NEW ALBUM: Various Artists - Come On Up To The House: Women Sing Waits

[Ruby]

VARIOUS ARTISTS ~ Come On Up To The House: Women Sing Waits


 
Track listing:

Joseph (Trio) - Come On Up To The House
Aimee Man - Hold On
Phoebe Bridgers - Georgia Lee    
Shelby Lynne & Allison Moorer - Ol' 55
Angie McMahon - Take It With Me
Corinne Bailey Rae - Jersey Girl        
Patty Griffin - Ruby's Arms
Rosanne Cash - Time
Kat Edmonson - You Can Never Hold Back Spring
Iris DeMent - House Where Nobody Lives
Courtney Marie Andrews - Downtown Train
The Wild Reeds - Tom Traubert's Blues  

A new spin on the works of Mr Waits - a selection of twelve of his songs each performed by a different artist / ensemble. Some of the pieces are almost unrecognisable in their new guises, and of those that are familiar in their interpretation (with less than a handful of exceptions), this jury is presently out! I just can’t separate Wait’s grizzly baritone from “Downtown Train”, for example, when I hear it in my head (nor do I want to), so something completely the opposite just seems weird to me, not that I’m averse to covers, quite the contrary - if they are believable in their own right, all power to the performer. And there are some beauties – Rosanne Cash does “Time” which is solid and Patty Griffin definitely holds her own, as does Corinne Bailey Rae, and sisters Shelby Lynne and Alison Moorer’s “Ol’55” passes muster. 

Of the younger artists, most of whom I don’t know and who are in the majority, I liked Kat Edomonson’s retro “version of “You Can Never Hold Back Spring” (which, looking at various other opinions after the fact, seems to be at odds with others who’ve derided that particular track). Despite feeling/knowing that Waits’ singularity was what gave them life originally, I DO understand that this album is intended to showcase the man’s incredible gift for portraits in song in a way that might be more appealing to those who don’t get him, or who haven’t heard him at all, and possibly to those who are well over him! I will always love some of his stuff but seldom listen to his albums anymore. Perhaps it’s time to dig around in the recesses and see what I still have!

This release was listenable but I did have a break halfway through – one thing that struck me was that there is no relief from ballads of the more melancholy persuasion which IMHO can tend to become tiresome after a while. It might have been an idea to throw in one or more of his upbeat, quirky numbers. And another point – there are plenty of able and much stronger women vocalists out there who I feel may have given more gravitas to interpretations of some of the material - some of these ladies are a wee bit light. Just sayin’… as always sure there are bound to be differences of opinion, not to mention rave reviews! 

Incidentally - this was the very first cover ever of a Waits song and it's one of my favourites of his - released by both of them in 1973 ... "Martha" - Tim Buckley - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEeZK9j0AQU

The clips I can find ... 

"Jersey Girl" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1g3uV42m0ZA

"Ruby's Arms" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yF6xh4nMFug

The lead and title track - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQEoR1Qpz4s

"Ol' 55" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jRc0EDJeeM

"Time" - 

[CRAZY-HORSE]

I probably couldnt bring myself to listen to this knowing its Waits' songs,
I just cant stand the guy, his music irks me to the point of ad nauseum

nice album cover though