I've never met Greg Brown (though I did get to see my mom, all five feet and seventy-something years of her, run up to him to shake his hand after a show)...but if by chance he was to invite me over to his place for some whiskey and music, I'd imagine it'd be something like Honey in the Lion's Head.
This latest Brown release is a collection of traditional folk tunes that were, as Greg puts it, "the soundtrack of his youth". These songs, delivered in Brown's trademark gravelly baritone, have a nice old-timey feel. This is why I mentioned dinner at Greg and Iris' (He's married to folk singer Iris DeMent. You knew that, right?) place. I can easily imagine sitting out on the back porch as Greg picks up the guitar. His daughters Pieta and Constie would be there for the occasional background harmony. A good time was had by all.
Seriously though, since this will probably never happen, I'll have to remain content with the record. I'll close my eyes and imagine the scene as Greg plays these songs with longtime cohort Bo Ramsey. The addition of Bob Black on banjo and Al Murphy on fiddle make the traditional folks aspects of the tunes really stand out. Just one listen to "Old Smokey" or "The Foggy Foggy Dew" will give you a pretty good idea of Greg's background. This isn't to say that everything is laid back and contemplatin'. No, just check out his uptempo and intense "Samson".
There are a couple of non-traditional songs here too. One is Jim Garland's "I Don't Want Your Millions Mister", a country swingin' working man's lament. The other is the Brown original "Ain't No One Like You". Dang, love sounds pretty when it's dressed up with Greg's voice, a banjo and Constie Brown's backing vocals.
When this record finishes, I open my eyes and well...I'm still sitting in suburban America. I guess there are some limits to how far music can transport me.
(First posted on Mark Is Cranky)
Article comments
1 - David
Greg Brown's got the Voice (Tom Waits as a hick), but I don't get why so many people (eg that Prairie Home Companion guy) think he's a good songwriter. This sounds like it might be a good choice.
2 - Mark Saleski
if you want an example of why he's a good songwriter, you should get yourself a copy of The Poet Game.
3 - mt
Here are just a few songs from one of his many albums. Hear these words with his melodies and voice and his gifts are hard to deny:
Our Little Town
Now the railroad came generations ago
And the town grew up as the crops did grow
The crops grew well and the town did too
They say it's dyin now and there ain't a thing we can do
I don't have to read the news
Or hear it on the radio
I see it in the faces of everyone I know
The cost goes up
What we made comes down
What's gonna happen to our little town
The summer is full of thunder
The kids run and play
Momma got a new wrinkle
Poppa ain't got much to say
Rust grows along the railroad track
The young folks leave
They don't come back
And I don't have to read the news
Or hear it on the radio
I see it in the faces of everyone I know
The boards go up
The signs come down
What's gonna happen to our little town
Tom lost his farm
And we lost Tom
He left in the night
I don't know where he's gone
What he'd lost
He just couldn't face
What we're losin' can't be replaced
I don't have to read the news
Or hear it on the radio
I see it in the faces of everyone I know
The reason we're here
Is the farms around
So what's gonna happen to our little town
We've seen hard times
Many times before
Maybe this whole thing is just one more
It never was perfect
Maybe no one's to blame
To see it die like this
It's a god damned shame
And I don't have to read the news
Or hear it on the radio
I see it in the faces of everyone I know
The sun comes up
The sun goes down
But what's gonna happen to our little town
Wash My Eyes
Wash my eyes that I may see
Yellow return to the willow tree
Open my ears that I may hear
The river running swift and clear
And please
Wash my eyes
And please
Open my ears
Wash this world that is one place
And wears a mad and fearful face
Let the cruel raging cease
Let these children sleep in peace
And please
Wash this world
And please
Let these children
Sleep in peace
4 - godoggo
I'm "David" above. Well, I still haven't heard many of his songs, but I have listed to this album a few dozen times. It's fantastic. Don't know what else to say.