Front Porch is the sixth studio album by American singer-songwriter Joy Williams. It was released on May 3, 2019 by Sensibility Recordings.[4] It was nominated for Best Folk Album at the 62nd Grammy Awards.[5]

Front Porch
Joy Williams on the front porch of a house in the country
Studio album by
ReleasedMay 3, 2019 (2019-05-03)
Length43:13
LabelSensibility/The Orchard
ProducerKenneth Pattengale
Joy Williams chronology
Venus
(2016)
Front Porch
(2019)
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic72/100[1]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
PopMatters8/10[3]

Critical reception

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On AllMusic, Stephen Thomas Erlewine said, "Working with producer Kenneth Pattengale, who is best known as part of the Milk Carton Kids, Williams strips away any contemporary affectations, keeping the focus directly on the songs and her plaintive, powerful voice."[2]

On PopMatters, Chris Conaton wrote, "And it's hard to deny that Front Porch is Williams at her best. It took some time for her to come to terms with it, but this is an album that embraces Williams' legacy from the Civil Wars and incorporates it into her own musical personality."[3]

On NPR, Jewly Hight said, "She's framed Front Porch as her return home – to a stripped-down, acoustic palette... to Nashville, the Southern, music-making city where she's spent most of her professional life following a coastal California youth... For Williams, there's a balance to be struck between theatrical and intimate expression, and embracing warmth and simplicity as an approach... doesn't require abandoning poise and polish."[6]

Track listing

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No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Canary"Joy Williams, Angelo Petraglia, Caitlyn Smith3:28
2."Front Porch"Williams, Liz Rose, Emily Shackleton3:51
3."When Does a Heart Move On"Williams, Cason Cooley, Trent Dabbs3:52
4."All I Need"Williams, Thad Cockrell, Paul Moak, Matt Morris3:53
5."The Trouble with Wanting"Williams, Natalie Hemby3:55
6."No Place Like You"Williams, Moak, Smith2:55
7."One and Only"Williams, Cockrell3:08
8."When Creation Was Young"Williams, Hemby, Jon Randall3.29
9."Preacher's Daughter"Williams, Hemby, Rose4:36
10."Hotel St. Cecilia"Williams, Rose, Shackleton3:30
11."Be with You"Williams, Cockrell4:37
12."Look How Far We've Come"Williams, Hemby1:56
Total length:43:13

Personnel

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Credits adapted from AllMusic[7]

  • Emily Algar – A&R
  • Andy Barron – photography
  • Richie Biggs – mixing
  • Caitlin Canty – backing vocals
  • Anthony da Costa – guitar, backing vocals
  • Brett Davis – studio assistant
  • Richard Dodd – mastering
  • Michelle Freetly – studio assistant
  • John Mailander – mandolin, violin
  • Scott Mulvahill – bass
  • Russ Pahl – pedal steel guitar
  • Kenneth Pattengale – dobro, guitar, mandolin, backing vocals, producer
  • Dustin Richardson – assistant engineer
  • Matt Ross–Sprang – engineer
  • Joy Williams – lead vocals, backing vocals
  • Nate Yetton – A&R, executive producer

Charts

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Chart (2019) Peak
position
UK Americana Albums (OCC)[8] 8
UK Independent Albums (OCC)[9] 45
US Folk Albums (Billboard)[10] 10
US Independent Albums (Billboard)[11] 9
US Top Album Sales (Billboard)[12] 32

References

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  1. ^ "Metacritic Review". Metacritic. Retrieved July 5, 2019.
  2. ^ a b Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "AllMusic Review". AllMusic. Retrieved July 5, 2019.
  3. ^ a b Conation, Chris (April 30, 2019). "On 'Front Porch' Joy Williams Returns to Nashville and Embraces Her Legacy as Half of the Civil Wars". PopMatters. Retrieved July 5, 2019.
  4. ^ "Joy Williams Speaks to the Soul in Powerful Title Track 'Front Porch': Video Premiere". Billboard.
  5. ^ Gokhman, Roman (November 20, 2019). "Bay Area Artists Among Nominees at the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards". Riff Magazine. Retrieved November 22, 2019.
  6. ^ Hight, Jewly (April 25, 2019). "Joy Williams Invites Us to Her Front Porch". NPR. Retrieved November 23, 2019.
  7. ^ "Front Porch - Joy Williams". AllMusic. May 2, 2019. Retrieved May 2, 2019.
  8. ^ "Official Americana Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 5, 2019.
  9. ^ "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 5, 2019.
  10. ^ "Joy Williams Chart History (Top Americana/Folk Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved July 5, 2019.
  11. ^ "Joy Williams Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved July 5, 2019.
  12. ^ "Joy Williams Chart History (Top Album Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved July 5, 2019.
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Front Porch at AllMusic