Music review: Rhiannon Giddens – 鈥楾omorrow Is My Turn鈥�
I first became aware of Rhiannon Giddens and her enchanting voice while watching Showtime鈥檚 鈥淟ost Songs: The Basement Tapes Continued.鈥�
For the music documentary, five of today鈥檚 most gifted songwriters collaborate under the direction of producer T Bone Burnett to create music for a collection of newly discovered lyrics written by Bob Dylan in 1967.
Joined by Elvis Costello, Marcus Mumford of Mumford & Sons, Taylor Goldsmith of Dawes and Jim James of My Morning Jacket, Giddens was the one artist that made a lasting impression on me.
鈥淭omorrow Is My Turn鈥� is the much-anticipated debut solo release by the singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and member of the Carolina Chocolate Drops.
As expected, the North Carolina native鈥檚 captivating voice steals the show in jaw-dropping fashion.
As a graduate of Oberlin Conservatory, Giddens鈥� classically trained voice meticulously reinterprets a varied collection of songs made popular by such female singers as Nina Simone, Odetta, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Patsy Cline and Dolly Parton.
The album opens passionately with 鈥淟ast Kind Words,鈥� a blues number recorded by Geeshie Wiley in 1930.
Giddens packs a powerful punch of raw emotion on Odetta鈥檚 鈥淲aterboy,鈥� delivers a spirited sermon on Tharpe鈥檚 gospel number 鈥淯p Above My Head鈥� and adds a contemporary charm to Simone鈥檚 鈥淏lack Is the Color.鈥�
Other standout tracks include Parton鈥檚 鈥淒on鈥檛 Let It Trouble Your Mind,鈥� Cline鈥檚 鈥淪he鈥檚 Got You鈥� and a delightfully quaint version of Elizabeth Cotten鈥檚 鈥淪hake Sugaree.鈥�
Reuniting once again with Burnett as producer, Giddens effortlessly dabbles in traces of Americana, folk, blues, gospel, soul and country to firmly weave her own individual style into the fabric of each memorable arrangement. The lone original number on the album gently brings things to a close.
鈥淎ngel City鈥� was penned by Giddens and offers a glimpse of the talented artist鈥檚 songwriting prowess.
Giddens鈥� star continues to rise and should shine brightly for many years to come.