Search - Nanci Griffith :: The MCA Years: A Retrospective

The Best of Nancy Griffith

Brian D. Rubendall | Oakton, VA | 04/08/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This well-programmed single disc anthology is a perfect choice for the unintiated to experience the music of Nancy Griffith. Griffith is a folk artist who ocassionally infuses her music with a little rock and roll energy. What sets her apart from many others of her ilk is her ability to occasionally produce a catchy hook or two. This is particularly true on "Listen to the Radio," "Outbound Plane," and "Love at the Five and Dime." These are songs that can get your feet tapping while also engaging your frontal lobes. Like most folk singers, Griffith is unafraid to tackle the tough topics, like the failure of the family farm ("Trouble in the Fields"), and the debilitating effects parental racism can have on a child ("It's a Hard Life Wherever You Go"), but she mostly manages to do so without becoming too heavy handed.Overall, an excellent collection of songs from an underappreciated artist."