Nanci Griffith
Hearts in Mind
(New Door/Universal)
First Appeared in The Music Box, February 2005, Volume 12, #2
Written by John Metzger
Hearts in Mind is Nanci Griffith’s 12th studio release to
feature original material, and quite frankly, she’s never sounded better. After
spending the bulk of her career trying to craft music that fit within the
restrictive confines of the Nashville and the pop music scenes, Griffith quit
trying, and as a result, she now sounds more relaxed, confident, and
comfortable. Building upon the success of her 2001 outing Clock without Hands,
her latest endeavor boasts a similarly sublime convergence of country, folk, and
rock. Much like its predecessor, Hearts in Mind strikes the perfect
balance between tales of war-torn nations and those of conflict-addled
relationships, while splashing a bright light of uplifting hope and a flickering
flame of mournful remembrance across the souls of each. Granted, there are
moments when Griffith still clings tightly to her tendency of veering into
overly precious sentimentality, but this time, even among the album’s most
egregious errors — her reflection on love (Rise to the Occasion), Le Ann
Etheridge’s narrative on the tumultuous union of poets Ted Hughes and Sylvia
Plath (Back When Ted Loved Sylvia), and Julie Gold’s ode to the victims
of the World Trade Center’s catastrophic destruction (Mountain of Sorrow)
— her efforts don’t feel nearly as forced as they once did. Indeed, despite her
tastefully delicate arrangements, there’s a newfound organic edge that ripples
through much of Hearts in Mind, filling the songs with a warm, emotional
resonance. Her memorials to those who died in Vietnam (Heart of Indochine
and Old Hanoi) bristle with emotion, while the dobro-kissed bounce of Simple Life and Last Train Home radiate an easy-going charm. The
finest song on Hearts in Mind, however, is Beautiful, a loving
tribute to her stepfather that achieves the gloriously subtle textures that
forever have escaped Griffith’s grasp. Indeed, it appears as if 27 years into
her career, she finally has found the courage to trust her instincts and make
the sort of music that she’s always longed to create. 
½
Hearts in Mind is available from Barnes & Noble.
To order, Click Here!
Ratings
1 Star: Pitiful
2 Stars: Listenable
3 Stars: Respectable
4 Stars: Excellent
5 Stars: Can't Live Without It!!
Copyright © 2005 The Music Box