| Musings of a Creek Dipper | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1998 | |||
| Label | Atlantic [1] | |||
| Producer | Victoria Williams, Trina Shoemaker | |||
| Victoria Williams chronology | ||||
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Musings of a Creek Dipper is an album by the American musician Victoria Williams, released in 1998. [2] [3] The album cover artwork is a photograph of Williams in an Oxnard, California, creek. [4] Williams supported the album with a short tour, which included playing the Calgary Folk Music Festival. [5] [6]
Musings of a Creek Dipper was produced by Williams and Trina Shoemaker. [7] [8] Joey Burns and John Convertino played on the album, as did Greg Leisz. [9] [10] Williams employed more horns and strings than on previous albums. [11] She experienced occasional flareups of her multiple sclerosis during the recording sessions. [12]
Many of the album's songs were inspired by living near Joshua Tree, California. [13] Williams's husband, Mark Olson, cowrote some of the songs and also played on the album. [14] Wendy & Lisa provided much of the musical instrumentation to "Train Song (Demise of the Caboose)". [15] The vocals on "Kashmir's Corn" were recorded with Williams's head positioned in the bell of a sousaphone. [16] "Humming Bird" first appeared on The Original Harmony Ridge Creek Dippers . [17] Julie Miller sang on "Rainmaker". [18] "Nature Boy" is a cover of the Nat King Cole song. [19]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [20] |
| Chicago Tribune | [21] |
| Robert Christgau | A− [22] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [23] |
| Entertainment Weekly | A− [24] |
| The Hamilton Spectator | [25] |
| The Indianapolis Star | [12] |
| MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide |  [7] |
| (The New) Rolling Stone Album Guide | [11] |
| Spin | 7/10 [26] |
Robert Christgau wrote that "there's eccentric and then there's loopy, and this fragile, well-named follow-up is loopy." [22] Trouser Press thought that "the album's relaxed pace rests the singer comfortably in her own jazz-folk niche, and she has never sounded more at home." [1] The Boston Globe stated: "High and quavery as a child at points, her Melanie-like voice makes even her most sophisticated songs sound as simple as a sing-along." [27] The Chicago Tribune opined that "too often Williams sounds like Olive Oyl at a twee party." [21]
Entertainment Weekly determined that "what's truly remarkable about these songs is how they manage to radiate a sense of wonder without sounding cloyingly precious." [24] Spin concluded that Williams "is unapologetic about her lazy pace and sappy disposition, spinning take-it-or-leave-it tales of cozy cabins and pretty clouds." [26] The Hamilton Spectator noted that, "by providing an atmosphere conducive to Williams' charms, Shoemaker ... has produced a bewitching, gratifying record that finally capitalizes on the singer's unique gifts." [25]
AllMusic wrote that Williams "expands her musical skills on Musings of a Creekdipper, finding an original, eclectically rural sound that enhances the off-center originality of her songs." [20]
All tracks are written by Victoria Williams, unless otherwise noted.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Periwinkle Sky" | 3:08 | |
| 2. | "Rainmaker" | 3:26 | |
| 3. | "Kashmir's Corn" | 4:24 | |
| 4. | "Train Song (Demise of the Caboose)" | 3:05 | |
| 5. | "Last Word" | 3:17 | |
| 6. | "Nature Boy" | Eden Ahbez | 2:39 |
| 7. | "Tree Song (Eucalyptus Lullabye)" | 4:18 | |
| 8. | "Let It Be So" | 3:28 | |
| 9. | "Allergic Boy" | 3:00 | |
| 10. | "Humming Bird" | Victoria Williams/Mark Olson | 3:17 |
| 11. | "Grandpa in the Cornpatch" | 4:23 | |
| 12. | "Blackbirds Rise" | 4:25 |
