Storms was the eighth studio album released by singer-songwriter Nanci Griffith. When recording the album, Griffith chose to go in the direction of mainstream pop music. This was quite a musical change for her, as her previous albums had been folk and country music. Griffith enlisted the talents of noted rock music producer Glyn Johns for the musical style change.
The album landed at No. 42[4] on the Billboard Country Albums chart, and at No. 99[5] on the Pop Albums chart in 1989.
Composition and music
The sixth track, "It's a Hard Life Wherever You Go" differs from the rest of the album, as an explicitly political song. The song was inspired by Griffith's visits to Northern Ireland.
The track "Listen to the Radio" is a tribute to singer-songwriter Loretta Lynn.
The last track on the album, "Radio Fragile", is about singer-songwriter Phil Ochs.[6]
Critical reception
Robert Christgau did not much care for the album. He gave it a C+ and remarked, "I don't know. But I expect she thinks it has something to do with art."[2]
Mike Boehm, wrote in Los Angeles Times that in the song "It's a Hard Life Wherever You Go", "Griffith challenges what we have always been taught to believe: that America is the most principled of countries, the greatest force for global good. She ends the song by saying that a far different image--that of the Ugly American--is closer to fact."[7]
Writing years later for AllMusic, critic Lindsay Planer noted that although her change in style was not well received by purists, Griffith "unfurled some of her finest musical stories to date".[1]
Track listing
All tracks are written by Nanci Griffith, unless otherwise noted.
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