Clock Without Hands
Nanci Griffith · 2001
49 min · 14 tracks · country music
Nanci Griffith weaves heartfelt narratives with gentle melodies, blending folk and country influences into a reflective tapestry of life’s complexities.
Top tracks — play these first
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Clock Without Hands Start here — The title track encapsulates the album's exploration of time and memory, featuring poignant storytelling that illustrates Griffith's lyrical prowess.
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Where Would I Be — This song showcases Griffith's ability to convey vulnerability, with its haunting melody and lyrics reflecting on love and longing.
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Last Song for Mother — A deeply personal tribute, this track highlights themes of grief and familial connections, embodying the album's emotional core.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
The album features strong narratives and melodies but lacks a cohesive flow across its length.
What we noticed
- Many songs feature layered vocal harmonies, particularly in the choruses, enhancing the emotional weight of the lyrics.
- Several tracks incorporate storytelling elements, with detailed narratives that unfold over the course of the song.
- Composition 25% of the score
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7/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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6/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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6/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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6/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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5/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Known within its scene. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- reflective storytelling with warmth
- steady pacing for focused listening
- melancholic themes of nostalgia
- suitable for quiet evenings
Maybe skip if you
- prefer fast-paced music
- seek high-energy anthems
Where this album fits
- In the catalog
- Late Career Highlight — This album shows continued vitality after a five-year hiatus.
- Themes
- time and memory· grief and loss· familial connections
- Career context
- Released in 2001, Clock Without Hands marked Nanci Griffith's return to the studio after a five-year hiatus following her album Other Voices, Other Rooms. At this point in her career, Griffith was consolidating her legacy as a significant voice in Americana music while exploring themes of loss and memory.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Mary Chapin Carpenter· Lucinda Williams· Kate Campbell
Tracklist
- 1 Clock Without Hands Start here 3:44
- 2 Traveling Through This Part of You 4:06
- 3 Where Would I Be 4:29
- 4 Midnight in Missoula 4:01
- 5 Lost Him in the Sun 2:53
- 6 The Ghost Inside of Me 3:06
- 7 Truly Something Fine 3:08
- 8 Cotton 2:43
- 9 Pearl's Eye View (The Life of Dickey Chapelle) 3:29
- 10 Roses on the 4th of July 3:37
- 11 Shaking Out the Snow 4:46
- 12 Armstrong 3:34
- 13 Last Song for Mother 2:42
- 14 In the Wee Small Hours 2:50
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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