Patty Griffin: Children Running Through

By Dennis Cook

Griffin has long been one of the shining lights of the singer-songwriter world but her sixth album elevates her to potential classic status. Children has the unshakeable mettle of Kris Kristofferson backed by the musical muscle of Nickel Creek. Few paint a living, breathing scene like Griffin, and these pictures are bright and dark in equal measure. In other words, a stirring, honest portrait of the world as it’s experienced by most of us.

Dotted with small moments that stay and big things that expand beautifully in her care, these dozen cuts are platinum songcraft. The mood shifts regularly but each shade feels real – the quivering ballad ringing every bit as true as the halfway-up-her-skirt rockers. The arrangements are ear-catching, enlivened by a seriously talented group of players that includes guitarist Doug Lancio, bassists J.D. Foster and Glenn Worf, drummer Michael Longoria, and keyboard maestro Ian McLagan (Faces, Rolling Stones) on grand piano. Griffin herself is no slouch on acoustic guitar and piano, too. The horn and string arrangements of John Mark Painter glide with the music, never overwhelming the shining bones of these compositions. Without question, this is Griffin’s best full-band record yet, and quite possibly her finest hour since her amazing 1996 debut, Living With Ghosts.

Opener, “You’ll Remember,” has the stately, ageless grace of Peggy Lee’s “Is That All There Is?” It’s immediately followed by one of the gutsiest, cleverest tunes Griffin’s ever written, “Stay On The Ride,” which sashays like vintage Bill Withers. “Getting Ready” is a rambler that would have done June Carter proud in her “Jackson” days. “I Don’t Ever Give Up” is a stunning grab for faith in a dry time. The refrain of “Love isn’t here but it’s somewhere” is both chilling and uplifting. Later she sings, “I fall sometimes, sometimes I come back flying.” Many tracks have the feeling angel energy wrestled to the mortal realm, church music muddied by relationships and letdowns, full of dreams deferred and bad choices survived.

Perhaps the most striking thing about Children Running Through is the maturity of Griffin’s voice. Always a skilled singer, she blossoms here. Griffin unfurls the full, pleasantly edged power inside her, ranging from an earth mama rumble to a girlish whisper. You can hear her straining towards the light throughout this set. It’s a struggle that’s not hard to identify with, and in her striving our own long journey is bolstered, outfitted with fresh hymns, strengthened by the good company.

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