My Two Cents: Children Running Through

I was wary of, though committed to, purchasing Patty Griffin's new disc, as I was disappointed with the last record, Impossible Dream. Having had the pleasure (and I do mean pleasure) of seeing her live at Nashville's historic Ryman Auditorium, I can attest to the fact that ID failed to translate her fiery passion (though it did hint at her fragile pensiveness). She is, hands down, one of the most talented performing singer-songwriters I've ever seen. She can do it all -- from Americana to blues to country to folk to gospel to jazz to rock. And she reminds us of that anew with Children Running Through. The album is nearly everything that I had hoped for. (A smidgen more rock-n-roll, and it would be a perfect record.) One of the more notable tracks, "Burgundy Shoes," is the kind of song that is over far too soon, the kind that you never want to end. It practically had me in tears before the first chorus hit. From the jazzy opening cut to the country-flavored final ballad, CRT portrays Patty's powerful musical palette.