ROSEANNE CASH.....LONG BLACK VEIL
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Artist:Roseanne Cash w/Jeff Tweedy
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Track:Long Black Veil
......Roseanne Cash can do it all, I think. She can rock out & she can sing a torch song that scorches the heart. But her "back-porch" sound is absolutely my favorite. She has such an easy, natural sound, related to but apart from the traditional "country" voice. Its to her credit that she has grown in the imposing & impossible shadow of her father, and that she's established herself without pandering to or repudiating her father's audience. In concert she's warm, self-effacing, & witty.....
........Jeff Tweedy is one of Alt Country's brighter Stars....his influence in the genre cannot be over-stated. He has constantly challenged "country" conventions & truth be told most "Country Stars".....find precious little in Tweedy's music to relate to. But Jeff Makes the kind of Country music that resonates with rockers & disaffected country folk; honest, intelligent songs bristling with shards of aural anger, adventerous atmospherics, & fuck it attitude.
....And so these two pioneers get together & just to make a liar out of me....perform a most reverential version of this Country Classic from '59
Comments (10)
I like it
Thanks....i do too!
I won't be running out to buy this anytime soon, but that said it is a very listenable and enjoyable song.
a fine performance
I could never get over her jarring appearance on the Carl Perkins HBO special. Among all that massive talent, she was an annoying waste of time. This isn't bad, but I prefer the Band's version, and I imagine you do too.
Sometimes it's a matter of how it's presented, I suppose. I first heard of this project, "The List" on NPR. The Man In Black, himself, gave her a list of 100 essential country songs when she was 18. This track is from her recording of twelve of the songs on that list, "The List". I thought you could not have a better child than this. The bits that were played during that interview were inspired. I didn't get around to listening to the entire album itself, which NPR streamed in its entirety for a limited time. This particuilar performance, I'm sorry to say, sounds uninspired and cautiously approached. This artist comes from a deep, loving place and she has weathered many a storm. She has my admiration. Here's the interview on Fresh Air from WIYY Philadelphia. Fresh Air Interview
It is so hard to believe this tune doesn't go back past '59..I took the time to check out the songwriter Danny Dill and it turns out that he was trying to make an "instant folk song."..man did it work. I'm a terrible judge of good songwriting, but I feel this tune..in almost any version including this one.
The song is the thing here..it is meant to be sung by any and every one. There really aren't too many like it coming from the world of popular music.
I heard another song from this CD on the radio over the weekend, and I'm afraid my reaction was somewhat the same as Spike1's. There was nothing wrong with it, but it just didn't take off. Maybe a little too safe. I admire her, too, and appreciate the fact that she is so articulate. Want to like her music a little more than I do....
I hear ya, Cody. I was surprised. I recall the feeling when I read that John Jacob Niles actually wrote some of his "folk songs". Chiefly "Black Is The Colour Of My True Love's Hair" and "I Wonder as I Wander".
At least Rosanne and Jeff didn't ruin it. You fellas are right; it's straightforward, not so ambitious.