Artist: Various - Just One More
Album: A Musical tribute To Larry Brown A Great American Author
Label:Bloodshot Records
Year:2007
Reviewed by: Woodstock Slim
When
I first received the Cd I did not know what to make of it, really. I
did not know who Larry Brown was. I've never read any of his books and
thought I should leave it for someone else to review who read his work.
This, was not necessary as the tracks rolled on. Some of the tracks
were written before he died and some were written after he died, for
the compilation. It opens with the warmest most open song that gives
you the feeling that a lot of people cared about Larry. Three things
Larry was remembered for was his little truck he drove, his writing and
his love for music. 18 Tracks of pure blue grassy mixed tape songs. The
blend is eclectic with greats from Greg Brown, Bo Ramsey, Model T Ford,
Alejandro Escovedo, Caroline Herring and many, many other friends. It
is said that Larry Brown played his guitar every night, and if he
missed a night, he'd say that it was like having missed a day.
Brown’s
first book was a collection of stories, Facing the Music (1988). The
following year, he published his first novel, Dirty Work (1989), which
was inspired in part by his father’s experiences in World War II.
Brown’s fiction continued to chronicle the downtrodden and disheartened
denizens of the American South. The books to follow was Big Bad Love
(1990) and Joe (1991) Other works of fiction by Brown include Father
and Son (1996) and Fay (2000). He has also written several nonfiction
works, including On Fire (1993), about his work as a firefighter, and
Billy Ray’s Farm (2001), essays about his life and work as a writer.
Brown died November 24, 2004, at his home near Oxford. He was 53 years
old.
The Last track on the album is
performed by Larry, (wonder if there'll be more post-humus stuff from
him, he sounds great.) If you're into mixed tapes like I am, this is
brilliant. A beautiful blend old Southern folk sounds and contemporary
yet tasteful tracks like the "Song for Fay" by Caroline Herring and
Rich Brotherton on banjo... Ahhh! Man, it rips through your flesh like
swimming in razor blades.
