Nanci Griffith - Flyer

With Flyer, Nanci Griffith continues her successful reign as folk music's best country artist. Unlike Mary-Chapin Carpenter who brought a homogenous blend of pop country/folk to the masses, Griffith still struggles on the fringe. Griffith's music is more sophisticated than Chapin's, but it is her high-register, nasal twang that holds her back from mass popularity.

It is the contribution of her peers that allows Flyer to soar. Griffith is joined by guitar virtuoso Frank Christian, the Indigo Girls, Emmylou Harris, The Chieftans, Adam Duritz of Counting Crows, and U2's Adam Clayton. They breeze through mostly Griffith originals, bolstered by Griffith's unique vocals which sometimes sound like Iris Dement, Suzanne Vega, or Shawn Colvin.

It was Nanci who first introduced Julie Gold's classic From A Distance; on Flyer she presents Gold's new Southbound Train. Griffith spreads her own musical wings, flying from country and folk to Tex-Mex swing and rock. The Indigo's harmonies twist like vines with Griffith's vocal on These Days In An Open Book and Crows' Duritz does his Van Morrison slurry best on the duet Going Back To Georgia.

• The Flyer
• Nobody's Angel
• Say It Isn't So
• Southbound Train
• These Days In An Open Book
• Time Of Inconvenience
• Don't Forget About Me
• Always Will
• Going Back To Georgia
• Talk To Me While I'm Listening
• Fragile
• On Grafton Street
• Anything You Need But Me
• Goodnight To A Mother's Dream
• This Heart