Emmylou Harris - Spyboy Live (1990)

It's a sobering testament to the power of flash over substance that Nashville's major labels now routinely crank out slick "new country" videos while more heartfelt, authentic country music is nowhere to be found on industry radar. The inequity seems almost appalling in the case of Emmylou Harris, now releasing albums and this excellent concert video on her own imprint, despite an integrity and artistry that frankly tower above those of the "new country" pinups that get by on innuendo and packaging.

Although Harris helped open the country-music establishment to a new generation of rock-savvy songwriters and musicians, her music has always been concerned more with emotional truth than commercial crossover. Accordingly, when the new "hat" acts eclipsed the more authentic bluegrass and traditional country accents in Harris's music, she neither surrendered nor complained, sustaining her high standards while evolving toward a more mature personal style. The mid-'90s witnessed her bravest high-wire walk on the remarkable Wrecking Ball, in which she collaborated with producer Daniel Lanois to radically shift the sound and sensibility of her music. That partnership--clearly the most galvanic since her '70s apprenticeship with the late Gram Parsons, whose austere country-rock blueprint shaped Harris's earlier solo output--has directly influenced her subsequent band, Spyboy, which preserves the moody synthesis of electric textures and acoustic timbres mapped with Lanois.

Like the excellent Spyboy live album, this companion video, shot during performances at Nashville's Exit/In club, augments Harris's ravishing soprano and acoustic guitar with alternative country hero Buddy Miller's lead guitar and the lean, limber New Orleans rhythm section of bassist Darryl Johnson and drummer Brady Blade. Every bit as precise as her fabled Hot Bands, Spyboy handles older signature songs such as "Love Hurts" and "I Ain't Living Long Like This" capably, but it's on the Wrecking Ball songs--including "Where Will I Be," "Deeper Well," "All My Tears," and "The Maker"--that the results verge on transcendence. --Sam Sutherland Amazon.com

Track Listing

Here's the track listing for the DVD for anyone interested...

1. Introduction
2. My Songbird
3. Where Will I Be
4. I Ain't Living Long Like This
5. Love Hurts
6. Deeper Well
7. Prayer in Open D
8. Calling My Children Home
9. All My Tears
10. Born to Run
11. The Maker June 17, 2008

jump on it , son!

had to find this used. when amazon says 4 to 6 weeks i don't know what that means (usually not a good sign of ultimate availability), but glad i got it! a couple of pieces they intentionally make a little jumpy looking, i think to go along with the lanois-type treatment of those 2 songs (eg, deeper well), but all in all a great concert with good camera angles and what a band! as tony rice would say, JUMP ON IT SON! November 22, 2006

Essential Emmylou . . .

Even if you are not a long time fan, I think this excellent concert could win you over if you listen to Americana music at all.

Harris' voice may not be as pure as decades ago, but her breadth and soul are electrifying. And of course there is the much overlooked Buddy Miller and the rest of Spyboy.

I beg to differ with another reviewer. To my (not unstudied ears) the sound quality is quite good. In fact that is another great reason to see and hear this DVD version, because it is vastly superior to the CD of the same material. The Spyboy CD takes a lot of careful tweeking of your sound system to just be listenable, but this DVD is mixed and mastered with satisfying results.

Sit back and enjoy one of the grand female leads in roots based American music. October 15, 2005

No Flash, All Substance

It's rare these days when an artist commands attention without resorting to stage antics, special effects, unusual sets and outrageous costumes. This band, so simple in its delivery, does just that. Harris, Miller, Blade and Johnston shine in this live performance. There are no star turns. There are no screaming, adoring fans. Just a house full of people enjoying good music.
Strong cuts here include "Prayer in Open D," "Born To Run" and "The Maker." I also enjoyed Harris' commentary between cuts because it's mainly praise for her band (and it's succinct). Minor disappointment: The DVD does not include "Boulder To Birmingham" and "Tulsa Queen" - two of the strongest cuts on the companion live CD. Hopefully, an expanded DVD is is in the vaults awaiting release someday. December 2, 2004

How Disappointing!

As a long, long, long time fan of Emmylou Harris, I was thrilled to learn a live performance of hers was available on DVD. However, the sound quality is terrible and the song selections are uninspiring. After watching the DVD once, I have no desire to see it again, and I regret very much having spent the money for it. February 12, 2004

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