1995's Tomorrow The Green Grass — an album many will tell you was the Jayhawks' best — is wisely also represented by no less than four tracks. These include "I'd Run Away," which is one of those Jayhawks songs that should have been huge, with it's great piano-anchored hook, and "Blue," which featured some of the band's most wistful harmonizing yet. These two albums — the last to feature the combination of Olson and Louris — arguably represent the Jayhawks at their creative peak.
The albums recorded following Olson's departure also featured their fair share of gems, though, many of which are included on this set. These include "Big Star," a great little rock and roll tune that, depending on who you talk to, is either Louris' tribute to the band of the same name, or a wry commentary on the lack of success of his own. From the Smile album you get another of those near hits in "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me," as well as the title track. From the Rainy Day Music album, "Save It For A Rainy Day" might be recognized by some from the television commercials which used the song.
The second disc features outtakes and rarities from the Jayhawks' career, including tracks from their mythical first recording, the "Bunkhouse Album." Demos and outtake versions include "Stone Cold Mess," an outtake from the Hollywood Town Hall sessions, as well as other rare B-sides, radio sessions, and several raw demo recordings recorded at the Jayhawks' rehearsal space.
The DVD also yields some real gold for fans. There are the original music videos for "Settled Down Like Rain," "Take Me With You (When You Go)," "Blue," "Big Star," and "Save It For A Rainy Day." Also included is some great live footage from a 1993 Hollywood Town Hall era concert in Chicago, including live versions of "Settled Down Like Rain," "Reason To Believe," and "Take Me With You (When You Go)."
Jayhawks fans whose hopes were raised by the Louris and Olson reunion album Ready For The Flood earlier this year will be interested to know that the complete band has signed on for a short series of European dates, as well as a hometown reunion show this Friday in Minneapolis.
Whether or not this translates into something more long-term or not, Music from The North Country - The Jayhawks Anthology is a great career retrospective that nicely sums up a band who coulda' been, woulda' been, and shoulda' been.
In addition to the deluxe edition, disc one is also available as a stand-alone hits compilation.
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