A Stranger Here

A Stranger Here
Studio album by
ReleasedApril 7, 2009
RecordedJuly 21 – 29, 2008
GenreFolk, country blues
LabelANTI-
ProducerJoe Henry
Ramblin' Jack Elliott chronology
Vanguard Visionaries
(2007)
A Stranger Here
(2009)
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic81/100[1]
Review scores
SourceRating
The Boston Phoenix[2]
Filter84%[3]
Mojo[4]
NME8/10[5]
The Observer[6]
PopMatters8/10[7]
Q[8]
Record Collector[9]
Slant Magazine[10]
Under the Radar7/10[11]

A Stranger Here is an album by American folk musician Ramblin' Jack Elliott, released in 2009. It reached number 5 on the Billboard Top Blues albums charts.[12]

At the 52nd Grammy Awards, A Stranger Here won the Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues Album.

Track listing

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  1. "Rising High Water Blues" (Blind Lemon Jefferson) – 3:55
  2. "Death Don't Have No Mercy" (Reverend Gary Davis) – 6:08
  3. "Rambler's Blues" (Lonnie Johnson) – 5:14
  4. "Soul of a Man" (Blind Willie Johnson) – 4:16
  5. "Richland Women Blues" (Mississippi John Hurt) – 4:25
  6. "Grinnin' in Your Face" (Son House) – 3:55
  7. "New Stranger Blues" (Tampa Red) – 3:25
  8. "Falling Down Blues" (Furry Lewis) – 4:53
  9. "How Long Blues" (Leroy Carr) – 4:44
  10. "Please Remember Me" (Walter Davis) – 4:03

Personnel

[edit]

Production notes:

  • Joe Henry - producer
  • Ryan Freeland – engineer, mixing
  • Gavin Lurssen – mastering
  • Anabel Sinn – design
  • Michael "Mick" Wilson – photography

Chart positions

[edit]
Year Chart Position
2009 Billboard Top Blues Albums 5

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Reviews for A Stranger Here by Ramblin' Jack Elliott". Metacritic. Retrieved May 11, 2025.
  2. ^ Drozdowski, Ted (March 30, 2009). "Ramblin' Jack Elliott - A Stranger Here". The Boston Phoenix. Retrieved May 11, 2025.
  3. ^ Ramblin' Jack Elliott has teamed up with producer Joe Henry to deliver a starkly dimensional and soulful collection of dark blues. [Winter 2009, p.94]
  4. ^ It's on those songs that strike a chord with Elliot personally that he's most convincing. [May 2009, p.103]
  5. ^ Harris, Tessa (April 3, 2009). "Album Review: Ramblin' Jack Elliot". NME. Retrieved May 11, 2025.
  6. ^ Yates, Steve (March 15, 2009). "Folk review: Ramblin' Jack Elliott, A Stranger Here". The Observer. Retrieved May 11, 2025.
  7. ^ Horowitz, Steve (April 8, 2009). "Ramblin' Jack Elliott: A Stranger Here". PopMatters. Retrieved May 11, 2025.
  8. ^ Now in his 78th year, all that know-how has been meaningfully brought to bear on this collection of vintage, Depression-era blues. [May 20009, p.112]
  9. ^ Holmes, Tim (March 28, 2009). "A Stranger Here - Ramblin' Jack Elliott". Record Collector. Retrieved May 11, 2025.
  10. ^ Keefe, Jonathan (April 5, 2009). "Review: Ramblin' Jack Elliott, A Stranger Here". Slant Magazine. Retrieved May 11, 2025.
  11. ^ The pre-WWII country blues that the 77-year-old honed under the tutelage of Woody Guthrie are in full bloom on 'The New Stranger Blues' and 'Soul of A Man'. [Spring 2009, p.77]
  12. ^ Allmusic entry for A Stranger Here. Accessed June 7, 2009.