Customer Reviews

Death Songs for the Living (Dig)

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

For a while there, I got the impression that Jay Farrar was coasting a bit. Each album after Son Volt's debut offered a bit less in new ideas than the previous effort, and the Greatest Hits collection seemed to put a capper on things. Then Farrar revitalized Son Volt with a new line-up, and his creativity once again became readily apparent on "Okemah and the Melody of Riot". The side project Gob Iron proves that album was no fluke. Farrar is on fire once again, and "Death Songs for the Living" makes that point quite nicely. Teaming up with Anders Parker of Vernaline, the duo digs deep into the ballads and folk songs of rural America, turning them inside out while maintaining respect for the folk tradition. In that sense, this record is not too unlike Dylan's latest opus, "Modern Times."
The American folk idiom can be full of dark tales, especially when it comes to ballads. Greil Marcus called it "old, weird America," and that is mostly what this consists of; songs of sickness, bad luck, death and disease, all told through the voice of a protagonist that could be almost 200 years old. Remarkably, the collection never sounds morbid. Instead, it compels the listener to a state of sympathy. The pace is laconic, but only to the point that it suits the subject matter. "Nicotine Blues" is a brilliant example, utilizing the melody of "Coo Coo Bird" (see Harry Smith's Anthology of American Folk Music for the `original' recording) to convey what every smoker instinctively fears but intuitively denies. Parker and Farrar use excellent judgment in their song choices, even reaching back as far as Stephen Foster for a mid-eighteenth century song about "Hard Times." The Stanley Brothers and the Carter Family also provide excellent source material ("Wayside Tavern" and East Virginia Blues," respectively).
In my opinion, too many folk artists distance themselves from the riches of our past by trying too hard to be contemporary and unique. Farrar and Parker do the exact opposite, and in the process they created an album that is both contemporary and unique.
A- Tom Ryan

Please, please buy this phenomenal cd. Jay Farrar is pure genius, and, coupled with Anders Parker's magnificent work, this cd will be at the apex of a body of work that is of the very highest quality. It only remains to ask where such great music comes from in an age of despicable commercial trash and musical monotony. Farrar and Parker are not only musicians and folklorists of cutting edge achievement, they are also brave and true commentators of the current political and social scene.
To point out specific songs as highlights is, for me, impossible. You truly have to take this cd as a unified, complete work of art. That said, let me say how much I enjoy the intrumental interludes between songs. It gives me a sense of connection, of theme, and of mood. Still, I am in agreement that "Hard Times," "Buzz and Grind," and "Wayside Tavern" crystalize this artistic achievement.
Enjoy, reflect, and respond to this terrific cd. Music like "Death Songs for the Living" comes around all too infrequently.

I might not be the most accurate critic of anything "Farrar" because i pretty much love everything the guy does.

That said...i think Death Songs for the Living is a fantastic folk record. Both artists do an amazing job of adding their own footprints to classic folk-penned songs.

Jay's voice has never sounded better, as razor sharp as its ever been. The acoustic playing is top notch. The piano throughout the disc is subtle yet highly effective. Both artists harmonize very well with one another. Its amazing this CD was recorded in as short a timeframe as it was. Definitely one of the better sounding recordings i've heard this year.

I'm just now getting into the Parker songs...been stuck on the Farrar tunes since purchase, they are quickly growing on me as well. Something tells me i'll be checking out some Varnaline discs very soon.

Hard Times, Silicosis Blues and Little Girl, Dreadful Snake are my favorites so far.


Farrar's newly penned tune Buzz and Grind is phenomenal...has a killer guitar lick with Parker adding a smokin' slide on top of it. Believe it or not...its a little Allmanesque. Par for the course, Farrar's songwriting on this one is fantastic. I'm confident Jay will add it to Son Volt's repetoire.


This is a perfect Sunday morning, nasty weather, fire goin', with paper and coffee in hand release. (and then Buzz and Grind will have you reaching for your first beer).


I highly recommend it.

Gob Iron is Tupelo's 'March 16-20' meets Son Volt's 'Trace' meets R.L. Burnside. This is no joke. It's really that good. Farrar's "Hard Times" (almost entirely original lyrically speaking) should go down as one of his most powerful recordings to date. Just a painfully beautiful song... Farrar's voice is crisp and warm, droning its way through highs and lows, reassuring as it warns, leading you down dark paths but never letting go of your hand. His "East Virginia Blues" (a Carter family original) is a masterful blues stomp, and his voice has never sounded better than on the chorus -- "And I don't want your greenback dollar, I don't want your silver change...". His "Nicotine Blues" (entirely original lyrically) chills to the bone with the same haunting force of "Ten Second News" from Son Volt's debut or, what's more, "Nothin'" by Townes Van Zandt. When his take on Josh White's "Silicosis Blues" begins, Farrar's harmonica and acoustic picking will make you swear you're listening to 'March 16-20'. And his only entirely original recording on the disc, "Buzz & Grind," ends the record with a bluesy bang and reminds us that this song sounds no more relevant today than the other nine well-aged tunes found here. All of them speak to life's suffering and to what has defined human character since the beginning of time - the ability to endure that suffering in hopes of witnessing a better day.
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Until now, I have written only of Farrar's work here. Anders Parker's is equally brilliant, and indeed his are some of the most powerful recordings on the disc. The Stanley Brothers' original "Wayside Tavern" becomes, under Parker's poetic, a heartwrenching yet beautifully delivered tale of love gone murderous while "Death Is Only a Dream" is truly a "death song for the living" as it spins death into glorious sleep. Parker's shining moment is undoubtedly "Little Girl and Dreadful Snake," on which Farrar's deep harmony mixes with Parker's tenor so sublimely that it invites comparisons to the Louvin Brothers.
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The praise that I give here is, I understand, pretty lofty. But buy this disc and I challenge you to disagree.

Jay Farrar = John Lennon
Jeff Tweedy = Paul McCartney
I will always, always, choose John Lennon over Paul McCartney. Think about it - or better yet, buy this CD, and think about it while you are listening to Jay Farrar and Anders Parker!

I thoroughly enjoyed Death Songs for the Living. Jay has done it again. This is a great album to just sit and listen to. Truely entertaining and meaningful. I've read on here that some one thought the lyrics were immature. All but one song are reworked traditional folk songs. You have to look at everything in context. The simplicity is the point. This album represents what Americana is all about and that there is still hope for the genre.

I am a big fan of Jay Farrar, and really enjoy this work. It is grounded in folk music, but with the sinister undertones of the songs about death. This reminded me a lot of the Uncle Tupelo "March 16-20" release.

Excellent CD, reminds me quite a bit of Springsteen's recent folk tribute, but more reserved and acoustic. I never stop being impressed by Jay Farrar, the man has so many songs in him, be it with Uncle Tupelo, Son Volt, solo or now, Gob Iron. If you are a fan of Farrar and want to hear some really incredible acoustic arraingments, I strongly recommend.

In a world of comercialism and greed, its good to know we still have folks like Jay Farrar and Anders Parker. Jay is one of the few musicians today who has a real pulse on what going down and is not afraid to speak his mind. His last Son Volt album "Okemah and the Melody of Riot" spoke to the failures of our goverment policies. Gob Iron is a collection of old folk songs reworked that are just as relevant today as they were years ago. The Rustic sound of Farrar's voice and the acoustic melody of each guitar note sucks you into a time past and a time yet to come embracing our own mortality. "Hard Times" is a true Farrar gem. "Nicotine Blues" is a haunting take on smoking addiction. Anders take on "The Little Girl and the Dreadful Snake" is his shining moment on the album..a story that played out many times in our history. Each song has a sweet acoustic instrumental that twines it all together and ends on Jay's "Buzz & Grind"..the only new song on the album which is sure to show up in the Son Volt sets shouts "capitol hill with the corporate face, its going to take action to make the story different" proving yet again Jay has his hand steady on the pulse. True Grassroots.

I love their stuff! It has a multi-layered quality. Excellent musicianship, very easy to listen to. Well worth the money. I wish they had more music published.