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 Billy Bragg & WilcoMermaid Avenue Release Date: 1998 06 23 Running Time: 49:20 Label: Elektra Entertainment Rating:  |
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. Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
Tracks:
| Title | Composer | Time | |
| 1 | Walt Whitman's Niece | Bragg, Guthrie | 3:53 |
| 2 | California Stars | Bennett, Tweedy, Guthrie | 4:57 |
| 3 | Way over Yonder in the Minor Key | Bragg, Guthrie | 4:06 |
| 4 | Birds and Ships | Guthrie, Bragg | 2:13 |
| 5 | Hoodoo Voodoo | Guthrie, Harris, Wilco, Bragg | 3:12 |
| 6 | She Came Along to Me | Bragg, Bennett, Tweedy, Guthrie | 3:26 |
| 7 | At My Window Sad and Lonely | Tweedy, Guthrie | 3:27 |
| 8 | Ingrid Bergman | Guthrie, Bragg | 1:50 |
| 9 | Christ for President | Bennett, Tweedy, Guthrie | 2:39 |
| 10 | I Guess I Planted | Bragg, Guthrie | 3:32 |
| 11 | One by One | Tweedy, Guthrie | 3:22 |
| 12 | Eisler on the Go | Guthrie, Bragg | 2:56 |
| 13 | Hesitating Beauty | Guthrie, Tweedy | 3:04 |
| 14 | Another Man's Done Gone | Guthrie, Bragg | 1:34 |
| 15 | Unwelcome Guest | Bragg, Guthrie | 5:09 |
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