Customer Reviews

A Case for Case: A Tribute to the Songs of Peter Case

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Peter Case has been writing and performing great songs for thirty years and more, but even among devoted pop music fans too many people are still unfamiliar with him, which is really a shame. Of course, Peter's his own best interpreter, but this tribute set, which features covers of Case songs by his peers and admirers, is a first-class introduction to what he does.

I ran into Jeff Campbell in Los Angeles (We were attempting to get into a sold out Calexico show - I hope he was successful) and he passed on a sampler of this set. Now, most of us have some of these benefit collections and have found them wanting for many reasons. I love Alejandro Escovedo, but Por Vida only supports the notion that he may be the only one who can do justice to his unique songs. That said, Peter Case has turned out to be a different kettle of fish.
Jeff had told me there wasn't a weak song in the bunch and based on this taste, I agree. It starts off strong with Dave Alvin and the covers stay at a high level. Lester Chambers does a great "Walking Home Late" and Maura O'Connell pulls out the beauty of "Blue Distance." Another fave was Last Train Home's "Baltimore."
Peter Case is a gentle soul who I've seen light up a room and a hall with his music and charm. It's nice to see his voice spread out in a good cause.

You cannot go wrong with this 3-disc set for any number of reasons. First, Peter Case's witty, wise, sometimes sad, often joyful songs are paid homage by a host of well-known and little known singers and bands. Second, there is nothing that is really weak, and so many cuts are so strong that's it's impossible for me to list favorites. These CD's have been in heavy rotation on my players since early Feburary. I'm not tired of them yet. I hear new things every time through, whether it's a nuance of lyric or emotion, or the quality of singing and playing. This is absolutely THE BEST TRIBUTE ALBUM I'VE EVER ENCOUNTERED! Third, the proceeds from the set go to Hungry for Music, producer Jeff Campbell's nonprofit that puts instruments in the hands of kids who might otherwise never have a chance to touch one. Bravo, Jeff, and associate producers Craig Frischkorn and Joe Compton. The selection & sequencing are just right (each disc has its own special personality-see if you don't agree). The accompanying booklet provides a wealth of information--I especially like that there are photos of all the artists. The only thing missing--small quibble--is a lack of dates for the songs.

Thank you Peter for your courage, your vision and your humanity. I'm glad you are still playin'.

As an enthusiastic fan of Peter Case since I encountered 'Blue Guitar' in 1989, I was pleased to hear of the release of this album, acknowledging the talents of one of the western world's finest singer-songriters. However, my experience of tribute albums led me to expect it to be a patchy piece of work, especially given it extends over a massive 47 songs. I was mistaken! The diverse range of artists provide compelling treatments of the Case originals. Some tracks do not depart greatly from Case's version, but many reveal considerable, and generally valuable, interpretative insights. In some cases, the melody is enhanced, in others, a jauntiness is brought to the forefront, in others the lyricism or reflectiveness is highlighted. The seven songs from early in Case's career, which predate the 'Peter Case' debut album, and which appear on Disc Three, seem worthy but are a bit too poppy for my taste, but I find everthing else worth repeated listenings. Highlights are difficult to identify, given the consistent quality of the album, but I suggest Victoria William's lush 'Drunkard's Harmony', Chris Smither's sparse 'Cold Trail Blues', Garry Heffern's gospelly 'I Shook His Hand' and Jesse De Natale's cheesy 'I Hear Your Voice'. Many more deserve mention, as do the fine Case songs left out: 'Last Time I Looked', 'See-through Eyes' and Manana Champeen' come to mind. Perhaps we will see another tribute as Case's extraordinarily rich and diverse catalogue continues to expand.

The best thing about this project is the sheer volume. It contains three CDs, all full of Peter Case songs. This would be an amazing collection except for one thing -- I already have CDs with better versions of all these songs.

None of them really fall into the "why did they think THAT would be a good idea" catagory of disasterous interpretations, but over and over again the covers of the songs made me think, "Peter did it better". There were a couple of times that I thought the new version brought out a different aspect of the song, but generally they made me realize that Case is a fine songwriter who is very skilled at writing to his performing strengths.

In fact, if anything the problem might be that too many of the songs were done the same way Case did them (only not quite as well). Perhaps if more of the artists had tried some really radical reinterpretations, the album might have been more like a typical tribute album, with some real gems and some real bombs.

If you don't already have all of Case's work in your collection, though, this would make a really comprehensive introduction to his stuff. All of these performances are first rate and his songs are amazing.

It's easy to hear why this affordable 3-disc box set got rave reviews from No Depression and Bob Harris of the BBC. Buffalo's Peter Case writes songs that are smart, sad, funny, and empowering-often all at once. The performers interpreting Case's songs in this collection are a "Who's Who" of the No Depression scene (Alvin, Prophet, Ely, Russell, Richey, Snider, Kirchen, etc.). There are a lot of really interesting variations in these cover versions. If your collection of Case CDs isn't complete before you hear this box set, you'll seek out his entire back catalog which is so strong. The tribute's covers are not repeats of the originals by any means. There are also plenty of songs from Case's earlier work with the power pop Plimsouls. Anyone who enjoys Dylan, Prine, or Springsteen should check this collection out (Hey, Springsteen covered Case's "Beyond the Blues" at a Bottom Line sound check in 1992!). Like Marshall Crenshaw, Peter Case has been one of America's most under-rated songwriters. This collection puts the record straight. Buy this bargain three-disc box set. The proceeds benefit Hungry For Music, a DC-based charity that provides musical instruments to disadvantaged kids. Then go hear Peter Case and shake his hand.

Nothing much to say BUT this is an awesome collection of interpretations by some great artists I have loved for years and other artists I am learning to love.

3 discs of Mr Cases great storytelling. After listening to the collection I still have heaps of Mr Cases other songs in my head that I think we could have had a 10 disc set. Beg, borrow or steal and tell all your friends. xxxx

the best cuts could all be put on one fantastic cd, but usually you only get one cd of a packet like this and it is very cool to have all of it. a deal for anything less than full retail, but for a cause.