Songwriter Patty Griffin is a child of an Irish-American family, and it is an education and a pleasure to hear her singular voice give vivid expression to that complex hyphenated identity. Griffin has explored familial roots before, notably on Impossible Dream , but here she faces up to an unwelcome milestone: the death of her father. She has said that American Kid is intended to honour his memory, and she can rest assured that it does without resorting to sentimentality. It also seals Griffin's reputation as a remarkable artist in the roots tradition as she subtly converts her grief into an absorbing series of songs that cover a life, making the ordinary seem extraordinary. Her voice, so fragile and yet so strong, lives each note. the effect is underlined by a lean production, with new husband Robert Plant adding understated support. Music that delivers a shiver each time.
Pattygriffin.com
Download: Don't Let Me Die In Florida , Irish Boy , Gonna Miss You When Your Gone