Elevate Difference

Reviews of Patty Griffin

Downtown Church

It's nothing new for an artist to try different genres of music, but not many can pull off multiple styles in an original way — let alone a way that actually sounds good. Count Patty Griffin among those rare musicians. I've been a fan of Griffin's since I picked up her 1998 release Flaming Red, a compelling mix of punk, pop, and what was then referred to as 'alternative' music.

Children Running Through

Patty Griffin is a storyteller. Rarely confessional or self-indulgent, she tells tales, assumes personas and takes the listener deep into the lives of her characters. Each persona has her or his own musical interpretation, deepening and strengthening the voice. In “Up to the Mountain (MLK Song),” Griffin assumes the voice of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and puts herself into to the head and heart of a man working for a vision and a dream.