Album Review: Rachel Harrington - Celilo Falls (Skinny Dennis)

Oregon-born Rachel Harrington teams up with Ronnie McCoury, Rod Clements, Dan Salini, Corby Sander and Jon Hamar for this her third album release in just a little over three years. Produced by Evan Brubaker, CELILO FALLS follows the steady stream of highly praised albums that began with THE BOOTLEGGER'S DAUGHTER (2007) closely followed by the singer-songwriter's breakthrough album CITY OF REFUGE (2008). This third offering continues to draw upon Harrington's talents as a first rate songwriter and performer, with a collection of highly personal songs that pull no punches.   

The songs describe turbulent romantic liaisons with stoic resignation, Here In My Bed for example, also known as Part Two of the Jerk Trilogy, leaves you in no doubt that it's time to move on. The bluesy You'll Do continues the theme but with a sense of irony, an almost submissive approach to matters of the heart. 

Harrington's background in gospel music is drawn upon with He Started Building My Mansion In Heaven Today, which has all the hallmarks of standard traditional gospel fare but with Harrington's own distinctive mark. Her own version of heaven also closes the album with The Last Jubilee, a sprightly farewell to this mortal coil, alluding to the fact that we continue our music in the hereafter and in good company too, with Johnny Cash, Hank Williams and Elvis; a sort of Always Look on the Bright Side of Life for Country fans.

The songs, whether sparsely accompanied such as You Don't Know, with just a solo finger-picked guitar and an almost subliminally present harmonica, or enhanced by liberal portions of dobro, pedal steel and fiddle, the songs are delivered with equal power, which is testament to Harrington's command over story telling. Goodbye Amsterdam captures life on the road with a tender ballad reminding us all of the down side of touring; with every hello, there's always a goodbye.   

Previously known as Last Sunday or Vantage, Harrington includes Art Hanlon's Spokane, which furnishes the album with its one and only contemporary cover, whilst also offering a taste of the traditional with Pretty Saro. Whilst the tune, taught to her by former touring partner Zak Borden remains intact, Rachel reworks the words to suit her own sense of storytelling, in the spirit of an evolving tradition.

With a neat double gatefold sleeve incorporating all the lyrics and a few sleeve notes, together with a sparse period-style monochrome portrait on the front cover, CELILO FALLS once again evokes the spirit of pure Americana.