Emily Scott Robinson
Traveling Mercies

Release Date: 2019 | Tracklist

One word to describe this record by Emily Scott Robinson is beautiful. It`s easy for me to say that and how it goes in hand in hand with he way that this record effortlessly captivates the listener from the first strums of Robinson`s guitar. It is not just the songwriting, but the way it fits with the melodies, the accompaniment, and the vocal performance of Robinson herself. Call it folk, americana, country, or whatever, but this record is beautiful and timeless. every single song is a story, a story that leaves me hanging on to every single word, and wanting to hear more. This is one of those albums that sticks with you after it ends, the one that leaves you feeling like you may be better off just for sticking around and listening. Robinson offers simple vignettes of life, and imparts small truths she has learned over the years that are all combined into song to make every line a little nugget of wisdom. All at once, the album offers hope, such as "Westward Bound," the opener that tells of the narrator journeying west, seemingly on a quest for freedom and a fresh start. Songs like "Ghost in Every Town," and "Delta Line," both capture the struggle of everyday folks and brings with it a sense of despair and sadness, yet never sinking too low. Songs like "The Dress," and "Run," are simply heartbreaking as the former recalls an assault that Robinson was the victim of, and how she is left thinking that it may have been her fault. The latter recounts an abusive relationship and the narrator`s desire to simply get away. These tales of sadness and devastation are interwoven with a track like "Better With Time," that recounts a story of a blossoming marriage that grows stronger by the day. I could go on and on with moments and lyrics that perfectly describe this album, but it wouldn`t do it justice. Every song is a masterpiece in its own right, and each one manages to take a lifetime of stories and wrap them into a song. I could tell about the first time I listened to this album and was blown away by the atmosphere, the melodies that kept me hanging on to each word, and of the lyrical genius of Robinson as she calmly tells the stories of her life. I could tell of the time in early spring when I drove through the middle of nowhere Virginia with this album playing in the car to pass the mid-afternoon drive that was supposed to clear my head and make me feel a sense of home in a place that I don`t really belong. But I guess that is the whole point of this record. Emily Scott Robinson is a wandering soul, an adventurer, and her home isn`t a location. Her home is found in those she loves, and in the songs that she writes and pours everything into. Her songs are her stories and her life, and it is evident by the way that she eloquently portrays her life through song

Tweet

Recent reviews by this author
Tenth Avenue North Followers	Brian Fallon Local Honey
Turnpike Troubadours Diamonds and Gasoline	Brand New The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me
Chris Young I'm Comin' Over	Thomas Rhett It Goes Like This

user ratings (34)

rate it Awful - 1 Very Poor - 1.5 Poor - 2 Average - 2.5 Good - 3 Great - 3.5 Excellent - 4 Superb - 4.5 Classic - 5

3.8 excellent