Album Review : Duane Rutter : Waiting Room (2007)

Oct 25, 2010 Album Reviews

When I first heard Waiting Room by Duane Rutter it was like finding an album by a really good 70’s singer-songwriter that somehow I’d missed. It’s a cohesive album, that is an album as opposed to a collection of songs with disparate themes and styles. It flows, it’s easy, and there is a slight feeling of melancholy that runs through it. Although it is a debut album, it sounds more like the fifth or sixth album of a distinct and mature voice that has been filtered through the charcoal of life.

Duane and Dan Walsh produced the album and it was recorded and mixed at Dan’s place near Port Dover, Ontario. Waiting Room was recorded the year before Dan teamed up with Brock Zeman for The Bourbon Sessions, (which should be familiar to faithful Broken Jukebox readers). It was at a Brock and Dan gig in my hometown that I met Duane when he showed up at his Busted Flat Records label-mates with his just released album. He gave me a copy of Waiting Room that night and it was a few days later that I first listened to it. I’ve listened to it hundreds of times since and it has become one of my favorite albums of all time. The writing, singing and production of this record is a standard that I use to judge work by new and established artists by.

The disc opens with “I Waited For You”, which Duane has said was inspired by waiting for his teenage son to come home but I find the lyrics are poetic and wistful and more suggestive of waiting for a lover. Duane and Dan both play acoustic guitar on this one and Dan also plays the drums and dobro on it. Cindy Dell and Jenn Ryckmann add some harmony vocal work that is exquisite and the overall sound and feel of this song draws you in to the album like a door opening to a cabin on a wintry night.

Next up is “If You Loved Her That Much” with the same players and a melody that sticks in your head for days. It closes with the admonishment, “you should have told her”. The third song, “Again For You“ is full of melancholy images and self-realization of someone tending to a dying loved one. “Rachel Sings”,  features lovely harmony vocals from Lee Anne Wesseling and laments those folks we only see at weddings and funerals, despite always meaning to get together.

The 7^th track, “Goodnight Amy” is my favorite tune on this album. It finds a musician confessing pat transgressions and sins from the road, while his wife sleeps. It mines the grey area of wanting to come clean about something, giving weak reasons or justifications, but still too fearful to live with the repercussions of a full admission. He manages to hide behind the artist’s camouflage of “it’s just a song”.

The last track listed on the album is ” I Believe I’ll Take a Walk” which has the rare distinction of having a listing for Dan Walsh as “Harmony voice”! I just re-read the lyrics and I think the protagonist in the song is contemplating suicide. The song ends with the sound of a needle on an LP then goes into the hidden track “Kitchen Table Blues” which features Canadian Blues wunderkind Alfie Smith tearing it up with Duane and Dan. In this song, Duane describes himself as “a has-been who never was”. One spin of this album should dispel that notion for any listener.

I’ve been lucky enough to be able to see Duane play several times over the last couple of years, and usually pretty close to home here in southern Ontario. He does have a day job, like many talented musicians, to pay the bills, so the touring has to be done within those confines. Do yourself a favor and order a copy from Busted Flat Records’ home page or download it on itunes.

Tags: album review, Brock Zeman, dan walsh, Duane Rutter

Album Review : Peter Cooper : The Lloyd Green Album

Oct 3, 2010 Album Reviews

Peter Cooper said on our podcast that he had been thanked for coaxing Lloyd Green out of retirement to work on his albums. He also said that it was like being thanked for picking Michael Jordan on your basketball team. I too would like to go ahead and thank Peter, but not really for just getting Lloyd Green on the album.

First off I have said for many years that all songs could be a little bit better if you would just add some pedal steel. Well here is an entire record where the instrumental star of the record is no less than the greatest living pedal steel player and that my friends, is awesome. Secondly, I love the fact that Lloyd Green finally has his name prominently displayed on the front of a record after spending so many years appearing on the liner notes. It’s a great opportunity for everyone who buys this album to discover who Lloyd is.

Throughout the album, Green weaves intricate steel parts in between everything else that is going on. What is amazing is that the steel parts are not the same old steel parts that you hear on every recording, Green really has the ability to transform the songs with his instrument.

With all the talk of Lloyd Green, what cannot be forgotten is that this is very much a Peter Cooper record. This album contains some of Cooper’s best originals to date and a few perfectly chosen covers. Cooper has really come into his own as a vocalist on this one and he brings in Eric Brace, Fayssoux McLean, Rodney Crowell, and Kim Carnes among others to compliment his voice on various songs. Cooper co-produced this album with Green and you can really tell that these songs were near to both of their hearts as there is not a single throw away on the ablum.

My favorites on the album start rolling right from the beginning with “Dumb Luck”, a song that could just as easily be describing my lifetime. “Ever since I was a young buck, I’ve been on a run of dumb luck”, sings Cooper which may be true, but if he continues releasing songs like this one he will be creating his own luck.

Next on the record is ” Last Laugh”, a co-write with Todd Snider, whose version appears on his last album, The Excitement Plan. As big as a Snider fan that I am, I have to say that Cooper’s version is better, I like the tempo and the feel much better than Snider’s take. “Elmer the Dancer” is the next great tune on this one, it’s the story of a local man famous for his dancing in the town bar, who is no longer with them.

The next track is my favorite Cooper tune, “Gospel Song” which I discussed in yesterday’s Artist of the Month article. I will mention that this version is more complete sounding than the one found on Clown Juice.

“Bells of Odelia” is the next on the album. A song written by Cooper’s friend, Chris Richards, that Cooper calls a great companion piece to Kristofferson’s “Sunday Morning Coming Down”. The narrator in this one has done some things he’s not proud of, but he is being led back to the righteous by the bells of a nearby church, even if not by choice.

Tom T. Hall’s “Mama Bake a Pie” rounds out the first six tracks on the album. That’s right, I am that taken with this one that I just ran down the first half of it. Anyways, the Hall classic still  seems pertinent today and Cooper nails the feel and heart of it on this version.

The next Cooper original is “Champion of the World” which compares his life to that of his father who was a preacher. This song really struck me live and lives up to my memories on this record.Skipping ahead to the last song on the record, “Train to Birmingham” which is a John Hiatt song, that Hiatt himself never recorded. The song is amazing and Cooper makes it his own. That is another thing that Cooper seems to excel at, the ability to pick the right mix of covers to put on his records.

When I finished listening to this record, I immediately restarted and that process continued for an entire day and the only thing that stopped that process was the record Cooper released with Brace on the same day…review coming tomorrow.

If for some reason  you haven’t already ordered this do so at his personal site or the Red Beet Records site.

Tags: album review, eric brace, John Hiatt, Lloyd Green, peter cooper, todd snider, tom t. hall

Album Review : Justin Townes Earle : Harlem River Blues

Sep 16, 2010 Album Reviews

If you were like me you bought Justin’s first record, The Good Life when it came out based on curiosity due to his name alone.  About two songs into listening to that I began eagerly anticipating his next release based on the immense amount of talent that was coming through my speakers.

Since then he released Midnight at the Movies, which did not disappoint and left me wanting more again. A few days ago more arrived with Harlem River Blues hitting the shelves.

I am not sure that anyone this young has ever had a better handle on the old timey sound as Earle does. Whether it’s 50′s Rock n Roll, Hank Senioresque country or even earlier folk ballads Earle takes the style and bends it around his distinct vocals making them all his own while keeping a firm grasp on tradition.

While keeping with those styles he does not just regurgitate old songs, rather he writes personal and modern lyrics and gives them an antiquated feel. If a record ever could sound like it had a sepia tone to it, Earle’s would come to mind first.

This record is spectacular all the way through. Like its predecessors it only conjures one complaint, and that is that it’s too short. The entire album is basically ten tracks clocking in at just over 30 minutes. I’ve had disagreements with friends over the proper length of an album for listening purposes, but I still feel that if a record is good then the longer the better.

This album is a little different than the other two as it seems to have a little more production and a deeper blend of instruments throughout as well as a more prominent electric guitar on some tracks. The talent still remains though, as Earle once again has delivered one of the better records of the year.

The first track that really stood out amongst the rest for me was the opener and title track, “Harlem River Blues”. It’s a little more  upbeat and has choral sounding background vocal track that really gives this song a great feel.

A few more tracks in “Move Over Mama” is one of the songs that sounds like it could have been pulled off a Buddy Holly record. Earle is coming home off of the road and tells is woman she has been “Sleepin’ in the middle of the bed too long” as a way of announcing his arrival.

Following that is a train song of a different color. “Workin’ for the MTA” chronicles the life of a child of a railroad man who is working on the subway in New York City. It is a perfect example of Earle’s ability to take a song style or theme and adapt to the world in which he lives.

My final favorite on the record is “Ain’t Waitin’” which just has a nice groove to it with some great lines. The harmonica all the way through makes you think blues when meshed with the electric guitar but, I’m not sure I’d call it a blues tune.

Once again, Earle has solidified himself as a great writer and performer and in no way in need of help from his name sake to stand out. While some my find it almost heretical to say I think the younger Earle has put out three records now that are as good or better than anything his father has put out since Guitar Town.

Harlem River Blues went on sale Tuesday and can be purchased from Justin’s official site here.

Tags: album review, Justin Townes Earle

Album Review : Claude “Butch” Morgan : Talk About

Jul 31, 2010 Album Reviews

Here is another review of someone who I was previously unfamiliar with. Morgan has been around for quite some time playing with just about everyone on the Texas music scene at some point. He has released a number of albums that after hearing this one I will be acquiring.

Talk About was produced by one of my favorite songwriters, Jonathan Byrd. Morgan decided to bring in someone that he respected to help him put together an album for him. Together they picked through a bunch of songs that Morgan had lying around and came up with what you hear on this one.

Morgan has a great sense of humor and that shows in his songwriter, with songs like “Shoes” and “Man in the Mirror”. He has a very unique storytelling style of delivering his lyrics that makes you feel like you know him and that he is right in front of you singing the songs when listening to the album.

“Man in the Mirror” is my favorite tune on the record. Morgan recounts looking at himself getting older through a mirror with some amusing references to standing in his underwear and cowboy hat and the graying of his hair.

Another great song on the album is the title track. “Talk About” is an upbeat folky song that invokes thoughts of Cat Stevens in his heyday. “I’ve never really had much to say, I never let that get in the way, I can move my mouth a mile a minute, even with my boot in it” , sings Morgan.

Standing aside from the general good vibe of most of the album is the foreboding, “Sad Cafe” a song about where you go when you’ve lost your love or your way. I love the feel of this song, cold coffee and stares lingering in a place no one wants to be but eventually ends up in.

Byrd and Morgan have put together a great album here. One that really showcases Morgan’s songwriting abilities and does not muddy up the songs with unnecessary sounds. Morgan seems to mostly play in the Texas area, but he does make it out and about sometimes and I am hoping a stop in Ohio is in his future because I have a feeling that the show would be endlessly entertaining.

You can find Morgan on Facebook and his homepage and I would suggest doing so.

Tags: album review, cat stevens, claude "butch" morgan, jonathan byrd

Album Review : Mark Robinson : Quit Your Job, Play Guitar

Jul 31, 2010 Album Reviews

Quit Your Job, Play Guitar, advice that seems to have worked out pretty well for Mark Robinson. Unfortunately for most of us with a lack of six string ability, that would result in homelessness.

Robinson, originally from Bloomington, Indiana spent many years playing guitar as a sideman for various acts while still working that day job. A few years ago he quit that day job and moved to Nashville to play full time. Since arriving he has played on studio sessions, done some producing and songwriting, taught guitar and most importantly focused on songwriting and fronting his own band.

The results of which can be found on this great Rock n Roll infused Blues record. This album was a breath of fresh air in my Blues loving lungs, especially in a week that Rolling Stone ran a revue of Cyndi Lauper’s “Blues” record (which I  have not heard, but the thought makes me nauseous).

Robinson is a master on the guitar and delivers a formidable vocal performance on this album which consists of  mostly originals. The album feels very Chicago Blues with a modern twist and a little Delta and Southern Soul  thrown in for good measure. Robinson shows that no style is safe around him and  it’s a great driving album (I know I say that a lot but that is an important test for an upbeat album to pass in my book).

I have a few favorites including, “Memphis Won’t Leave Me Alone” which is one of the songs that embraces the slide and a modern Delta sound. A story of a small town kid who is enticed by the sights and sounds of Memphis.

“The Fixer” is a slow Blues jam where the narrator is the solver of all problems and has a great feel. Robinson sings in a way that shrouds his meaning in mystery and lures us into wanting “The Fixer” to come help us out. Along the way he wraps some winding guitar riffs around the words further solidifying the sound and feel of the song.

Finally “I Know You’ll Be Mine” is a pretty straight forward song that follows the Blues formula lyrically and spiritually. Very few words, lots of repetition, and truck loads of emotion give this song it’s kick and damnitt she will more than likely fall for it and be his.

This is a great debut release from a guy who has obviously put in the work over the years to gain the respect of listeners, critics and his peers. So many times people leave that day job to be a musician and really it wasn’t a good idea, well in this case the world should be happy that Robinson has not only decided to make music but write some songs and give us a great record to listen to.

Find Mark online on his website www.markrobinsonguitar.com .

Tags: album review, Mark Robinson

Album Review : Elizabeth Cook : Welder

Jul 22, 2010 Album Reviews

For those of you following my facebook pages, you know that I have been obsessed with this album the last few days since buying it. I wasn’t going to review it, being that is now two months old. Then I thought why not? That’s why write on this site, who gives a damn if it’s a couple months old? It is a great album that people need to know about.

I saw Elizabeth for the first time a few years ago opening for Todd Snider in Dayton and really enjoyed the show, even bought her last album but then largely forgot about her until the last few weeks. I started hearing talk of how good this album was and when my emusic subscription came in this month I  saw it and bought it.

This record showcases all of Cook’s numerous talents: her playfulness, her extremely well crafted lyrics, her penchant for writing a catchy tune, her unique voice and her ability to marry Tim Carroll and get Rodney Crowell, Buddy Miller, and Dwight Yoakam to appear on the record.

Seriously though, I am not a huge fan of many female country singers, but Cook has something that most don’t,  as a matter of fact she all those things I mentioned in the last sentence. Right off the bat this album is amazing and I’m not sure there is a letdown at all along the way for the entire 14 tracks. That’s right, 14 tracks another thing to love about this album it actually has a considerable amount of music on it.Damn, I love it more by the minute.

Cook’s exuberance and cleverness are all over this record. Starting with the absolutely hilarious recount of an one night stand with a 1980′s, mullet wearing, quaalude popping, beer drinking leftover, “El Camino”. Her humor returns in her pleas to a lover to say no to beer and “Yes to Booty” on the 5th track.

The absolute standout on the album is “Heroin Addict Sister” which is easily the most emotionally stirring song I’ve heard in quite some time. The story follows the path you’d expect from a song with that title, but Cook’s feeling and ability to write great lines raises goose bumps on your arms from the start to finish of the song. I have played this song for everyone I have seen in the past week and the reactions range from tears to just absolute amazement. I have been told that she has implied truth to the story but, I do not know for myself and if it is true all that does is make her brave on top of being able to create a song that is this stirring.

Another song that jumped out at me, was “Girlfriend Tonight”. This is basically something that will hit home for anyone who has been in a long term relationship. There is always a point when you want to put aside comfort and responsibility and revert back to being that young couple who partied and only gave a shit about each other.

Another Cook original I want to point out is “Rock n Roll Man”. A seeming ode to her husband guitar player, Tim Carroll, it contains some great lines such as “He likes to talk about Elvis, but only the Sun years” and “He thanks the Devil for his story and God for his gift”. Carroll who plays all over the record also contributed two songs to it.

Along with the Carroll songs “Follow You Like Smoke” and “Til Then”, Cook does a couple of other covers. “Blackland Farmer” is credited to Frankie Miller, “Not California” to Dan Messe and “I’m Beginning to Forget You” to Joyce Cook, Elizabeth’s departed mother (incidentally it follows Elizabeth’s original “Mama’s Funeral” on the record).

Now that I have seemingly touched on every song on the album, have you figured out that I think you should rush out and get your copy right now? If not re-read this article and visit Cook’s website to buy it here.

Cook has managed to put together one of the most well thought out, planned, and executed albums of the year. I also need to give credit to producer Don Was for allowing Cook to be herself in the studio and staying out of the way of the songs. While some may find her delivery a little odd, to me it is part of what makes her songs stick out and makes you listen to the lyrics.

I cannot believe she has not had a radio hit because of the way her songs seem to reach everyone that hears them. For my money she can continue to hang out with the rest of the hooligans in East Nashville and release brilliant records like, Welder.

Here’s a reward for making all the way through my long-winded Cook loving rant of a review. A video of her and Carroll performing “El Camnino” on a radio program.

Tags: album review, buddy miller, Dwight Yoakam, Elizabeth Cook, Rodney Crowell, tim carroll, todd snider, Youtube Clip

Album Review : Robert Larisey : Nights Take Forever

Jul 18, 2010 Album Reviews

We all know someone whose life should be a song. He hangs out in all of the hole in the wall bars in town, telling stories to whomever will listen to them. You are not sure how old he is because he still drinks, smokes and gets in trouble like he might still be in his twenties, but the lines on his face, the bad prison tattoo and his seemingly endless tales of wisdom suggest he is approaching sixty. You are glad you are on good terms with this guy because although you’ve never seen it, you’ve heard all kinds of stories about what he is capable of if in the wrong mood.

Meet Robert Larisey, he’s just that guy from Carlton Place, Ontario and he plays guitar and has finally gotten around to writing those songs. I’m not sure how old Larisey is, but hearing the songs on Nights Take Forever I think he may have been around for quite some time before recording this, his debut album.

This record should come with a bottle of cheap bourbon, a pair of work boots and perhaps a pistol to protect you from the singer. The entire album exudes honesty and experience, even in the songs that Larisey himself hasn’t lived.

The sound on the record goes from Merle Haggard country to  Fred Eaglesmith type bluegrass. The core of the band on the album is well, mainly Blair Hogan whom I only had ever heard play bass. On this recording Hogan steps up alongside the great songwriting as the co-star and plays everything that was needed in the studio, including guitars, mandolin, piano and organ. Filling out the band for all of the record is first time producer, Brock Zeman who plays rhythm guitar and bass.

Highlights of the album include “3 Squares a Day”, the story of a man who who is on death row and his grieving mother. Larisey writes about the main character, “Some souls can’t be saved” before the man is executed.

Another standout on this record is “Yesterday” which follows a few characters as they longingly look back at the things they once had and come to the realization that their time may be numbered.

Perhaps the finest song on the album is the almost assuredly autobiographical, “Whiskey Plowboy”. We follow Larisey as he happily raises hell throughout his entire countryside, making friends and enemies along the way.

We live in an interesting day for music. Twenty years ago this album probably never would have gotten made. I get the feeling that Larisey is happy just playing some shows in local bars and going about his life. With the lowered cost of recording and the lack of reliance on major record labels to get things heard, Zeman was able to capture what is an album that needed to be heard.

Hopefully this record is met with some success so that Larisey continues to show up in the studio and share the songs that he has lived with us. After you listen to this you will want to teach your town’s version of Robert how to play guitar and write great tunes so that you too can have some great entertainment as you sit in your work boots, drinking a few shots and clutching that pistol just in case.

You can find this album on iTunes and CD Baby and learn more about it on Zeman’s Mud Music page on his website.

Tags: album review, Blair Hogan, Brock Zeman, Fred Eaglesmith, Merle Haggard, Robert Larisey

Album Review : Jerry Castle : Don’t Even Ask

Jul 13, 2010 Album Reviews

Todd Snider sang, “There isn’t nothing wrong with Nashville” a couple of albums ago. Unfortunately all too often when I am forced to listen to country radio I have to disagree. Then a record like Jerry Castle’s Don’t Even Ask is released and I am completely floored and I feel like Todd was indeed correct.

Castle who hails from East Nashville, home of so many great artists, has bounced around the music industry for awhile as a songwriter, publicist, and a touring musician but with this release he seems to have cemented his place as a singer/ songwriter.

Billed as a singer on the rockin’ side of country music, Castle delivers what I would just simply call a great record. His vocals have a bit of gruffness in them but enough of a melodic feel to fit the positive vibe of the songs’ lyrics.

The music on the album is not completely over produced as so much is coming from the Music City. However there is quite a lot going on instrument wise with guest appearances from an all star cast that seemingly has played with everyone in the world. The guests include Audley Freed of Black Crowes fame on guitar for 5 tracks, Doug Lancino (Steve Earle, John Hiatt) on guitar for two songs, and Molly Thomas (Todd Snider) shows up on fiddle for a song.

As for the songs on the album, almost all of them reflect a new found zeal for life that Castle has do to a new daughter (who appears on a duet of “You are My Sunshine”) and renewed since of self through his music.

My personal favorite on the album is “Rainbows” which was written for his daughter. If you are not a parent the lyrics to this song may come off as being cheesy. But if you, like me, have a bit of a misspent youth (and maybe a partially misspent adulthood) that was turned around by the arrival of a child then this song will really hit home. “I pray my life storms help you find rainbows” sings Castle and that sums up what we all feel for our children quite succinctly.

Another great track  this one is  “Writing My Own Ending” a song of defiance in a way. You get the feeling that Castle is tired of dealing with everyone else’s bullshit and he is just going to worry about what makes him happy.

The first single off of the album is going to be “Bend”, a song of a love gone cold. The narrator has finally come to grips with the fact that the problems can not be rectified and you know what he’s okay with that.

At the end of the day, Castle has produced an album that is full of universal yet personal and honest songs. He is a man that has made it past all of the hangups that afflict so many of us and come through okay on the other side. Listen to this one when you want to know that “Life Gets Better As It Goes”

The album is officially released late this month and you can find out more about the record and Castle himself on his website.

Tags: album review, Audley Freed, Doug Lancino, Jerry Castle, Molly Thomas

Album Review : Terri Hendrix : Cry Till You Laugh

Jul 7, 2010 Album Reviews

I was not very familiar with Terri Hendrix before I received this album. I had heard of her and had a couple of song swaps on disc that featured her. I must say I was pretty impressed when I got to listening to this one.

Reading on her website, she says that she originally set out to make a jazz record, a realm that she had never ventured into before. She says that after some recording sessions it became obvious that she was not going to be able to stick with one genre on this one. So what we get is a record with some country songs, some folkier songs, some flashes of the Blues and a few of those jazz tunes.

I do have to say it is a shame that she couldn’t stay the course on the jazz album. Not because the other tracks are poor, but rather because she does such a damn good job handling the jazz ones. Any one of those tunes immediately transports you to a smokey club with a Jessica Rabbit look alike singing the songs holding a cigarette and a cocktail, while a smoking band plays in the background.

It is really hard to believe this is her first stab at this feel. She even breaks into scat on a couple of tunes. I don’t mean to stick on these particular songs but damn they are great.

One specific jazzy song that blew me away is an up-beat number called “You Belong in New Orleans” which was penned by Ike Eichenberg.

A couple of the other songs that caught me on the record were the blues infused, “Hula Mary” and a slower melodic song “Einstein’s Brain” which are both Hendrix originals.

Over all the entire album is great and I am a little disappointed that I got on the Hendrix bandwagon 12 albums into her career, but am glad I did. I don’t know much about her earlier stuff, but I would say Cry Till You Laugh gives you a good look into the diversity of her material and would be a good record to get turned on to her. It certainly worked for me.

You can order her album on her website, www.terrihendrix.com as well as read the liner notes and lyrics from this record.

Tags: album review, terri hendrix

Album Review : Broken Hearts and Dirty Windows : Songs of John Prine

Jul 4, 2010 Album Reviews

I have always been a fan of tribute albums and this one is no exception. Oh Boy has put together a large portion of the next wave of Americana artists on this one to pay their respects to one of the greats.

By putting so many great new artists on this record, Oh Boy has created a situation that will send new fans in both directions. The line up had me intrigued before I even opened the package and it did not disappoint.

As with every tribute record you could sit and nit pick which songs were present and which weren’t, or who else you would have gotten to appear, but I believe they did as good as job as anyone in balancing the tracks on this one.

Some of the artists stuck with a straight forward interpretations of the songs and others made the song their own. I personally enjoy it when someone owns the song they are doing on a tribute as long as it does not take away from it.

My favorite tracks on this album are really hard to pick out because I enjoyed so much of it. Favorite in this case takes so much into consideration, artist, song choice, arrangement, and performance.

Having said that the biggest standout was surprisingly, Conor Oberst and his band. I am not a huge Oberst fan, I think everything he puts out is okay, but it never really excites me. His version of “Wedding Day in Funeralville” is great on here. He gives it a raucous country feel and his vocal delivery fits the song perfectly.

Another track that stood out among the others was The Drive-by Trucker rocked out version of “Daddy’s Little Pumpkin”. The Southern Rock n Roll grit that they added to the track pushed this song over the edge for me, I loved it.

Another surprise for me was that another band I am not a huge fan of turned out one of my favorites on the record. My Morning Jacket does a pretty straight forward but, right on version of “All the Best” on this one. It was good enough that I am going to have to explore their music more to see if my first impression of them still holds true.

A couple other must listens on this record were, Josh Ritter’s solo acoustic version of “Mexican Home”, Old Crow Medicine Show’s bluegrassy rendition of “Angel From Montgomery”, The Avett Brothers’ version of “Spanish Pipedream” and Justin Townes Earle’s “Far From Me”. All of those songs had something that made them rise above the rest.

Overall the tribute was a success. A bunch of great artists turned out to put their touches on all of these classic tunes. I think most everyone did the song they chose justice and hopefully this will help introduce a new generation of roots music fans to John Prine, a man whose every song has a feeling of perfection. As with all things Prine you can go to Oh Boy Records’ site to get this cd and they have actually put up a page on blogspot just for the tribute record and it can be found here.

Tags: album review, Avett Brothers, Conor Oberst, john prine, Josh Ritter, Justin Townes Earle, Old Crow Medicine Show, The Drive-by Truckers, tribute