''December's Child'' is the fifth album from The Original Harmony Ridge Creekdippers released in 2002.

Reception

Writing for

Allmusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databa ...

, music critic Steve Kurutz praised the album's "minimalist approach" and wrote "Whether singing about around-the-clock meth labs or newspaper roses sold by the side of the road, he creates fully realized worlds within each song on December's Child. The lo-fi folk vibe of the earlier self-released Creekdippers recordings and 2000's My Own Jo Ellen remains... but the electricity and amplification have been turned up a bit, too—rather than deliberately eschewed as he seemed to prefer after first going relatively solo."

Track listing

All songs by Mark Olson except as noted. # "How Can I Send Tonight (There to Tell You)" – 3:46 # "Still We Have a Friend in You" – 3:52 # "Alta's Song" – 3:49 # "Back to the Old Homeplace" – 2:29 # "December's Child" – 4:21 # "Nerstrand Woods" – 4:38 # "Cactus Wren" – 4:41 # "Climb These Steps (We Will)" – 3:24 # "How Can This Be" – 3:18 # "Say You'll be Mine" (Olson,

Gary Louris Gary Louris (born March 10, 1955) is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter of alternative country and pop music. He was a founding member of the Minneapolis-based band the Jayhawks and their principal songwriter and vocalist after the ...

) – 4:01 # "One Eyed Black Dog Moses" (Olson,

Victoria Williams Victoria Williams (born December 23, 1958) is an American singer, songwriter and musician, originally from Shreveport, Louisiana, United States, although she has resided in Southern California throughout her musical career. Diagnosed with multi ...

) – 5:59

Personnel

*Mark Olson – vocals, banjo, bass, dulcimer, guitar, piano *Danny Frankel – drums, percussion *

Don Heffington Don Heffington (December 20, 1950March 24, 2021) was an American drummer, percussionist, and songwriter. He was a founding member of the Los Angeles alternative country band Lone Justice, which he performed with from 1982 to 1985. Heffington was ...

– drums, background vocals *

– guitar, vocals on "Say You'll be Mine" *Michael Russell – bass, mandolin, viola, violin, background vocals *

– banjo, guitar, harmonica, background vocals *David Wolfenberger – bass, background vocals *Jon Birdsong – trumpet

Production notes

*Mark Olson – producer *Charlie McGovern – engineer, mastering, mixing *Jeffrey Reed – engineer

References

{{Authority control 2002 albums Mark Olson (musician) albums