I only bought this record because it has Wayfaring Stranger on it, but its bluegrass leanings mixed with Emmylou’s firm, gentle delivery and her selection of songs (including Simon & Garfunkle’s The Boxer!) make for a fine listen that proves Harris is not just a master of melancholy.

Although, on the backside, Emmylou’s voice seems to grow weary of leading. Halfway Darkest Hour is Just Before Dawn, she hands a verse to a male voice (Ricky Scriggs I think? Whoever that is), and he leads the band all the way through the traditional Jordan, which finds Johnny Cash, Linda Ronstadt, and Dolly Parton joining the fold. She reclaims the band for the final two tracks, but by then, she’s already been absent for almost half of the record, which is a strange thing for a solo artist to do. But it doesn’t affect the listen too much, as the music is still just as fine.