Search - Judee Sill :: Judee Sill

"Take all the gentle home"

William Timothy Lukeman | 03/20/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Judee Sill's short & tumultuous life is the raw stuff of legend, transformed & transfigured in the sublime art of her music. She's one of those rare artists like no other, despite the superficial resemblance to many of her musical contemporaries. Although she was unjustly neglected during her lifetime, her music has endured & will always be rediscovered by all who seek for transcendent beauty & meaning, especially in a darkened world.



It's been said that "religion is for those afraid of going to Hell, and spirituality is for those who have been there," and her friends assure us that Judee lived out this truth. It can be heard in the sweet, rich sound of her voice, informed by suffering & soaring on luminous wings. Once that comforting, resigned yet yearning voice envelops the listener with its slight drawl, we're in another reality, one born of both the times (the 1960s) & the timeless.



Some listeners may be initially put off by the Christian references in her lyrics. But that would be a mistake. Her deeply personal Christ-as-cosmic-cowboy/lover imagery comes from a different time, when Christianity was being rediscovered as a radical, positive force; it has nothing to do with the fear-based faith of modern fundamentalism. This is spirit as erotic hunger, and the erotic as pure spirit. And of course the occult mysticism intermixed with her lyrics would be anathema to the spiritually close-minded!



This is the first of Judee's three albums, the third of which wasn't even released until nearly 30 years after her tragic yet seemingly inevitable death. All three are well worth seeking out - and if they resonate with you, they'll become a part of your life. Her work is true treasure, absolutely recommended!

"

Hippie-Christian, pop-folk-country, debut

Elliot Knapp | Seattle, Washington United States | 01/05/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I admit it, when I first added this album to my list of records to check out, I hesitated to buy it since everything I read described it as "Christian rock." I don't have anything against Christians, but Christian rock is a music genre that is usually pretty bad, offering little more than repackaged, bland preaching paired with uninspired and equally bland music. Thankfully, I did pick up this record and found it to be much better than its so-called genre led me to believe.



Judee Sill's take on Christian spirituality is certainly unique--listen to her lyrics, and you'll probably notice a combination of classic Christian concepts and ideals alongside some pretty spacey hippie imagery. For me, this is a pretty novel combo and it really set Sill's music apart from the schlock that gets marketed as Christian rock. Additionally, it's not really that preachy or overbearing. Rather than preaching to her listeners, Sill describes her own personal, introspective spiritual journey, which is a lot more compelling.



Judee Sill is overall a pretty soothing record. Her voice is quite mellow but able to convey some pretty specific emotions, and it sounds good overdubbed too. Most of the main accompaniment is acoustic guitar and piano, along with a fair bit of tasteful orchestration. This folky instrumentation is supported by Sill's surprisingly poppy writing. Her songs are concise and full of hooks (guitar on "Crayon Angels," the entirety of "Jesus Was a Cross Maker," the list goes on). Even after one listen, you'll have something to hum and want to hear again. Unfortunately, it's a pretty short album, so it probably will leave you wanting more.



There really aren't any weak cuts on this album, but some of my favorites are "Crayon Angels," the refrain in "Loping Along Through the Cosmos," and the soulful "Enchanted Sky Machine." I hope you check out and enjoy this lost treasure!"

Absurdly great lost classic

Travis Dubya McGee Bickle | Texas Quail Hunting Camp | 01/10/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Judee Sill, simply put, was a friggin' genius...her stuff easily rates up there with Joni Mitchell's best. I think that pegs the level of sophistication about right, though truth to be told, Judee was advancing a bit more rapidly before her tragic and untimely demise...Great great jazzy, complex tunes with beautiful vocalizing, cosmic, trippy lyrics and rich, clever, orchestrated arrangements...Buy this and tell all of your friends about it."