Despite being blighted by alcoholism and drug dependency throughout his adult life, Texan troubadour Townes Van Zandt left behind one of the most revered catalogues in Americana-related circles. Truly sensitive and poetic, his songs have been covered by artists as disparate as Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard and Tindersticks and it’s often through these recordings that his posthumous legend has spread.
Respected singer/ songwriter MICHAEL WESTON KING collaborated with the long tall Texan while he was fronting pioneering UK Roots combo The Good Sons and has since been a fierce champion of Van Zandt’s work. Together with ‘Mojo’ scribe Dave Henderson, he has lovingly compiled this extensive, 20-track Townes tribute and with a contribution from each sale going to the QE2 activity centre to help thousands of people with both physical and learning disabilities it’s surely both the worthiest and most emotive Townes-related release to date.
By their very nature, compilations can be notoriously hit and miss affairs, but ‘Riding The Range’ is pretty consistent overall. Weston King himself leads the way with a resonant version of none-bleaker late period Townes tune ‘Marie’, while other early highlights are provided by THE MAGIC NUMBERS’ dreamily graceful version of ‘Quicksilver Dreams of Maria’ and the terminally under-rated PETER BRUNTNELL’S stripped-back acoustic take of ‘Second Lovers Song.’
Many of the artists treat these dignified and highly personal songs with the kid gloves they deserve, but there are always those with both the guts and the daring to go that extra mile. Perhaps the most radical re-workings come courtesy of BOO HEWERDINE and JOHNNY DOWD & BILLY COTE but they are also among the best things here. Hewerdine brings loops, electro tinges and loud guitar scree to ‘Lungs’ yet still matches the darkness of the original, while Dowd & Cote (with Mary Lorson sweetening the vocal pill) turn ‘No Place to Fall’ into a way cool Velvets-style narcotic pop workout. STAN RIDGWAY & PETER CASE are an intriguing pairing on paper, too, and their suitably quirky take on ‘If I Was Washington’ is exuberantly off the wall.
Inevitably, it isn’t all quite so transcendent. The floaty guitars and trip-hop beats of JEB LOY NICHOLS’ ‘Flyin’ Shoes’ never get close to the original, while JEFFREY FOUCAULT’S ‘Nothin’’ can only grab at both the inherent nihilism of Townes’ version or the helplessness of Rowland S. Howard’s recent cover. Elsewhere, my jury’s still out on SHANNON LYON’S ‘If I Needed You’. Initially, I intensely disliked his rattling Rockabilly revamping of one of Van Zandt’s greatest songs, but the invention and sheer cheek of it starts to win you over after a while.
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Perhaps the most empathetic performer here is SHANE MACGOWAN. Another character familiar with playing Russian roulette with eternity, Townes’ ‘Waitin’ Round to Die’ could just as easily have been written for The Pogues singer. His rancid bark reminds us he’s a shadow of his former self these days, yet his dog-eared version of the song is still weirdly affecting. Ditto Townes’ version of Michael Weston King’s ‘Riding The Range’ which allows the great man the final word and brings the album to a suitably dignified conclusion.
Like Gram Parsons, Townes Van Zandt eschewed the wealth and privilege of his upbringing for the pursuit of artistic freedom and paid a high price. That he went to his grave in relative obscurity remains tragic, but the creative wealth of riches he bequeathed us is more than enough to sustain his posthumous reputation for decades to come. Releases with the integrity and invention of ‘Riding The Range’ can only help to enhance it even further.
The QE2 activity centre website
Townes Van Zandt official website
Michael Weston King online
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