Hard Bargain (Emmylou Harris album)
Hard Bargain | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Studio album by Emmylou Harris | ||||
Released | April 26, 2011 | |||
Recorded | 2010 | |||
Genre | Country, folk | |||
Length | 53:04 | |||
Label | Nonesuch | |||
Producer | Jay Joyce | |||
Emmylou Harris chronology | ||||
|
Professional ratings | |
---|---|
Aggregate scores | |
Source | Rating |
Metacritic | (6.9/10) MC 69/100, 19 critics |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
Allmusic | 2011 |
Billboard | 2011 |
Entertainment Weekly | B+ link |
guardian.co.uk | link |
Los Angeles Times | link |
PopMatters.com | link |
Slant Magazine | 2011 |
The Independent | link |
New Zealand Herald | link |
Paste Magazine | link |
Country Weekly | link |
The Press (York) | link |
Hard Bargain is the twenty-sixth studio album by American country music singer-songwriter Emmylou Harris, released on April 26, 2011,[1] and recorded at Tragedy/Tragedy, TN. The album is her fourth solo recording for Nonesuch Records.
With 17,000 copies sold in its first week, the album debuted at number three on the U.S. Billboard Top Country Albums,[2] Harris' highest entry since her bluegrass LP Roses in the Snow in 1980. At the same time it debuted at number 18 on the Billboard 200,[3] displacing 1977's Luxury Liner as her most successful solo LP ever on that chart.
Album information
The songs which were to become the "Hard Bargain" album were, according to Emmylou, recorded within four weeks in August 2010. Only three people can be heard on the album, namely Harris herself, producer Jay Joyce, and Giles Reaves. In December 2010 six video clips were filmed at Laughing House Studios, Nashville, TN, directed by Jack Spencer.[4] These videos, with additional commentary, can be found on the bonus DVD of the album's deluxe release.
The opening number "The Road" is about the late Gram Parsons, her musical mentor who died in 1973.
"Darlin' Kate" is a tribute to the late Kate McGarrigle who died of cancer in 2010. Kate, as well as her sister Anna McGarrigle, collaborated with Emmylou on numerous occasions since the 1970s.
"My Name Is Emmett Till" tells the story of Emmett Till, an African-American boy who was killed in 1955.
Track listing
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "The Road" | Emmylou Harris | 5:31 |
2. | "Home Sweet Home" | Harris | 3:45 |
3. | "My Name Is Emmett Till" | Harris | 4:53 |
4. | "Goodnight Old World" | Harris, Will Jennings | 3:55 |
5. | "New Orleans" | Harris, Jennings | 3:38 |
6. | "Big Black Dog" | Harris | 3:26 |
7. | "Lonely Girl" | Harris | 4:44 |
8. | "Hard Bargain" | Ron Sexsmith | 3:23 |
9. | "Six White Cadillacs" | Harris, Jennings | 3:22 |
10. | "The Ship on His Arm" | Harris | 4:46 |
11. | "Darlin' Kate" | Harris | 3:08 |
12. | "Nobody" | Harris | 5:04 |
13. | "Cross Yourself" | Jay Joyce | 3:36 |
iTunes/digital bonus track | |||
---|---|---|---|
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
14. | "To Ohio" (with The Low Anthem) | Ben Knox Miller, Jeffrey Prystowsky | 3:27 |
Deluxe edition with bonus DVD | ||
---|---|---|
No. | Title | Length |
1. | "Six White Cadillacs" (video) | |
2. | "Goodnight Old World" (video) | |
3. | "Home Sweet Home" (video) | |
4. | "Darlin' Kate" (video) | |
5. | "Big Black Dog" (video) | |
6. | "The Road" (Acoustic Version) (video) |
Personnel
- Emmylou Harris – vocals, acoustic guitar
- Jay Joyce – guitar, bass guitar, keyboards, piano, omnichord, ganjo, mandolin
- Giles Reaves – drums, keyboards, percussion, piano, organ, vibraphone, marimbula
Charts
Chart (2011) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australian Albums Chart | 48[5] |
Australian Country Albums Chart | 2 |
Belgian Albums Chart (Flanders) | 39 |
Belgian Albums Chart (Wallonia) | 95 |
Canadian Albums Chart | 20 |
Danish Albums Chart | 27 |
Canadian Country Albums Chart | 2 |
Dutch Albums Chart | 15 |
German Albums Chart | 49 |
Irish Individual Artist Albums | 36 |
New Zealand Albums Chart | 28 |
Norwegian Albums Chart | 11 |
Swedish Albums Chart | 15 |
Swiss Albums Chart | 76 |
UK Albums Chart | 30 |
UK Country Albums Chart | 2 |
US Billboard 200 | 18 |
US Billboard Top Country Albums | 3 |
US Billboard Folk Albums | 3 |
US Billboard Rock Albums | 6 |
References
- ↑ "Emmylou Harris | Nonesuch Records". Nonesuch.com. Retrieved 2011-07-26.
- ↑ May 4th 2011 2:00PM by Stephen L. Betts Comments (2011-05-04). "Emmylou Harris' 'Hard Bargain' Debuts at No. 3 on Country Chart". The Boot. Retrieved 2011-07-26.
- ↑ Kaufman, Gil (2011-05-04). "Adele Tops Billboard Albums Chart Once Again - Music, Celebrity, Artist News". MTV. Retrieved 2011-07-26.
- ↑ "Hard Bargain | Nonesuch Records". Nonesuch.com. Retrieved 2011-07-26.
- ↑ "Top 50 Albums Chart - Australian Recording Industry Association". ARIA. Retrieved 2011-05-15.