Revival (Gillian Welch album)

Revival is the first album by American singer-songwriter Gillian Welch, released on April 9, 1996. Revival was nominated for the 1997 Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album.[1]

Revival
Studio album by Gillian Welch
Released	April 9, 1996
Studio	Sunset Sound, Hollywood, CA
Genre	Country, folk, bluegrass
Length	41:21
Label	Almo Sounds
Producer	T Bone Burnett
Gillian Welch chronology
Revival (1996) Hell Among the Yearlings (1998)

The plant described in the song, "Acony Bell" appears to be Shortia galacifolia, also known as the Oconee bells. Welch later began her own record label under the name Acony. To celebrate the album's 20th anniversary, Welch re-released Revival as Boots No 1: The Official Revival Bootleg which included demos, outtakes and alternate versions of the tracks in addition to eight new songs.

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[2]
Chicago Sun-Times	[3]
Entertainment Weekly	A[4]
Los Angeles Times	[5]
Rolling Stone	[6]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide	[7]
Uncut	[8]
The Village Voice	B−[9]

Mark Deming of Allmusic called it a "superb debut" and wrote, "Welch's debts to artists of the past are obvious and clearly acknowledged, but there's a maturity, intelligence, and keen eye for detail in her songs you wouldn't expect from someone simply trying to ape the Carter Family."[2] Bill Friskics-Warren of No Depression praised the album as "breathtakingly austere evocations of rural culture."[1] Ann Powers of Rolling Stone gave Revival a lukewarm review and criticized Welch for not singing of her own experiences, and "manufacturing emotion."[6] Robert Christgau wrote Welch "just doesn't have the voice, eye, or way with words to bring her simulation off."[9]

Track listing

1. "Orphan Girl" – 3:57
2. "Annabelle" – 4:03
3. "Pass You By" – 3:57
4. "Barroom Girls" – 4:14
5. "One More Dollar" – 4:34
6. "By the Mark" – 3:40
7. "Paper Wings" – 3:57
8. "Tear My Stillhouse Down" – 4:32
9. "Acony Bell" – 3:06
10. "Only One and Only" – 5:33

Personnel

• Gillian Welch – vocals, guitar
• David Rawlings – guitar, vocals, bass, Optigan
• James Burton – guitar, National Steel guitar
• Armando Campean – bass
• Buddy Harman – drums
• John Hughey – pedal Steel
• Roy Huskey Jr. – bass
• Jay Joyce – E-Bow, guitar
• Jim Keltner – drums
• Greg Leisz – dobro, Weissenborn
• T Bone Burnett – Optigan

References

1. Friskics-Warren, Bill (Summer 1996). "Orphan Girl of the Hollywood hills finds a high lonesome musical home in the heart of the Appalachians". No Depression. Archived from the original on July 19, 2009. Retrieved January 8, 2020.
2. Deming, Mark. "Revival – Gillian Welch". AllMusic. Retrieved June 8, 2017.
3. Houlihan-Skilton, Mary (September 15, 1996). "Gillian Welch, 'Revival' (ALMO Sounds)". Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on November 19, 2018. Retrieved June 8, 2017.
4. Willman, Chris (May 3, 1996). "Gillian Welch: Revival". Entertainment Weekly: 78.
5. Hilburn, Robert (April 14, 1996). "Spinning Heartfelt Tales". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 8, 2017.
6. Powers, Ann (May 30, 1996). "Gillian Welch: Revival / Patti Rothberg: Between the 1 and the 9". Rolling Stone (735). Archived from the original on January 8, 2002. Retrieved June 8, 2017.
7. Berger, Arion; Caramanica, Jon (2004). "Gillian Welch". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. pp. 866–67. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
8. "Gillian Welch: Revival". Uncut (54): 124. November 2001.
9. Christgau, Robert (March 11, 1997). "Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. Retrieved June 8, 2017.