Nanci Griffith Album: “Ruby's Torch”

Description :

Personnel: Michael Johnson (acoustic guitar); Larry Paxton (electric guitar, acoustic bass); Mary Kathryn Vanosdale, Conni Ellisor, David Angell (violin); Monisa Angell (viola); John Catchings, Anthony LaMarchina (cello); James Hooker (piano, organ); Pat McLnerney (drums, percussion); Rick Lonow (drum). <p>Where most singer-songwriters making an album of torch songs would stick with the usual suspects--"One More for the Road" or "As Time Goes By," perhaps--Nanci Griffith has made a career out of rarely doing what's expected. As a result, RUBY'S TORCH, her album of jazzy, lovelorn numbers, features not only startlingly apt reinterpretations of two of her own songs, "Late Night Grande Hotel" and "Brave Companion of the Road," but also unexpected choices from songwriters as diverse as Tom Waits (three of his songs, in fact) and Jimmy Webb. Griffith also extracts something new and personal from the overplayed soft-rock hit "Bluer Than Blue," a sappy late-1970s charter for one-hit-wonder Michael Johnson. This lovely collection even checks in with the requisite Sinatra nod, a fine version of "In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning."

"These are gorgeous, string-rich arrangements, and Griffith's performance is compelling. Never the most polished chanteuse, she radiates earnestness, the once-chirrupy voice given a mellow timbre by the years." Paul Taylor

This CD for Nancy Griffith is the most eclectic grouping of wonderfully written and sung 'torch' songs( A torch song is a sentimental love song, typically one in which the singer laments an unrequited or lost love)Wikipedia. She borrows from others and adds her own. The marvelous 'Blue Moon" orchestra provides the sound that shows these songs are beautifully written and the production restrained, with piano, acoustic guitar and, of course, strings which together makes this album 'one for the ages'. She laments lost love, night cabarets and waiting for 'the one to come along'.

Three of these songs are by Tom Waits, the cover song:

'Ruby's Arms'- this is such a rich song of longing

'Grapefruit Moon'- "one star shining,more than I can hide"-a song of inspiration.

'Please Call me Baby'- a song of break-ups and make-ups.

'Late Night Grande Hotel'-"All my life I've left my troubles by the door

'Cos leaving is all I've ever known before'- song of leaving and loving.

'In The Wee Small Hours'- Frnak Sinatra's song and sung with grace and style "When your lonely heart has learned its lesson. You'd be hers if only she would call."

"Drops From The Faucet'- A song of leaving=And... as I'm waitin' I wonder why and where...And what went wrong..But this song don't tell no lies..It was just a quick good-bye, yeah.

Jimmy Webb and Irish singer Donal Longh each have a song, and the best, the very best song,'In The Wee Small Hours of the Morning' is sung with the just the right tone and rhythm and sound. Frank Sinatra would be pleased. 'Late Night At Grande Hotel', Nanci's own song, sums up the feeling of wanting and need and good-bye.

Paul Taylor in his review gave me a laugh, but how true his remarks are; "Grown men will turn to blancmange at first hearing of Griffith's lushly-orchestrated version of the break-up ballad, Ruby's Arms. "

Highly, highly recommended. prisrob 11/24/06