I bought "The Dust Bowl Symphony" out of curiosity, not because of any burning desire to hear Ms. Griffith accompanied by an orchestra. My favorite memory of Nanci Griffith will always be from the night I discovered her at a concert in the mid-eighties: She opened for John Prine, and stepped out with only her guitar. I was floored by her talent, and became an instant fan. Perhaps because I discovered Nanci during a solo tour, my favorite recording of hers by far has always been "One Fair Summer Evening," a live recording in which the musical accompaniment consisted only of her guitar and the keyboards of the rock-solid James Hooker. While I've always enjoyed her studio efforts, by comparison the results have always seemed overproduced to varying degrees. Thus, when I brought "The Dust Bowl Symphony" home, I was predisposed to agree with Steven Solder's review: I was convinced that Ms. Griffith's splendid voice would be "smothered" in the orchestral arrangement. I was pleasantly surprised, however. The mix is well done, and for the most part, intrudes less on the richness of Nanci's voice than is the case in some previous studio recordings. That said, I wouldn't point to this CD as a "must have" for new Nanci Griffith fans. I'd give the nod to "One Fair Summer Evening" or "Flyer" instead. Still, this recording hardly ranks as an "awkward tumble," as Mr. Stolder maintains. And, since the CD consists largely of re-worked fan favorites, I suspect that most long-time Nanci Griffith followers will find "The Dust Bowl Symphony" enjoyable, and perhaps, pretty doggone fun.