(PREORDER - SHIPS OR PICKUP ON OR AROUND 12-11-26)

CLASSIC TAKES OF LOST WOODY GUTHERIE SONGS
AVAILABLE ON VINYL FOR THE FIRST TIME IN ALMOST 15 YEARS

2xLP WHITE ECO MIX VINYL

During the spring of 1995, Woody Guthrie's daughter Nora contacted British urban folk troubadour Billy Bragg about writing music for a selection of completed Guthrie lyrics. This was no minor task -- Guthrie left behind over a thousand sets of complete lyrics written between 1939 and 1967 that had no music other than a vague stylistic notation. Bragg chose a number of songs to finish, as did Jeff Tweedy of the alt-country band Wilco (often with bandmate Jay Bennett). Nora Guthrie impressed a common goal upon them: Rather than recreating Guthrie tunes, they should write as if they were collaborating with Woody, creating new, vital music for the lyrics. Both artists completed more songs than could fit on Mermaid Avenue, which is neatly split between Bragg and Wilco, with Bragg taking lead on eight of the 15 songs. The results are almost entirely a delight, mainly because all involved are faithful to Guthrie's rowdy spirit -- it's a reverent project that knows how to have fun. There are many minor, irresistible gems scattered throughout the album, and most of them come from Bragg. Where Wilco's fine contributions sound inextricably tied to the '90s, both for better and for worse, Bragg's music sounds contemporary while capturing Guthrie's folk traditions. That's not to say Wilco's contributions are failures -- it's just hard to imagine Guthrie singing the plaintive "California Stars" or the plodding "Christ for President," neither of which quite fit the lyrics. Nevertheless, their hearts are in the right place; more often than not, they come close to the target, and their joyous playing invigorates Mermaid Avenue. The blend of Bragg's traditionalist sensibility and Wilco's contemporary style ultimately illustrates that Guthrie's words, ideals, and aesthetics remain alive in the '90s. It's a remarkable record that deserves a sequel.

A1        Walt Whitman's Niece
A2        California Stars
A3        Way Over Yonder In The Minor Key
B4        Birds And Ships
B5        Hoodoo Voodoo
B6        She Came Along To Me
B7        At My Window Sad And Lonely
C8        Ingrid Bergman
C9        Christ For President
C10        I Guess I Planted
C11        One By One
D12        Eisler On The Go
D13        Hesitating Beauty
D14        Another Man's Done Gone
D15        The Unwelcome Guest