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Joan Baez - Bowery Songs Audio CD

A fair review of the Joan Baez "Bowery Songs" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all Joan Baez reviews here, or go back to the Joan Baez tabs.

Joan Baez Band: Joan Baez
Title: Bowery Songs
Rating:
Release Date: 2005-09-06
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Finlandia 2: Rexroth's Daughter 3: Deportee (Plane Wreck at Los Gatos) 4: Joe Hill 5: Christmas In Washington 6: Farwell, Angelina 7: Motherland 8: Carrickfergus 9: Jackaroe 10: Seven Curses 11: Dink's Song 12: Silver Dagger 13: It's All Over Now, Baby Blue 14: Jerusalem

Bridging the decades, live
" While there may be those who carp that some classics are not here ("Diamonds and Rust," "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down"), there is plenty to fall in love with. Recorded while Joan was touring to support her excellent "Dark Chords on a Big Guitar," there is a range of terrific material on "Bowery Songs. She seems to have found a kindred spirit in Steve Earle, who is represented twice. "So come back Woody Guthrie. . . rise up old Joe Hill. . . " she sweetly sings as reminders of times before the song was even written. To balance that, she includes both "Deportee" and "Joe Hill," plus three Bob Dylan songs. "It's All Over Now Baby Blue" is the highpoint of that trio.

Of the newer songs, Joan brings poignancy to Natalie Merchant's "Motherland. " You could imagine hearing this song from the 1990's being sung at Woodstock, as Joan brings out the timelessness of the words. Same goes for "Rexroth's Daughter. "

Joan's touring band gives her sympathetic backing. With four men standing behind her (including former Joe Jackson band member Graham Maby!), the arrangements flow from full band accompaniment to just guitar and vocal (and opens with the voice-only "Finlandia"), allowing the songs their best foundations. Far better than many probably expected at this late a date, Joan Baez's "Bowery Songs" concert shows a still vital artist willing to play within her comfort zone while finding new ways to voice it.


A Voice for All Times
It's hard to get a true feeling of her personality from studio albums, but this live recording shows her as a warm, open person who loves what she does and puts all she's got into it. It's very clear from this album that Joan Baez is in her element when she's performing in front of an audience. The songs, mostly songs she has previously recorded, are old favorites that still sound fresh and new. The years have been good to her voice. True, she probably can't hit the high notes she used to nail with ease (has anyone heard Joni Mitchell lately?), but the warmth and emotion is still there. The first track on this disc, "Finlandia", struck a chord with me since that melody was adapted as the alma mater from my high school. As for the other tracks, there is little I can add from other comments here. I'm a lifelong Joan Baez fan, and will continue to be. Now, if only it had been a multichannel SACD.


Like A Fine Wine, She Gets Better With Age
I saw her perform the songs in concert and liked them then. I found Bowery Songs to be the best JB album since Dia-
monds and Rust. However, I did not really get to listen
in depth until I got the CD. Rexroth's Daughter is my favorite
song. I just wish I hand more information of what it's about.
Christmas in Washington is classic Joan vs. the Nazis. De-
portee strikes quite a chord with what's happening with this
Minuteman crap. I think Jerusalem is so relevant with what
is happening there now and with the release of the movie,
Munich. I love any Dylan songs she sings and this one has
three. Yeah, she's older now, but so am I and most of the
rest of her fan base. I'm not just a 10 year old kid now, in love with a beautiful young lady and the voice of a generation
but a middle aged grandfather, in love with a beautiful voice
and the lady of a compassionate and caring generation.


All Things Old Are New Again
Here the ballads like 'Seven Curses' and 'Carrikfergus' show it off at it stunning best. Now into her fifth decade as a recording artist and performer Baez's voice is not what it once was, but remains far better than most around. Fresh arrangements on 'It's All Over Now Baby Blue' and 'Joe Hill' make these highlights of her repetoire worth a new listening while the politically loaded 'Deportee' prove her as unafraid as ever to challenge her audience to think beyond themselves. Perhaps the most telling thing about the CD however is the absence of her classic chart hits 'There But For Fortune' 'The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down' and 'Diamonds and Rust'. It is as if Ms. Baez is showing her large and enduring audience that there are more important matters at the moment than a trip down the memory lane of success. The search for peace, social justice and fairness reflected in what was included reminding us that the issues she championed long ago are all to new again in this old world of ours. .


Not the voice she once had.....
I even empathize with much of her politics, but unfortunately it's time she rested on her laurels. As a contemporary of Joan Baez (age-wise), I loved her early music and the power of her incredible voice.

Her voice on this CD is quite far removed from what she was once capable of, and in fact I would have to say that there is no comparison between her vocal ability on Bowery Songs, and her earlier quality.

Like some professional athletes, she seems to not know when to quit.


You can see a complete list of all Joan Baez discography, or go back to the Joan Baez tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.

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