As these things often go, I've been working my way backwards through Welch's discography. It all kicked off when I picked up Soul Journey on spec from the library, attracted by the pretty blue colour and childish line drawings on its cover and a vague sense that Welch was some kind of neo-folk type, and was promptly entranced, particularly by the wonderful top and tail of "Look At Miss Ohio" and "Wrecking Ball". Next was Time (The Revelator), which was less obviously warm and summery, and so took a bit longer to sink in, but has ultimately proved equally rewarding.
And now, Hell Among The Yearlings, another step back in time, both in terms of when it was recorded, and when it sounds like it was recorded. The folk and, in particular, bluegrass elements are more pronounced on this record, giving it more of an old-fashioned, almost rustic, feel, and consequently it's further away from my usual listening spectrum, making it a bit harder to get into. After about a week of having it on in the background of my days, though, it's really starting to make sense, and I get the feeling that I'll end up liking it just as much as her last two albums - the guitar/voice twang has a kind of pull to it that's hard to shake off...
