Woodland (album)

Woodland
Studio album by
Gillian Welch and David Rawlings
ReleasedAugust 23, 2024
StudioWoodland (Nashville, Tennessee)[1]
Length40:57
LabelAcony
ProducerDavid Rawlings
Gillian Welch chronology
All the Good Times (Are Past & Gone)
(2020) 		Woodland
(2024)
David Rawlings chronology
All the Good Times (Are Past & Gone)
(2020) 		Woodland
(2024)
Singles from Woodland
  1. "Empty Trainload of Sky"
    Released: July 19, 2024
  2. "Hashtag"
    Released: August 9, 2024

Woodland is the seventh studio album by Gillian Welch, the third solo studio album by David Rawlings (his fifth including his studio work with Dave Rawlings Machine), and the second studio album to be credited to the pair as a duo. Released by Acony Records on August 23, 2024, it is the first album of original material from Welch since 2011's The Harrow & the Harvest, and from Rawlings since 2017's Poor David's Almanack; their 2020 album All the Good Times (Are Past & Gone) consisted entirely of covers of preexisting songs.[2]

The album is named after Welch and Rawlings' Woodland Sound Studios in Nashville, Tennessee, which was destroyed by a tornado in 2020. The artists stated in a press release that the songs on Woodland are "a swirl of contradictions, emptiness, fullness, joy, grief, destruction, [and] permanence."[3]

The first single from the album, "Empty Trainload of Sky", was released on July 19, 2024.[4] It was followed by "Hashtag" on August 9.[5]

Critical reception

Year-end lists

Numerous critics and publications listed Woodland in their year-end ranking of the best albums of 2024, often inside the top ten.

Select year-end rankings for Woodland
Publication/critic Accolade Rank Ref.
MOJO 75 Best Albums of 2024 4 [6]
Uncut 80 Best Albums of 2024 2 [7]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Gillian Welch and David Rawlings.

Woodland track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Empty Trainload of Sky"3:24
2."What We Had"3:58
3."Lawman"4:31
4."The Bells and the Birds"3:13
5."North Country"5:12
6."Hashtag"3:34
7."The Day the Mississippi Died"4:55
8."Turf the Gambler"2:49
9."Here Stands a Woman"5:17
10."Howdy Howdy"4:05
Total length:40:57

Personnel

Gillian Welch & David Rawlings

Additional musicians

  • Russ Pahl – pedal steel (tracks 1, 2, 5, 6)
  • Chris Powell – drums (tracks 1, 2, 5, 7)
  • Brian Allen – bass (tracks 1, 5)
  • Kristin Wilkinson – section leader, viola (tracks 2, 6)
  • David Davidson – violin (tracks 2, 6)
  • Jung-Min Shin – violin (tracks 2, 6)
  • Mary Van Osdale – violin (tracks 2, 6)
  • Jenny Bifano – violin (tracks 2, 6)
  • David Angell – violin (tracks 2, 6)
  • Wei Tsun Chang – violin (tracks 2, 6)
  • Janet Darnell – violin (tracks 2, 6)
  • Annaliese Kowert – violin (tracks 2, 6)
  • Chris Farrell – viola (tracks 2, 6)
  • Monisa Angell – viola (tracks 2, 6)
  • Seanad Chang – viola (tracks 2, 6)
  • Kevin Bate – cello (tracks 2, 6)
  • Austin Hoke – cello (tracks 2, 6)
  • Jennifer Kummer – French horn (track 6)
  • Patrick Walle – French horn (track 6)
  • Ketch Secor – fiddle (track 7)

Technical and visuals

  • Ted Jensen – mastering
  • Matt Andrews – mixing (tracks 2, 4, 10), engineering (1, 2, 5–10)
  • Ken Scott – engineering (tracks 1, 2, 5–7)
  • Brent Bishop – additional engineering, technical support (all tracks); engineering assistance (tracks 1, 2, 5–7)
  • Barry Wolifson – additional engineering, technical support
  • Alysse Gafkjen – photography
  • Lawrence Azerrad – graphic design

Charts

Woodland entered the following charts, peaking at the number specified for each: UK Album Sales Chart (#62), UK Album Downloads Chart (#10), and the UK Americana Chart (#8).[8]

Chart performance for Woodland
Chart (2024) Peak
position
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[9] 95
Scottish Albums (OCC)[10] 45
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[11] 74
UK Independent Albums (OCC)[12] 15

References

  1. ^ Heinrichs, Audra (August 25, 2024). "Gillian Welch and David Rawlings Survived a Devastating Storm to Make New 'Woodland' Album". Rolling Stone. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
  2. ^ Chandler, Stacy (July 19, 2024). "New Album Coming Down the Track From Gillian Welch and Dave Rawlings". No Depression. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
  3. ^ Strauss, Matthew (July 19, 2024). "Gillian Welch and David Rawlings Announce Album and U.S. Tour, Share New Song". Pitchfork. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
  4. ^ "Listen: Gillian Welch and David Rawlings Preview 10th Studio Album 'Woodland' with "Empty Trainload of Sky"". Jambands. July 19, 2024. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
  5. ^ "Gillian Welch & David Rawlings Share New Single "Hashtag": Listen". Stereogum. August 9, 2024. Retrieved August 23, 2024.
  6. ^ "MOJO's 75 Best Albums of 2024". albumoftheyear.org. November 11, 2024. Retrieved November 13, 2024.
  7. ^ Pearis, Bill (November 8, 2024). "List Season comes early with Uncut's Top 80 Albums of 2024". brooklynvegan.com. Retrieved November 12, 2024.
  8. ^ "WOODLAND". Official Charts. September 5, 2024. Retrieved October 24, 2024.
  9. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Gillian Welch & David Rawlings – Woodland Studios" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved December 7, 2024.
  10. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 7, 2024.
  11. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Gillian Welch & David Rawlings – Woodland Studios". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 8, 2024.
  12. ^ "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 7, 2024.