The Harrow & The Harvest - Gillian Welch

.......well it had to be didn't it? We're just on our way back from seeing Gillian Welch & David Rawlings in Glasgow and I am still beaming from ear to ear. It was simply a stunning concert - 'simply' because there were just the two performers, two guitars and a banjo. SD was right when she said the vocal performance reminded her of Simon & Garfunkel - the richness of the music that they created belied the fact that there were only two of them.
Upon waking this morning I just had to hear some of the songs again. This album, like the others before it, showcases their immense talents. This album though has a more beautiful melancholy than the others. Their voices sound absolutely amazing in harmony with subtle guitar fills from David Rawlings. Anyone who is unconvinced should take a listen to 'The Way It Goes' or 'Silver Dagger'.
If there is anything to feel sorry for today, it is that it has taken me so long to see them perform live. Even when this tour was announced I prevaricated as there wasn't a date that fitted in perfectly with my schedule. Didn't they know how busy I was?
I don't know why I dithered as I have been a fan ever since hearing 'My Morphine' on a recording that my Dad was given by a colleague. Well better late than never and I certainly won't be so reticent when they return to the UK. In the meantime I'll have to be content with their recorded output and a couple of live bootlegs that have 'appeared' in my collection. Right that's the end of the gushing, I'm off to listen to the album just one more time before I end my journey. Catch you on further down the trail.......