New Multitudes is an intimate interpretation of American icon and musical legend Woody Guthries previously unrecorded lyrics from a dream team of Americana torchbearers: Jay Farrar (Son Volt), Will Johnson (Centro-matic), Anders Parker (Varnaline) and Jim James (My Morning Jacket). What makes this album such a rarity in todays music world is the allowance of the songs infectious simplicity to stand alone in all their glory. In doing so, Farrar, Johnson, Parker and James, pay the greatest compliment to Woody Guthrie and the collaborative spirit he so greatly embodied. This is an album which seamlessly converges the sepia-toned essence of the time honored past with the risks needed to forge the future.
Under the invitation of Nora Guthrie, Woody's daughter, to tour the Guthrie archives, each of the four songwriters were offered the chance to plumb and mine the plethora of notebooks, scratch pads, napkins, etc. for anything that might inspire them to lend their voices and give the words new life.
"These guys worked on an amazing group of lyrics" says Nora. "Much of it was culled from Woody's times in L.A. Lyric wise, it's a part of the story that is still mostly unknown. From Woody's experiences on L.A.'s skid row to his later years in Topanga Canyon, they are uniquely intimate, and relate two distinctly emotional periods in his life."
Musically, it is the sense of collaboration that makes New Multitudes not just another trite and traditional acoustic regurgitation of back porch blues. From the ragged jangle of its opening track, "Hoping Machine," the loping lilt of "Fly High," the floorboard stomp of "No Fear," to the lush warmth and sudden sonic gut punch of "My Revolutionary Mind," the cohorts deliver a lesson in discovering a song's sweet spot time and time again. It's the function and preparedness of each artist's dogged work ethic gleaned the old-fashion way; veracious songs, road weary odometers and sweat stained live shows, all attributes of the man they are honoring.
Track Listing:
1. Hoping Machine
2. Fly High
3. My Revolutionary Mind
4. VD City
5. Old L.A.
6. Talking Empty Bed Blues
7. Chorine
8. Careless Reckless Love
9. Angel's Blues
10. No Fear
11. Changing World
12. New Multitudes
