The album displays Emmylou's ability to bring new life to songs that may have been overlooked, forgotten or lost along the way. Emmylou Harris assembles an extraordinary cast of longtime friends who are veteran musicians and fellow singers for a set that indeed showcases as all she has intended to be - a singularly expressive vocalist, a brilliant interpreter of other people's songs, a graceful and confident songwriter. Some of the most affecting material is the least well-known such as John Wesley Routh's Celtic/Country "Shores Of White Sands" and trucker-poet Michael Germino's heartrending story-song, "Broken Man's Lament." Harris has chosen these songs with conceptual care.
Emmylou Harris has always had a way with woe. On All I Intended To Be, she seems more maudlin than ever as she sings her way through songs about loss, heartbreak, even the odd funeral. Of course, this is the kind of material Harris has always been comfortable with, but as her career and years advance gracefully, so her gliding soprano seems to breathe ever more refinement and soul into her material. All I Intended To Be has been produced by Brian Ahern, her former husband and the man behind her first 11 albums--another reason the album sounds so comfortable and accomplished. Joined by a virtuoso set of players including keyboardist Glen Hardin and multi-instrumentalist Stuart Duncan, plus vocalists Vince Gill, Buddy Miller, and Dolly Parton, Harris blends a handpicked selection of cover versions with her own material. Tracy Chapman's "All That You Have Is Your Soul" gets a honeyed reworking, as does Merle Haggard's "Kern River" and Mark Germino's "Broken Man's Lament". Billy Joe Shaver's "Old Five" and "Dimers Like Me" both get respectfully and sublimely covered too. But her own songs--in particular "Sailing Round the Room" and "Gold"--stand up well to these evergreens. An eclectic and profound set, All I Intended To Be is also one of Harris' best in recent years.--Danny McKenna
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0
I play this when I get sick of Lil Wayne and Kanye West:
I just gotta say, i have absolutely NO idea how I ever even came across this album. I generally get into hip hop, indie and house music, but from the very first track of this album I was hooked. Something about the production says this isn't your typical country record. Her amazing voice kicks in and never backs down. The music is powerful but sparse, with only a hint of twangy "country" style guitar over the top. And Emmylou's voice is AMAZING! Its all gravelly and sweet at the same time, and the end... more info
All I Intended to Be:
I'm a huge Emmylou Harris fan and after hearing samples of the songs on her album I new I had to add this one to my collection. I'm also happy that I was able to get it from Amazon in a timely manner.
All the Intentions come Home:
Emmylou Harris could - to paraphrase an overworked comment - sing the phonebook and she could make me sad. On her 2008 "All I Intended to Be," she digs in deep and follows a mournful track that is just pure Emmylou, teaming up with old collaborators like the McGarrigle sisters and her ex-husband/early producer Brian Ahern to make a fantastic album. As the pure country strains of "Shores of White Sand" give way to a lilting Celtic flute, you realize Emmylou has moved away from the Daniel Lanois... more info
Emmy Lou Harris:
Very pleased with item, purchased for my husband, he loves it, was in mint condition and received it very promptly
