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| Messrs Will Johnson, Jay Farrar, Yim Yames and Anders Parker |
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Legendary American singer-songwriter and Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame inductee Woody Guthrie's seminal lyrics have again taken center stage for another project by Messrs Will Johnson (Centro-matic/Monsters of Folk), Jay Farrar (Uncle Tupelo/Son Volt), Yim Yames (My Morning Jacket/Monsters of Folk) and Anders Parker (Varnaline/Space Needle).
Commemorating the centennial year of Guthrie's birthday, the band set music to Guthrie's lyrics much like Wilco & Billy Bragg did with Mermaid Avenue I & II (1998 & 2000).
Jay Farrar's original vision in 2006 started as a solo project. He approached Nora Guthrie who oversees the Woody Guthrie Foundation. A year later, Jay begun combing through some of the 3000 lyrics with Anders and was later joined by Yim and Will in 2009. The album was slated for a 2011 release, but was completed too late.
Love these slow-cooked projects which are accorded the respect, love and attention it so fully deserves.
An album of sepia-tinged Country, Electric-Blues, full of warm earnest beauty and emotional depth.
Preview the album here via Soundcloud & Rolling Stone Magazine.
Daytrotter session here.
Absolute gem.
