Black Star
A skeletal, haunting reimagining of Radiohead’s alt-rock anthem. Two acoustic guitars and ghostly harmonies turn a 90s classic into a timeless Appalachian lament.
February 1, 2005 · Acony Records
A skeletal, haunting reimagining of Radiohead’s alt-rock anthem. Two acoustic guitars and ghostly harmonies turn a 90s classic into a timeless Appalachian lament.
February 1, 2005 · Acony Records
Black Star is a masterclass in the art of the transformative cover. By stripping away the distorted guitars and stadium-sized angst of the Radiohead original, Gillian Welch and David Rawlings reveal a core of ancient, rural dread. The song no longer sounds like a product of the 1990s; instead, it feels like a traditional ballad discovered on a dusty 78rpm record from the 1930s. The arrangement is ruthlessly minimalist, relying entirely on two interlocking acoustic guitars and the eerie, telepathic vocal harmonies that have become the duo's signature.
How does Black Star sound next to the rest of Gillian Welch's catalogue?
The writing leans far further into love lost than the rest of the catalogue.
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