Woodland is the seventh studio album by Gillian Welch and the third solo album by David Rawlings, and the second studio album to be credited to them as a duo. It was released on August 23, 2024, by Acony Records. It is the first album of original material from Welch since The Harrow & the Harvest (2011) and from Rawlings since Poor David's Almanack (2017), having previously released the covers album All the Good Times (Are Past & Gone) in 2020.[2]
| Woodland | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | August 23, 2024 | |||
| Studio | Woodland (Nashville, Tennessee)[1] | |||
| Length | 40:57 | |||
| Label | Acony Records | |||
| Producer | David Rawlings | |||
| Gillian Welch chronology | ||||
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| David Rawlings chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Woodland | ||||
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The album is named after their Woodland Sound Studios in Nashville, Tennessee, which was destroyed by a tornado in 2020, with the artists further stating in a press release that the songs 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, 2024.[5]
Critical reception
editYear-end lists
editNumerous critics and publications listed Woodland in their year-end ranking of the best albums of 2024, often inside the top ten.
| Publication/critic | Accolade | Rank | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| MOJO | 75 Best Albums of 2024 | 4 | [6] |
| Uncut | 80 Best Albums of 2024 | 2 | [7] |
Track listing
editAll tracks are written by Gillian Welch & David Rawlings.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | |
Charts
editWoodland 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 (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
edit- ^ 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.
- ^ Chandler, Stacy (July 19, 2024). "New Album Coming Down the Track From Gillian Welch and Dave Rawlings". No Depression. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
- ^ Strauss, Matthew (July 19, 2024). "Gillian Welch and David Rawlings Announce Album and U.S. Tour, Share New Song". Pitchfork. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
- ^ "Listen: Gillian Welch and David Rawlings Preview 10th Studio Album 'Woodland' with "Empty Trainload of Sky"". Jambands. July 19, 2024. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
- ^ "Gillian Welch & David Rawlings Share New Single "Hashtag": Listen". Stereogum. August 9, 2024. Retrieved August 23, 2024.
- ^ "MOJO's 75 Best Albums of 2024". albumoftheyear.org. November 11, 2024. Retrieved November 13, 2024.
- ^ Pearis, Bill (November 8, 2024). "List Season comes early with Uncut's Top 80 Albums of 2024". brooklynvegan.com. Retrieved November 12, 2024.
- ^ "WOODLAND". Official Charts. September 5, 2024. Retrieved October 24, 2024.
- ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Gillian Welch & David Rawlings – Woodland Studios" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved December 7, 2024.
- ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 7, 2024.
- ^ "Swisscharts.com – Gillian Welch & David Rawlings – Woodland Studios". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 8, 2024.
- ^ "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 7, 2024.