Disco de Nanci Griffith: “Poet in My Window [Remaster]”

Over the last decade, folk singer Nanci Griffith has established herself as one of the most talented artists of today. From her Grammy award-winning tribute to her musical influences, OTHER VOICES, OTHER ROOMS, to recording an album with the London Symphony Orchestra (1999's THE DUSTBOWL SYMPHONY), to her latest album CLOCK WITHOUT HANDS, Nanci has achieved great success in her pursuit to make her music available to the world.

However, it seems that the success of Nanci's more recent releases have caused fans to stray from some of the finest music of her career: the four albums she recorded for Rounder Records in the early 1980s. Over the last few years, the CD versions of these albums have become increasingly difficult to find, and therefore less accessible to avid fans of Nanci's music. Recently though, Rounder has chosen to make the early work of her career available once again through newly digitally remastered versions of three of the four albums.

The new version of POET IN MY WINDOW, Nanci's second album, is a gorgeous restored version of this classic folk recording. For the first time, fans can hear each gorgeous track as clearly as if they were at the original recording session--in fact, if it weren't for the copyright date on the back of the CD case, I would swear this was recorded yesterday. As a huge fan of Nanci's music, I found myself being just as captivated by the sad, sweet "You Can't Go Home Again," the haunting melody of "Wheels," and the breathtaking "Workin'in Corners" as I was when I first heard them.

In addition to the obvious restoration of the music, the new release contains several features that avid fans of Nanci's music will find quite enjoyable. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the album is the addition of a previously unreleased track, "Can't Love Wrong." The song is everything one would expect from a song from this period of Nanci's career--the lyrics and beautifully written and the music is captivating. Other features include restored artwork, previously unreleased photos, and original lyrics and liner notes.

The newly restored release of POET IN MY WINDOW is a great chance to hear some of Nanci's greatest songs in all their glory, and is a must for all fans of her music. My one concern after hearing this beautiful recording was how to make time in my schedule to pick up the other two classic Nanci restored albums--I can't wait to hear how they sound as well!

... the poet within.

This is my favorite period of Griffith's career. I very much enjoy some of her later work as well, and many of her best songs came after this, but I think her voice and songs are especially well suited to the folkier instrumentation and arrangements found on this, her second album. There is also a special freshness and directness in the early work (even more, I think, in her first, even folkier album There's a Light Beyond These Woods). It may not be a coincidence that she has been quoted saying that this period in her 20s, "when I drove myself around America playing music and writing," was the happiest part of her life. (She said that 15 years ago, and may feel differently now.)

One thing I love about this CD is how well Griffith's beautiful, ringing voice is heard. The instrumentation is mostly acoustic, though the electric bass, played by then-husband Eric Taylor, is prominent throughout. Unlike on her first album, there are drums. Lots of sweet harmonies. The production generally isn't too cluttered. Both her first two albums were recorded in small studios in central Texas. After this, Griffith's musical home shifted to Nashville, with the associated shift to a more mainstream sound.

There were four years between the first two albums. This one, despite similar subject matter, seems more upbeat musically, a little sunnier.

This album was originally released on LP in 1982 on the obscure Featherbed Records label, the entire catalog of which seems to have consisted of three albums by Griffith and Taylor. The first CD version was released by Philo Records in 1986.

The album was remastered and reissued on this CD in 2002 with an extra song added, "Can't Love Wrong." It wasn't on the original LP, and wasn't recorded in the same sessions, but the vocal and acoustic guitar parts were recorded the same year. Additional instruments, provided by Griffith's later band the Blue Moon Orchestra, were added in 1997. It's a very fine song and fits well (except for some added synthesized strings ... a minor detraction).

The songs are all strong, with good melodies and stories; a few give me flashes of early Joni Mitchell. Though I enjoy every song and am always glad each time I hear them, there isn't any that holds me quite the way some songs from other albums do, e.g. "There's a Light Beyond These Woods" and "Alabama Soft Spoken Blues" from her first. That may be just a matter of familiarity, as I haven't had this album as long. "You Can't Go Home Again," "Wheels," and "Workin' in Corners" have each particularly stuck with me. Griffith covers a tune from another Texas troubadour, Jimmie Dale Gilmore's "Tonight I Think I'm Gonna Go Downtown," just as catchy for her as for him.

If you like folk music, or country/folk, or are a fan of Nanci Griffith, you'll probably enjoy this.

I purchased this product new from Amazon and noticed recently that the disc is a CDR! I noticed that the silk-screened cover of the disc was slightly blurred, and now am wondering if I got a pirated copy?

I own the original release of this CD from the 80s and purchased this one for the bonus track and to have remastered sound. It is much louder than the previous release, but I believe it suffers from "clipping" - I hear it especially in the song "Heart Of A Miner". Clipping is when the volume or level of sound goes above the limit - resulting in something of a "crackle" in the sound at those loudest peaks. I compared both versions of "Heart of a Miner" and although this new remaster is louder, the original release sounds much better with no crackling.

This could have to do with the CDR transfer, if this is indeed a pirated disc, and not the new remaster. Can everyone who reads this check their discs and let me know if they are CDRs and if they hear the clipping on "Heart of a Miner". The underside of the disc is slightly golden, which caught my attention. Looking closely at the center ring, I can see CDR listed on it.

Thanks!