Servant of Love

by Patty Griffin

Overview

Patty Griffin has always been an artist fearlessly, eagerly willing to follow her muse wherever it may take her, and few artists can bare their souls in the recording studio with such compelling results. For her ninth studio album, 2015's Servant of Love, Griffin has given herself more creative freedom than ever before, as it's the first release from PGM Recordings, her own independent label. While Servant of Love doesn't sound like an album she couldn't have made for one of her former sponsors, it is a bravely eclectic, often enigmatic work that doesn't announce all its attentions at first glance, but allows Griffin to use her lyrics and voice to communicate a soulful style that's as much about tone as the literal message of the verses. As the title suggests, Servant of Love is, for the most part, a collection of songs about love, but these are not love songs per se. Instead, these tunes ponder the mysteries of attraction (the title song), the downsides of failing relationships ("Hurt a Little While" and "Good and Gone"), the love of a mother for her child ("250,000 Miles"), the power of physical attraction ("Snake Charmer"), and the nexus where love and spirituality meet ("Shine a Different Way" and "There Isn't One Way"). The circular patterns of "250,000 Miles," "Made of the Sun," and "Everything's Changed" suggest Eastern modalities finding a common ground with American folk and blues, while Ephraim Owens' trumpet on "Gunpowder" and "Servant of Love" adds an earthy jazz undertow to the arrangements, which takes this album just outside the boundaries of rootsy Americana. And though some of the tunes are whisper quiet while others howl like a honky tonk on Saturday night, Griffin knows just how hard to hit the material whatever the surroundings, and her vocals are emotionally intelligent and expressive throughout, while Griffin and producer Craig Ross coax some splendid performances from their session crew. Servant of Love is an album that needs a few spins to be fully appreciated, but it's as sincere, heartfelt, and artful as anything Griffin has released to date, and if the form may seem elusive to some listeners, the content is powerful and satisfying, a reminder of why Patty Griffin is one of our best singer/songwriters. ~ Mark Deming

Product Details

Release Date:	10/16/2015
Label:	Pgm
UPC:	0696859966002
Rank:	176349

Tracks

Disc 1

1. Servant of Love
2. Gunpowder
3. Good and Gone
4. Hurt a Little While
5. 250,000 Miles
6. Made of the Sun

Disc 2

7. Everything's Changed
8. Rider of Days
9. There Isn't One Way
10. Noble Ground
11. Snake Charmer
12. You Never Asked Me
13. Shine a Different Way

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Patty Griffin   Primary Artist,Piano,Vocals,Mandolin
Shawn Colvin   Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Conrad Choucroun   Drums
Jud Newcomb   Guitar (Electric)
Ephraim Owens   Trumpet
Craig Ross   Bass,Drums,Organ,Drones,Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Baritone)
John Deaderick   Piano,Accordion
Ralph White   Kalimba
David Pulkingham   Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric)
Lindsey Verrill   Bowed Bass

Technical Credits

Patty Griffin   Composer,Producer
Joe Gastwirt   Mastering
Craig Ross   Engineer,Producer
Mike Poole   Mixing
David McClister   Photography
Cindi Peters   Production Service
Beth Middleworth   Design
David Boyle   Engineer
Gina Binkley   Design
Jerry Holmes   Technical Support
Mishka Westell   Cover Illustration