The brilliant veterans of darkly beautiful lo-fi and killer lyrics release a 2020-21 lockdown collaborative 19-song compilation of covers and reworked songs with just as many guests, including songs by Leonard Cohen, Yusuf Islam and Billie Eilish, as well as many Drag City labelmates. It’s in impressive bag of curiosities and a guest list, includig AZITA, Matt Sweeney, Alasdair Roberts, Matt Kinsey, Sean O’Hagan, Bill MacKay, Cretan lute player George Xylouris, Dead Rider, David Pajo, Mick Turner, Meg Baird, Ty Segall, Emmett Kelly, Cory Hanson, Six Organs of Admittance, David Grubbs, Cassie Berman (partner of David Berman of Silver Jews), Cooper Crain and Sir Richard Bishop. It’s an enjoyable collection from start to finish reworkings include Callahan’s Our Anniversary with Dead Rider and Oldham’s Arise, Therefore with Six Organs of Admittance, but the cocaine Hank Williams country number OD’d in Denver with Matt Sweeney is one of the standouts as well as the Steely Dan-inspired Deacon Blues featuring Bill MacKay, and the chorus of guests on Silver Jews’ dark The Wild Kindness. Eilish’s Wish You Were Gay, featuring Sean O’Hagan of The High Llamas, includes clunky electronics, but is still fun in a Flight of the Conchords sort of way. Callahan and Billy variously sing separately and also harmonise, where their higher and lower registers makes for a strangely alluring combination. Out on Drag City.
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