The Harrow & the Harvest

The eight years since the release of 2003's Soul Journey marked the longest period of time between album releases for Welch. In explaining the relatively long recording absence, Welch said, "The sad truth is we never liked anything enough to put it out, which is not a pleasant place to be." She added, "over the course of that time that we were quiet we probably had enough songs to put out two or three records. Actually we made a few tentative steps at trying to record, but inevitably the heart would go out of it when we realised that we simply didn't like the material enough to go on with it."{{cite news|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/arts/harvest-time-after-long-journey-for-gillian-welch/story-e6frg8n6-1226075001358|title=Harvest time after long journey for Gillian Welch|last=Shedden |first=Iain|date=June 18, 2011|work=The Australian|accessdate=June 18, 2011}} Welch frequently performed the song "The Way It Will Be" in years prior to the release of the album.{{cite news|url=http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2009/11/catching-up-with-david-rawlings.html|title=Catching Up With... David Rawlings|last=Kiefer |first=Kate|date=November 20, 2009|work=Paste Magazine|accessdate=January 13, 2010}} Welch explains that this tense time period inspired the album title: "Our songcraft slipped and I really don't know why. It's not uncommon. It's something that happens to writers. It's the deepest frustration we have come through, hence the album title." The writing process involved "this endless back and forth between the two of us," Welch said, stating that "It’s our most intertwined, co-authored, jointly-composed album."{{cite news|url=http://www.americansongwriter.com/2011/06/gillian-welch-comes-down-from-the-mountain/|title=Gillian Welch Comes Down From The Mountain|last=Leahey |first=Andrew|date=June 29, 2011|work=American Songwriter|accessdate=June 30, 2011}} John Dyer Baizley provided artwork for the album.[https://web.archive.org/web/20110518120916/http://www.gillianwelch.com/albumartwork/]

According to Welch, "The songs are mostly first and second takes, and Dave composed some of the music spontaneously in the studio. It was very freeing. We learned to accept mistakes and rough edges, because those didn't impede what the heart of the matter was."

{{Music ratings

| ADM = 8.5/10{{cite web|title=The Harrow & The Harvest by Gillian Welch reviews|url=http://www.anydecentmusic.com/review/3274/Gillian-Welch-The-Harrow--The-Harvest.aspx|publisher=AnyDecentMusic?|accessdate=December 28, 2019}}

| MC = 85/100{{cite web|title=Reviews for The Harrow and the Harvest by Gillian Welch|url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/the-harrow-and-the-harvest/gillian-welch|publisher=Metacritic|accessdate=October 17, 2018}}

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1score = {{rating|5|5}}{{cite web|last=Jurek|first=Thom|title=The Harrow & the Harvest – Gillian Welch|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-harrow-the-harvest-mw0002165377|publisher=AllMusic|accessdate=November 16, 2019}}

| rev2 = The A.V. Club

| rev2score = C+{{cite web|last=Mincher|first=Chris|title=Gillian Welch: The Harrow & The Harvest|url=http://www.avclub.com/articles/gillian-welch-the-harrow-the-harvest,58161/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110630142553/http://www.avclub.com/articles/gillian-welch-the-harrow-the-harvest,58161/|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 30, 2011|work=The A.V. Club|date=June 28, 2011|accessdate=July 16, 2011}}

| rev3 = The Daily Telegraph

| rev3score = {{rating|5|5}}{{cite news|last=Chilton|first=Martin|title=Gillian Welch: The Harrow & The Harvest, CD review|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/worldfolkandjazz/8587515/Gillian-Welch-The-Harrow-and-The-Harvest-CD-review.html|work=The Daily Telegraph|location=London|date=June 21, 2011|accessdate=October 17, 2018}}

| rev4 = The Guardian

| rev4score = {{rating|4|5}}{{cite news|last=Denselow|first=Robin|title=Gillian Welch: The Harrow & the Harvest – review|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/jun/23/gillian-welch-cd-review|work=The Guardian|location=London|date=June 23, 2011|accessdate=July 16, 2011}}

| rev5 = The Independent

| rev5score = {{rating|5|5}}{{cite news|last=Gill|first=Andy|title=Album: Gillian Welch, The Harrow and the Harvest (Warner Bros)|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/album-gillian-welch-the-harrow-and-the-harvest-warner-bros-2301752.html|work=The Independent|location=London|date=June 24, 2011|accessdate=October 17, 2018|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110701153251/http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/album-gillian-welch-the-harrow-and-the-harvest-warner-bros-2301752.html|archivedate=July 1, 2011}}

| rev6 = Los Angeles Times

| rev6score = {{rating|3.5|4}}{{cite news|last=Barton|first=Chris|title=Album review: Gillian Welch's 'The Harrow & the Harvest'|url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/music_blog/2011/06/album-review-gillian-welchs-the-harrow-the-harvest.html|work=Los Angeles Times|date=June 28, 2011|accessdate=July 16, 2011}}

| rev7 = Mojo

| rev7score = {{rating|5|5}}{{cite journal|title=Gillian Welch: The Harrow & The Harvest|journal=Mojo|issue=213|date=August 2011|page=94}}

| rev8 = The Observer

| rev8score = {{rating|5|5}}{{cite news|last=Empire|first=Kitty|author-link=Kitty Empire|title=Gillian Welch: The Harrow & the Harvest – review|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/jun/26/harrow-and-harvest-gillian-welch-review|work=The Observer|location=London|date=June 26, 2011|accessdate=July 16, 2011}}

| rev9 = Rolling Stone

| rev9score = {{rating|3.5|5}}{{cite magazine|last=Hermes|first=Will|author-link=Will Hermes|title=The Harrow & The Harvest|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/the-harrow-the-harvest-20110628|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=June 28, 2011|accessdate=July 16, 2011}}

| rev10 = Uncut

| rev10score = {{rating|4|5}}{{cite journal|last=Mueller|first=Andrew|title=Gillian Welch: The Harrow & The Harvest|journal=Uncut|issue=170|date=July 2011|page=74}}

}}

The Harrow & the Harvest was met with "universal acclaim" reviews from critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, this release received an average score of 85 based on 28 reviews. Aggregate website AnyDecentMusic? gave the release an 8.5 out of 10 based on a critical consensus of 27 reviews.

Uncut placed it at 2 on their "Top 50 albums of 2011" list,{{Cite web|url=https://www.stereogum.com/891311/uncuts-top-50-albums-of-2011/lists/|title=Uncut's Top 50 Albums Of 2011|website=Stereogum.com|date=November 29, 2011}} while Q, Mojo, and Paste placed it at number 28, 34, and 39, respectively.{{Cite web|url=https://www.stereogum.com/891091/qs-50-best-albums-of-2011/lists/|title=Q's 50 Best Albums Of 2011|website=Stereogum.com|date=November 29, 2011}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.stereogum.com/894362/mojos-top-50-albums-of-2011/news/|title=MOJO's Top 50 Albums Of 2011|website=Stereogum.com|date=December 2, 2011}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/music/the-50-best-albums-of-2011/|title=The 50 Best Albums of 2011|date=November 22, 2011|website=Pastemagazine.com}}

{{Track listing

| headline = The Harrow & the Harvest track listing

| all_writing = Gillian Welch and David Rawlings

| title1 = Scarlet Town

| length1 = 3:38

| title2 = Dark Turn of Mind

| length2 = 4:07

| title3 = The Way It Will Be

| length3 = 4:47

| title4 = The Way It Goes

| length4 = 4:01

| title5 = Tennessee

| length5 = 6:35

| title6 = Down Along the Dixie Line

| length6 = 4:49

| title7 = Six White Horses

| length7 = 3:38

| title8 = Hard Times

| length8 = 4:52

| title9 = Silver Dagger

| length9 = 3:23

| title10 = The Way the Whole Thing Ends

| length10 = 6:11

}}

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Category:2011 albums

Category:Albums produced by David Rawlings

Category:Gillian Welch albums

Category:Albums with cover art by John Dyer Baizley