Trail of Flowers

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Trail of Flowers
An elaborate art nouveau cover with Ferrell in the form of a sphinx reclining on a rock, surrounded by illustrations of cherubs, wood sprites, candles, spiders, and flowers
Studio album by
ReleasedMarch 22, 2024 (2024-03-22)
StudioSound Emporium, Nashville, Tennessee, US
Genrebluegrass
Length37:36
LanguageEnglish
LabelRounder
Producer
Sierra Ferrell chronology
Long Time Coming
(2021)
Trail of Flowers
(2024)

“Seven years or so ago, my pride would get in the way. I just wanted to do it myself. But these days, it’s more enjoyable and fun to write with other people.”

—Ferrell on collaborating on Trail of Flowers[1]

Trail of Flowers is the fourth full-length studio album by American bluegrass musician Sierra Ferrell, released by Rounder Records in 2024. The album has received positive reviews from critics.

Reception[edit]

Editors at AllMusic rated this album 4 out of 5 stars, with critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine writing that "the record itself can play like an American dream: it's a freewheeling collection of country and folk, rooted in the past and winking at the future while being focused on the moment at hand".[2] A profile of Ferrell for The Los Angeles Times by Erin Osmon praised the musician's growth but also noted that "the free spiritedness of her music—an uncommon blend of old-time bluegrass, country, ragtime, folk and jazz, anchored by her powerhouse vocals that by turns recall Patsy Cline, Dolly Parton and Bessie Smith—remains largely the same".[3] In No Depression, Maeri Ferguson called this album "a full-hearted collection of songs sung straight from the chest".[4] Writing in Paste, Tom Williams scored this release a 7.5 out of 10, stating that it "draws inspiration from jazz, bluegrass and mid-century country, arriving detailed, lived-in and nuanced", with "an obvious charisma to this style of writing".[5] In Spin, Stephen Deusner ranted this release a B+, stating that the music "is best when it stares down disappointment and disillusionment, regardless of whether Ferrell finds a reason to carry on" and that her exploration of American music styles and culture is augmented by "a generation of players steeped in old-time and bluegrass".[6] In The Wall Street Journal, Barry Mazor praised the diverse backgrounds of the musicians and stated that "this collection stands to stick around".[7]

Track listing[edit]

All songs written by Sierra Ferrell, except where noted.

  1. "American Dreaming" (Melody Walker) – 4:17
  2. "Dollar Bill Bar" – 3:29
  3. "Fox Hunt" – 3:18
  4. "Chittlin’ Cookin’ Time in Cheatham County" (traditional[8]) – 3:02
  5. "Wish You Well" – 3:38
  6. "Money Train" – 2:40
  7. "I Could Drive You Crazy" – 3:36
  8. "Why Haven’t You Loved Me Yet" – 2:15
  9. "Rosemary" – 3:36
  10. "Lighthouse" (Lindsay Lou) – 3:39
  11. "I’ll Come Off the Mountain" – 1:45
  12. "No Letter" – 2:21

Personnel[edit]

"American Dreaming"

"Dollar Bill Bar"

  • Sierra Ferrell – vocals

"Fox Hunt"

  • Sierra Ferrell – fiddle, vocals
  • Askel Coe – drums
  • Billy Contreras – fiddle
  • Oliver Bates Craven – gang vocals
  • Joshua Rilko – gang vocals
  • Mike Rojas – piano
  • Geoff Saunders – bass guitar, gang vocals
  • Seth Taylor – acoustic guitar, electric guitar, banjo

"Chittlin’ Cookin’ Time in Cheatham County"

  • Sierra Ferrell – vocals

"Wish You Well"

  • Sierra Ferrell – vocals
  • Askel Coe – drums, percussion
  • Billy Contreras – fiddle, strings, arrangement
  • Thorleifur Gaukur Davidsson – steel guitar
  • Geoff Saunders – bass guitar
  • Seth Taylor – acoustic guitar, electric guitar

"Money Train"

  • Sierra Ferrell – vocals
  • Askel Coe – drums
  • Lukas Nelson – backing vocals
  • Mike Rojas – piano
  • Geoff Saunders – bass guitar
  • Chris Scruggs – acoustic guitar, hi-strung guitar, lap steel guitar
  • Seth Taylor – baritone guitar

"I Could Drive You Crazy"

  • Sierra Ferrell – vocals, fiddle
  • Askel Coe – drums
  • Billy Contreras – fiddle
  • Oliver Bates Craven – backing vocals
  • Mike Rojas – piano
  • Geoff Saunders – bass guitar, backing vocals
  • Seth Taylor – acoustic guitar, electric guitar

"Why Haven’t You Loved Me Yet"

  • Sierra Ferrell – vocals
  • Aksel Coe – drums, percussion
  • Oliver Bates Craven – acoustic guitar, backing vocals
  • Mike Rojas – vibraphone
  • Geoff Saunders – bass guitar, backing vocals
  • Chris Scruggs – lap steel guitar
  • Seth Taylor – electric guitar
  • Melody Walker – backing vocals

"Rosemary"

  • Sierra Ferrell – acoustic guitar, vocals
  • Aksel Coe – drums, percussion
  • Mike Rojas – organ
  • Geoff Saunders – bass guitar
  • Seth Taylor – electric guitar

"Lighthouse"

  • Sierra Ferrell – acoustic guitar
  • Oliver Bates Craven – fiddle, harmony vocals
  • Joshua Rilko – mandolin, harmony vocals
  • Geoff Saunders – bass guitar, harmony vocals

"I’ll Come Off the Mountain"

  • Sierra Ferrell – vocals
  • Aksel Coe – drums
  • Billy Contreras – fiddle
  • Oliver Bates Craven – backing vocals
  • Mike Rojas – piano
  • Geoff Saunders – bass guitar
  • Chris Scruggs – acoustic guitar
  • Melody Walker – backing vocals

"No Letter"

  • Sierra Ferrell – vocals
  • Oliver Bates Craven – acoustic guitar
  • Joshua Rilko – mandolin
  • Geoff Saunders – acoustic guitar

Additional personnel

  • Paul Blakemore – audio mastering at CMG Mastering
  • Nikki Lane – vocal harmonies
  • Gary Paczosa – recording on "Lighthouse", mixing on "Lighthouse", additional production, production on "Lighthouse"
  • Bobbi Rich – photography
  • Eddie Spear – recording, mixing, production

Chart performance[edit]

Trail of Flowers reached 106 on the Billboard 200.[9] In the United Kingdom, it placed on several charts, peaking at:[10]

  • 3 on Country Artists Albums Chart
  • 12 on Americana Chart
  • 56 on Album Downloads Chart
  • 72 on Album Sales Chart
  • 84 on Physical Albums Chart
  • 87 on Scottish Albums Chart

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Moss, Marissa R. (January 18, 2024). "Sierra Ferrell Wants to Disconnect on New Album 'Trail of Flowers'". Music > Music Features. Rolling Stone. ISSN 0035-791X. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  2. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas (n.d.). "Trail of Flowers – Sierra Ferrell". AllMusic. RhythmOne. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  3. ^ Osmon, Erin (April 1, 2024). "From hopping trains to crushing on Kimmel, Sierra Ferrell's roving country roots help her go places". Music. Los Angeles Times. ISSN 2165-1736. OCLC 3638237. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  4. ^ Ferguson, Maeri (March 19, 2024). "Sierra Ferrell Blazes Her Own Path Forward on 'Trail of Flowers'". Reviews. No Depression. ISSN 1088-4971. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  5. ^ Williams, Tom (March 21, 2024). "Sierra Ferrell: 'Trail of Flowers' Album Review". Music > Reviews > Sierra Ferrell. Paste. ISSN 1540-3106. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  6. ^ Deusner, Stephen (March 25, 2024). "Sierra Ferrell's Americana Rollercoaster". Spin. ISSN 0886-3032. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  7. ^ Mazor, Barry (March 27, 2024). "'Trail of Flowers' by Sierra Ferrell Review: Traditional Country Gets a Contemporary Twist". Arts & Culture | Music | Music Review. Wall Street Journal. ISSN 1042-9840. OCLC 781541372. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
  8. ^ Willman, Chris (March 26, 2024). "Sierra Ferrell on Being a Roots Music Queen, Dueting With Zach Bryan, and Why She Got Floral With New 'Trail of Flowers' Album". Music > News. Variety. ISSN 0042-2738. OCLC 810134503. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
  9. ^ "Billboard 200". Billboard. April 6, 2024. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  10. ^ "Trail of Flowers – Sierra Ferrell". Official Charts Company. n.d. Retrieved May 19, 2024.

External links[edit]