Linda Ronstadt & Emmylou Harris - Western Wall: The Tucson Sessions

Emmylou Harris once said of her four-shows-a-night salad days that she refused to sing anything on the hit parade, opting only for "bizarre, left-field songs" that "made it hard to make a living." Decades later, Harris still spends a lot of time in left field, and it's those offbeat, haunting gems--more than the classics here from Leonard Cohen or Jackson Browne--that make Western Wall: The Tucson Sessions, her duet album with Linda Ronstadt, so memorable. That, and her exquisitely pained soprano--reminiscent of "cracked crystal," as Linda puts it--nestled up against Ronstadt's thicker, corduroy harmonies. With arrangements that meet somewhere between Harris's Wrecking Ball and Ronstadt's Hasten Down the Wind, the two explore a mood of morose dreaminess, but profound beauty. Ghosts gather here, to the sounds of rattling bones--in songs of abandoned love, of musical giants now gone silent, and of World War I soldiers, who parade from the arms of prostitutes to the arms of death. Left field, dotted with the wreckage of heartache and regret, never sounded better. --Alanna Nash Amazon.com

GOOD SONGS, VOCALS AND PLAYING - BUT SOME QUESTIONABLE SOUND MIXING

This album contains a selection of fine songs from several different songwriters. The music is more folk than country, with maybe one or two songs belonging to neither of these genres, there's even some pop/soft-rock influence. EH and LR turn in some pretty good performances (but I don't think either ladies are 'at the top of their game').

The lead and harmony vocals are good - the fragile soprano of EH combines well with the velvety alto of LR. The instrumental accompaniment is also good - courtesy of a bunch of consummate session musicians (and also Neil Young); BUT, a few tracks feature layered electric guitars/synthesized sounds and I think these should have been 'mixed back' because, at times, the vocal/instrumental backing and the lead/harmony vocals seem to be competing with each other (very noticeable with the opening chorus on the first track). This 'problem' doesn't exist on those tracks which are predominantly semi-acoustic (the tracks which I tended to prefer). Also, in more general terms, I found the sound to be a little 'bright' (but this could be my hearing) - to compensate, I play this album with my amp's treble taken down a few notches.

I liked all tracks (some more than others) - a few brief comments about my personal favourites (songwriters in brackets) :

FOR A DANCER (Jackson Browne) - Jackson Browne's voice has, I think, a slight edge to it, but this edge isn't present with LR's lead vocals (not a criticism, just an observation) - hers is a fine, straight forward and 'easy on the ear' rendition of a classic song from the mid-1970s L.A. singer/songwriter era. The song demands a wide vocal range and LR certainly has the skill to handle it well.

WESTERN WALL (Rosanne Cash) - The lead vocals are shared by LR and EH (sometimes, on the lower notes, LR sounds a little like Rosanne). I haven't heard the original version but this version loses none of the poignancy that I often associate with Rosanne's songwriting. The instrumental accompaniment and the sound balance are both fine.

SISTERS OF MERCY (Leonard Cohen) - Another 'blast from the past' ('blast' isn't entirely appropriate because this is a gentle song given a suitably gentle treatment - again, with LR and EH sharing the lead vocals). The track features a (now obsolete) instrument called an 'optigon' - a sort of organ. If you hear some occasional and faint background hum and crackling, rest assured that it is not your hi-fi, your hearing or the production - these 'sound effects' are characteristics of this instrument. It seems a rather curious choice to have on a modern digital recording and I found it's rather 'lo-fi' effect somewhat disconcerting (but some people might like it).

1917 (David Olney) - A poignant song with remarkable lyrics about soldiers during WW1 seeking brief refuge from the horrors of trench warfare in the killing fields of Flanders. The 'story' is told from the perspective of a prostitute who fulfils her role by providing her clients with a night of comfort and 'cheap ecstasy', before they return to the battlefield and almost certain death. EH's lead vocals are superb and the instrumental accompaniment is restrained; but, a song which may not be to everyone's liking.

THIS IS TO MOTHER YOU (Sinead O'Connor) - An exquisite song - a lullaby with a soft lilting melody. Sinead almost whispers her original version and I much prefer the more 'full bodied' vocals which LR lends to the song (but the ambience of the original is not lost, by any means).

ACROSS THE BORDER (Bruce Springsteen) - A smooth 'laid back' sound with a slight Mexican feel to it. Everything works for me with this track - from LR's fine vocals to the outstanding playing (especially the wistful sounds of Neil Young's harmonica and Greg Leisz's pedal steel guitar).


If you are a fan of either ladies, particularly their music from the mid to late 70s, then I strongly recommend that you do NOT buy this album on an 'unheard' basis. There are many substantial customer reviews here and I think you should also take look at some of these (5-star thru' 1-star), So, in conclusion, there was something about the sound/production, on a few tracks, that I found a bit distracting - had it not been for this, I would have unreservedly rated this album 4.5/5.0 stars; but, as it is, I can only give a rating of 4-stars. August 13, 2007

Emmylou & Linda a perfect Duo.

Emmylou and Linda are a perfect duo on this CD. The vocal backing of Kate and Anna McGarrigle makes it even extra interesting. The most catching title on this CD,I think, is "Valerie".

About a number of songs where Emmy does the lead vocal, one can hear that her stile is building up towards her later CD "Red Dirt Girl".

Once you love Emmy's and Linda's music, no doubt you should have this CD in your collection. August 31, 2006

A folk-rock masterpiece

This 1999 collaboration between Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt is more folk rock than country in its unique atmospheric sound. It opens with Loving The Highwayman, where the two share lead and harmony vocals. Written by Emmylou, Raise The Dead has her on lead, harmony and electric guitar on a moving tribute to Hank Williams and Bill Monroe.

They lovingly interpret Rosanne Cash's Western Wall, whilst 1917 is a slow melancholy ballad with some lines sung in Latin. The tempo picks up a bit on He Was Mine, a gorgeous display of interweaving voices, and on Sweet Spot, which is a type of brooding rock ballad. For me, the highlight of the album is definitely this evocative cover of Sisters Of Mercy. The simple arrangement does not stray too far from Cohen's original, but the harmonies are exquisite as are the backing vocals by Canadian folk legends Kate and Anna McGarrigle.

The next track, Falling Down is in the big rock ballad mould and is followed by the lilting Valerie, a gripping song of the road. Another highlight of the album is the Sinead O'Connor song This Is To Mother You that gets a fragile and tender treatment. Emmylou's composition, the mostly acoustic All I Left Behind, is very poetic and moving. The album concludes with Bruce Springsteen's Across The Border, a beautiful song of transcendence and hope.

Western Wall is a masterpiece in its execution, but requires some getting used to for devoted fans of Emmylou. Unlike all of her work, from Pieces Of The Sky to Stumble Into Grace, this album entirely lacks Emmylou's characteristic soulful expression. I award it four stars only in comparison to the best of Harris' work; as a folk rock album, it certainly belongs in the five star league next to the work of artists like Richard and Linda Thompson, the McGarrigles and Lucinda Williams.
April 16, 2005

WOW! This album is a stunner...

Whenever you see reviews of an album that are as polarized as the reviews are for this one, check it out!! Those listeners expecting Ronstadt and Harris to stay in the same musical box as their previous "Trio" releases will be quite surprised. This music cannot be easily categorized. But it will enter your consciousness and you will find yourself thinking about it long after you've listened to it, and wanting to hear it again. For those who haven't heard it yet, give it a chance. For those who have heard it and dismissed it, listen to it again. For those who have heard it and love it, listen to it again. December 21, 2004

A High Point in 2 Careers

This CD marks a high point in the brilliant careers of both Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt, two of the finest singers of their generation. These exquisitely selected and performed songs show off both their voices and their taste.
Two particular highlights: Sinead O'Connor's "This Is To Mother You," and Patti Scialfa's "Valerie." But every cut is fine. November 9, 2004

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