By the time Welch released 2003's Soul Journey, she had fully embraced the rock-centric sound that she hinted at on Time; electric guitar, Hammond organ and some loose-limbed drumming fleshed out the sound. It's been four years since her last record, and time will tell whether Welch's rock & roll heart will fundamentally alter her approach. But as she proved with Time, she doesn't need anything more than an acoustic guitar to reveal her rock & roll soul. The album to which all of Welch's future releases will be compared, Time is a masterpiece in scope and approach and a monolith of not just Americana music, but American songwriting in general.
