This collection of musical performances from the radio program A Prairie Home Companion is culled from over two decades of broadcasts, and it boasts a stellar lineup of largely acoustic musicians playing in the sort of neo-traditional country style favored by the show. A Prairie Home Companion exists in a Depression-era alternate universe, and this is music for that mythical setting, with appearances by such traditional country, alt-country, and Americana favorites as Chet Atkins, Iris DeMent, the Everly Brothers, ...
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This collection of musical performances from the radio program A Prairie Home Companion is culled from over two decades of broadcasts, and it boasts a stellar lineup of largely acoustic musicians playing in the sort of neo-traditional country style favored by the show. A Prairie Home Companion exists in a Depression-era alternate universe, and this is music for that mythical setting, with appearances by such traditional country, alt-country, and Americana favorites as Chet Atkins, Iris DeMent, the Everly Brothers, Emmylou Harris, Leo Kottke, Gillian Welch, and Robin & Linda Williams. There are a few ringers, notably Broadway star Faith Prince, opera star Renée Fleming, and movie star Meryl Streep, but none of them disrupt the overall mood. In fact, the only person who does mar what is otherwise an impressive album is the host of A Prairie Home Companion , Garrison Keillor. Clearly, singing is not among his talents; he sounds like a rank amateur warbling in his shower, blissfully unaware of such technical demands as breath control and timing. And yet he turns up on no less than five tracks, always stumbling along after some tolerant female singer, but making a fool of himself nevertheless. Pity Fleming and Streep (an excellent singer), who just seem to carry on as if he isn't there, which is probably the best strategy. No doubt fans of A Prairie Home Companion will be willing to accept the host's musical shortcomings better than those coming to this album with less familiarity, and it is those fans for which it is intended. Still, the disc would have been better without him. ~ William Ruhlmann, Rovi
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