CORPSE REVIVER – I’LL BE RESTED WHEN THE ROLL IS CALLED
(Songs from the
Anthology of American Folk Music)
2013 – Self Released
As soon as the words Harry Smith are mentioned my attention is grabbed by the insinuation that goes with that name perhaps more than any other in musical history. All right, his name is not actually mentioned on this album but it is evoked by the sub title, Anthology of American Folk Music, because it was old Harry who compiled this influential tome of biblical proportions when it comes to being influential. I was first made aware of it by the partial collection of battered remnants of the original 1953 issue brought home from the U.S by the father of a childhood friend when I was still in childhood and open to everything! Imagine my joy when more than three decades later the collection was released on c.d. soon followed by volume four, the existence of which had only been hinted at. There are actually albums I prefer, but these collections will always be at the top of my list of grestest albums ever, simply because I still remember the feeling engendered by listening to those remnants many decades ago. That was when I first became aware that music could be scary and capable of creating an eerie otherworldly, totally alien atmosphere and revisiting those discs still gives the same feeling and with them being the greatest influence on my musical taste! Dock Boggs is still at the top of my list of sinister sounding artists on his early recordings, made in the 1920s when there was virtually no media influence and he knew no better than to perform his music in his own totally natural style and environment. When he was rediscovered in the 1960s much of his power had gone, probably as a result of other more sanitized musical influences that he picked up in the intervening decades and of course the fact that he was now elderly but it’s still interesting to hear the differences in a historical context.
It’s probably about time I actually started writing about this album that is in the process of being released by this talented trio of musicians, who when they play live gigs together actually love the Anthology so much they play
little if anything else. The trio consists of Adam J. Kiesling, whose ‘Unclouded Day’solo album received a rave review on this website just a few short weeks ago, as well as being an album of the week on my radio show, and who who provides atmospheric vocals, guitar and banjo. His colleagues on this excellent album are Jillian Rae on fiddle and vocals and Mikkel Beckmen plays assorted percussion, foot stomps and some background vocals. At times the instrumental skill of these three reaches an almost virtuosic level, something that can only be achieved by a total
immersion in what they are playing. They all live in and around the Minneapolis, Minnesota area, a part of the U.S. that has for many decades been home to a thriving folk/roots music scene, that if anything has an increased volition in recent times as evidenced by this trio and many others such as Jack Klatt and Charlie Parr.
To record this music requires a lot of care simply because it will probably not appeal to many ‘mainstream’ fans and of those that do purchase it most will be at least familiar with the originals. So the choices are, do we
record a faithful reproduction, something that always seems quite ridiculous, do we try to bring a new perspective and change tempos etc. something many have done with‘old timey’ music over many decades although the results are often patchy, or do we simply play the songs we love in our own style, and to hell with the consequences! That is what I favour and that is exactly what has been done on this album that highlights the songs rather than the artists. Not that all of the songs from the Anthology are great, although most are, it’s just that they were the choice of just one individual, albeit an individual who knew the music inside out. Harry was the person who at that time took on the responsibility for keeping this music alive and now the mantle has been handed down to artists such as Corpse Reviver and I would say that this ten song album has achieved that objective one hundred per cent!
The songs are plain, beautifully played and sung with a total lack of affectations, in many ways storing the songs for anyone to hear, understand and repeat. An album such as this is never going down in the annals of musical history as a‘classic’ simply because it has been done before, but these simple tales recorded by this trio are imbued with such love of the music that perhaps it should do. On the first two songs Adam takes lead vocal and his voice gives a plain, simple but character laden rendition of both How Can A Poor Man Stand Such Times And Live and Shoes And Leggings, whilst Jillian’s beautiful fiddle playing lifts the songs and enhances the atmosphere. Wagoner’s Lad, has Jillian performing an absolutely stunning lead vocal, surely a star in waiting, whilst Adam’s banjo playing matches her vocal quality with an atmospheric fiddle break also included and Mikkel Beckman’s percussion providing a solid base. I can honestly say this version of the song can rarely, if ever, have been
bettered in performance or atmosphere. Next comes a tremendous version of John Johanna with Adam’s deep vocal giving an ‘old timey’ feel to the classic song and Jillians hugely atmospheric fiddle playing providing the mournful darkness that so befits this dark old tale and Mikkel’s repetitious percussion, just discernible in the background providing an almost funereal beat. No Depression is a little faster than the original by the Carter Family but still retains that raw power with Jillians gorgeous vocal adding a lovely feminine edge that Emmylou would be proud of! Dock Boggs Country Blues is second only to Docks original in eerie power, with the dominant instruments being Adams vocal and Jillians fiddle with the banjo not far behind. And so the album goes on, one excellent song after the other, with no weak links, in fact the only problem I found was that I wanted to hear more of this trio’s interpretations of Harry’s anthology, but have to be content with the ten on this disc, although being such a tremendous album it’s no hardship to play the disc over and over again! It includes five songs from volume one of the original set, a couple from volume three and three from volume four, the gospel volume four probably wisely being left for another day.
To some people this will be an album of covers, albeit of classic old songs, but to me this is an important addition to the American folk canon, not necessarily hugely original, but old songs given a no frills, hugely evocative
treatment by three tremendous musicians. Roll on volume two and three ……………. !
http://corpsereviver.bandcamp.com/
As soon as the words Harry Smith are mentioned my attention is grabbed by the insinuation that goes with that name perhaps more than any other in musical history. All right, his name is not actually mentioned on this album but it is evoked by the sub title, Anthology of American Folk Music, because it was old Harry who compiled this influential tome of biblical proportions when it comes to being influential. I was first made aware of it by the partial collection of battered remnants of the original 1953 issue brought home from the U.S by the father of a childhood friend when I was still in childhood and open to everything! Imagine my joy when more than three decades later the collection was released on c.d. soon followed by volume four, the existence of which had only been hinted at. There are actually albums I prefer, but these collections will always be at the top of my list of grestest albums ever, simply because I still remember the feeling engendered by listening to those remnants many decades ago. That was when I first became aware that music could be scary and capable of creating an eerie otherworldly, totally alien atmosphere and revisiting those discs still gives the same feeling and with them being the greatest influence on my musical taste! Dock Boggs is still at the top of my list of sinister sounding artists on his early recordings, made in the 1920s when there was virtually no media influence and he knew no better than to perform his music in his own totally natural style and environment. When he was rediscovered in the 1960s much of his power had gone, probably as a result of other more sanitized musical influences that he picked up in the intervening decades and of course the fact that he was now elderly but it’s still interesting to hear the differences in a historical context.
It’s probably about time I actually started writing about this album that is in the process of being released by this talented trio of musicians, who when they play live gigs together actually love the Anthology so much they play
little if anything else. The trio consists of Adam J. Kiesling, whose ‘Unclouded Day’solo album received a rave review on this website just a few short weeks ago, as well as being an album of the week on my radio show, and who who provides atmospheric vocals, guitar and banjo. His colleagues on this excellent album are Jillian Rae on fiddle and vocals and Mikkel Beckmen plays assorted percussion, foot stomps and some background vocals. At times the instrumental skill of these three reaches an almost virtuosic level, something that can only be achieved by a total
immersion in what they are playing. They all live in and around the Minneapolis, Minnesota area, a part of the U.S. that has for many decades been home to a thriving folk/roots music scene, that if anything has an increased volition in recent times as evidenced by this trio and many others such as Jack Klatt and Charlie Parr.
To record this music requires a lot of care simply because it will probably not appeal to many ‘mainstream’ fans and of those that do purchase it most will be at least familiar with the originals. So the choices are, do we
record a faithful reproduction, something that always seems quite ridiculous, do we try to bring a new perspective and change tempos etc. something many have done with‘old timey’ music over many decades although the results are often patchy, or do we simply play the songs we love in our own style, and to hell with the consequences! That is what I favour and that is exactly what has been done on this album that highlights the songs rather than the artists. Not that all of the songs from the Anthology are great, although most are, it’s just that they were the choice of just one individual, albeit an individual who knew the music inside out. Harry was the person who at that time took on the responsibility for keeping this music alive and now the mantle has been handed down to artists such as Corpse Reviver and I would say that this ten song album has achieved that objective one hundred per cent!
The songs are plain, beautifully played and sung with a total lack of affectations, in many ways storing the songs for anyone to hear, understand and repeat. An album such as this is never going down in the annals of musical history as a‘classic’ simply because it has been done before, but these simple tales recorded by this trio are imbued with such love of the music that perhaps it should do. On the first two songs Adam takes lead vocal and his voice gives a plain, simple but character laden rendition of both How Can A Poor Man Stand Such Times And Live and Shoes And Leggings, whilst Jillian’s beautiful fiddle playing lifts the songs and enhances the atmosphere. Wagoner’s Lad, has Jillian performing an absolutely stunning lead vocal, surely a star in waiting, whilst Adam’s banjo playing matches her vocal quality with an atmospheric fiddle break also included and Mikkel Beckman’s percussion providing a solid base. I can honestly say this version of the song can rarely, if ever, have been
bettered in performance or atmosphere. Next comes a tremendous version of John Johanna with Adam’s deep vocal giving an ‘old timey’ feel to the classic song and Jillians hugely atmospheric fiddle playing providing the mournful darkness that so befits this dark old tale and Mikkel’s repetitious percussion, just discernible in the background providing an almost funereal beat. No Depression is a little faster than the original by the Carter Family but still retains that raw power with Jillians gorgeous vocal adding a lovely feminine edge that Emmylou would be proud of! Dock Boggs Country Blues is second only to Docks original in eerie power, with the dominant instruments being Adams vocal and Jillians fiddle with the banjo not far behind. And so the album goes on, one excellent song after the other, with no weak links, in fact the only problem I found was that I wanted to hear more of this trio’s interpretations of Harry’s anthology, but have to be content with the ten on this disc, although being such a tremendous album it’s no hardship to play the disc over and over again! It includes five songs from volume one of the original set, a couple from volume three and three from volume four, the gospel volume four probably wisely being left for another day.
To some people this will be an album of covers, albeit of classic old songs, but to me this is an important addition to the American folk canon, not necessarily hugely original, but old songs given a no frills, hugely evocative
treatment by three tremendous musicians. Roll on volume two and three ……………. !
http://corpsereviver.bandcamp.com/