojournalist to die in Vietnam), each track is a treasure that makes its own unique contribution to the album. Other highlights include the current single, "Where Would I Be," the traditional Nanci-styled "Midnight In Missoula," "Cotton" (penned by pianist James Hooker), and the achingly beautiful "Traveling Through This Part of You."

Nanci Griffith has released a great many excellent albums over the last twenty years, but it is safe to say that CLOCK WITHOUT HANDS may be among the best. This album is a must for any diehard Nanci fan, and will be equally enjoyed by anyone who likes folk or country music. In the words of the album's seventh track, CLOCK WITHOUT HANDS, as well as Nanci's extraordinary talent, are "truly something fine."

This disc is definitely a step up from her last album of all original material (Blue Roses From the Moons). This time the songs are good and solid...and consistent in quality throughout the CD. It doesn't quite achieve the high points of Flyer or Other Voices Other Rooms or some of her early work, but it is certainly a respectable addition to any Nanci Griffith collection. While the CD is pretty good, I wish Nanci would let more of the raw, energetic, but stripped-down folky sound of her earlier work come through. The slick production sounds good with her voice, but tends to mellow it out too much. But overall, I'd recommend it.