24. July 2025
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Media Review

Patty Griffin – Crown of Roses

Florian Buechtingby Florian Buechting

Patty Griffin - Crown of Roses

Patty Griffin - Crown of Roses
3.8

Rating

 3.8/5

Flyctory.com Pros

  • High musical quality
  • Deep and interesting plots

Flyctory.com Cons

  • Extremely demanding songs

Patty Griffin is a two-time Grammy Winning artist. Her 2011 album Downtown Church was the Best Traditional Gospel Album. Eight years later, she won her second Grammy Award, when her self-titled album became the Best Folk Album. On 25th July 2025, she is releasing her eleventh studio album. Here is my review of Crown of Roses.

 

Patty Griffin – About The Artist

Patricia Jean Griffin is a singer, songwriter and musician. She is working in country and folk, but also in gospel music. She was born in Old Town in Maine on 16th March 1964 and kicked off her professional career in her mid-20’s. She released her debut album Living With Ghosts in 1996. Her most successful album so far was the already mentioned Downtown Church, which topped the US Christian and the US Folk Charts. Her most recent studio album is Tape, released in 2022.

 

Patty Griffin – Crown of Roses – Track by Track

The eight song album lasts 34 minutes.

1. Back At The Start

The album starts with the two already released songs. Thereby, Back At The Start gives a rather light entry into musical direction of the album. The song is a complex, but not overcharging blend of folk and country elements. Especially the leverage between guitar and bass elements is fascinating. With almost five minutes, the opener is also the longest song of the album.

2. Born In A Cage

After the fast and energetic Back At The Start, Born In A Cage heads into a very different direction. The song starts slow with breaks and very limited instrumentation. The focus is on Patty Griffin and her voice. In the second half of the 4:28 minute song, the song does gain some energy. Overall, though, it fascinates with its slow, mysterious spirit.

3. The End

So that was the end
Then this world began
A very strange land
It seems to me
So I swallow my pride
I got caught in a lie
I told to myself
Again and again and again

In the third song, Patty Griffin is already taking us to The End – luckily, that’s just the title of the song. The song connects to its predecessor. With an intense string arrangement include a viola, a cello and two violins, the track almost has an classical and orchestral touch.

4. Longtime

Longtime (the press kit also names this song Long Time) intensively invests into its atmosphere. For the first half of the listen, there is just the artist’s voice and breaks slightly broken by instruments. Even though the second half of this one is more dynamic partially. I really struggle getting into the song.

5. All The Way Home

In the fifth track, All the Way Home, Patty Griffin presents herself in a more melodic and playful way. Apart from the smart instrumental arrangement, especially her voice is striking in the energetic second part of the song. The album stays sophisticated and demanding.

All the way home
All the way home
Did someone sing all the way home?
They laid me to rest
And hoped for the best
But that’s one place that I’ve never known

6. Way Up To The Sky

With 3:19 minutes, Way Up To The Sky is the shortest listen of Crown of Roses. After Back At The Start, it is the first song in which you feel folk music elements. However, the song and the sound feels very condensed and reduced.

7. I Know A Way

A few guitar chords at the beginning of I Know A Way can make that song feel loud already. At least in the context of the album. The energy level is definitely increasing with this slow, but very groovy song. There are blues and gospel elements in the penultimate listen. It stays and deep and complex, but somehow easier listen than some of the songs before.

8. A Word

Crown of Roses closes with A Word, a rather short, but melodic – and melancholic finale. This increases the intensity of the listen of the full album.

 

Patty Griffin – Crown of Roses – Spotify

I will add the Spotify widget once the album has been published.

 

Patty Griffin – Crown of Roses – My View

The much I am fascinated by albums like Crown of Roses, the much I typically hate what comes at the end – the rating. This especially applies to Patty Griffin’s 2025 release. The musical quality is outstanding, coming with smart arrangements. Most of the songs, however, just have sprinkles of the genres, which typically describe her music. On top of that, especially some of the middle part songs of the album are simply too demanding to me. Thus, I leave you with a very personal, but comparably mixed rating.

Favorite Song: All The Way Home

 

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