What does it sound like?:
Karen Dalton emerged from the mountains of Oklahoma and, armed with a long-necked banjo and a twelve string guitar, she captivated New York’s Greenwich Village with her other-worldly voice. She sang songs in a bluesy style to a folk arrangement. Bob Dylan likened her voice to Billie Holiday. During an era of singer-songwriters, she only ever made two albums of covers. Nevertheless, she imposed her character on the songs by delving into their depths to draw out personal meaning. Sadly, she succumbed to alcohol and drugs, lost her way and died a premature death.
Now, it seems she was a songwriter after all. A series of carefully crafted lyrics have emerged, one including notations for chords. They are fragile wisps of lost hope, desire, longing, loneliness and death. They have been given to eleven different female artists to complete for this album. All of them keep it simple, with gentle melodies and sparse backing, to allow the spotlight to remain on the lyrics. Each of them brings a generosity of spirit to the performance that is really very moving. These are true collaborations, albeit with a ghost. There is a consistency of mood across all eleven tracks. Even Julia Holter, known for her lavish orchestrations, and the electronica artist, Laurel Halo, enter the spirit of ghostly minimalism. In fact, Holter’s My Love, My Love sounds as though it was recorded outdoors. Sharon Van Etten’s and Isobel Campbell’s contributions rank alongside their finest work. Patti Griffin’s singing is the closest to Dalton’s for emotional range. Lucinda Williams slurs Met An Old Friend endearingly, as though she knows she can’t compete with the quality of all the other voices, a point underlined by Josephine Foster’s crystalline a Capella version of the same song.
These are sad songs born from a sad life delivered with real grace and beauty. Beware, Remembering Mountains can be a painful listen. It can make a grown man cry.
What does it all *mean*?
Remembering Mountains is an album of touching intimacy, full of secrets, that is as fitting a tribute Karen Dalton could possibly get.
Goes well with…
Solitude and quiet reflection.
Release Date:
Might suit people who like…
Karen Dalton never sold many records in her lifetime and I can’t see this selling many either. Listeners have to be willing to explore the less well-trodden path and be steeled for heartbreak.
My favourite track is Patti Griffin’s All That Shines Is Not Truth
http://youtu.be/QIE16ZOgnk0
Fantastic stuff Tigger. Not exactly easy listening but that’s hardly a criticism is it?
Exactly. But people need to be warned!
“… fragile wisps of lost hope, desire, longing, loneliness and death.”
Next!
I know. Did you listen to Patti Griffin, though?
I will, when I feel strong enough.
Hahahaha! Steel yourself.
Listening to it now, having bottled out of that awful either/or thread. This is very, very, good. Makes me want to probe Patti Griffin deeper. She’s got a distinct ‘sixties San Francisco vibe. Man.
Couldn’t care less about Karen Dalton, mind. I’d rather kick a horse to death than listen to her.
Excellent. Now, try Isobel Campbell – Don’t Make It Easy.
http://youtu.be/ARl598VUjd4
No. That’s enough oestrogen-fuelled sensitivity for one day, thank you.
I quite understand, dear boy.
‘Something on your Mind’ is a wonderful track of hers which has a magnificent, haunting quality. Accompanied by great clips of 50s US on YouTube.
I agree
Love the Karen Dalton stuff she did put out, love most of these singers, what could be the catch. The Patti sounds like Townes less cheerful sister, catnip to me.
Very good. I got as far as “… emerged from the mountains of Oklahoma” before my internal TLDR meter kicked in. I love many of your reviews Tiggerlion but you crossed a line here.
At least you started. I didn’t expect many readers, apart from retropath, who would have perished, with me, on the rocks of the sirens.
I need to go and stand by the window, staring at the rain, my eyes welling with tears at the futility of it all.
How do you know it’s raining here? Do you have an app?
Karen Dalton’s voice is truly one of a kind. Yes Billie Holiday is evoked but it is far more fragile, perhaps even brittle.
The organ work really adds to that Patti Griffin track.
Morose ? Doubt she can top Townes “I’m sitting round waiting to die” Van Zandt.
I love this album…always found Karen Dalton a bit of an acquired taste, tbh – a little of her voice went a long way. I had one of her albums – it was brown – but I hardly ever played it after the first rush of enthusiasm. Whereas this….
They are both brown. First one is darker than the other.
I’m glad someone likes this!
I’ve loved the music of Karen Dalton since I bought the Koch reissue of “It’s so Hard to Tell Who’s gonna Love you the Best” in 1997.
I was thrilled when “In My Own Time” finally got a CD issue in 2006,and I love that album too.
I’ve got the three albums of archive/live recordings that have come out over the years “”Cotton-Eyed Joe”, “Green Rocky Road” and “1966”, but somehow I never seem to play them. When I want to hear some Karen Dalton, it’s always the 2 studio albums that I reach for. And maybe that’s why I haven’t bought this “Remembering Mountains” album so far. That, and the fact that I rarely go for albums where one artist’s songs are covered by lots of other artists.
But Tigger, you’ve certainly piqued my interest in “Remembering Mountains” . Maybe I’ll give it a go….
Thank you, duco.
I know you are a fan of Julia Holter. My Love, My Love is the strangest performance on the album. You can hear birdsong. It seems someone is eating carrots while shifting furniture. A clarinet starts quietly but ends up smothering the track. Julia sounds lovely.
In My Own Time got a lot of airplay in Château Henpets until one day it mysteriously disappeared. Mrs S swears innocence to this day. Will seek Remembering Mountains out but I too have a poor history with albums of covers.
It isn’t actually a covers album. These women play the Elton John role to Karen Dalton’s Bernie Taupin. They are co-writers of the song.
‘Tis on my wishlist, as is the Shirley Inspired ‘un, which looks even more interesting. Frustratingly, I haven’t acquired ’em yet as being a week afore my birthday I have to wait impatiently to see what my sons bestow on me as presents after many unsubtle hints. I’m a sucker for covers albums. The more interesting the better. Fingers crossed for a few cd sized packages next week. Yumm!!!!
Happy birthday for next week, Contrary.
At first, I thought you meant Shirley Bassey, but, no, it’s Shirley Collins. Lots of material across three discs for Inspired. However, I now gave a longing for a Bassey tribute. That could be brilliant!
Ta Tiggs. Have already given myself the bestest birthday pressie a week early by having gone to see the acetastic Earlies playing live in Brizzle tonight. They were fucking awesome. Saxaphones, trumpets, flutes, cello & so many keyboards on stage that the support act had to play down in front of the stage as there was no room for ’em on there. I counted 11 Earlies onstage tonight. There might’ve been more, hiding in corners somewhere. Go see ’em if you can. They’re in Manchester tomorrow, London Thurs & thems might be their very last dates ever. Not really financially viable for ’em to carry on together. Beautiful beautiful band. Sigh!
Sounds brilliant. Sadly, I’m a bit busy tonight, so won’t be able to catch them. Do you recommend any of their albums?
There’s only two to choose from. Poppy from hereabouts only rates the first ‘un, These Were The Earlies but I came to ’em listening to their second album, The Enemy Chorus, first, which I must’ve listened to every day for at least a year & a half or so, & I’d still put it in my top 5 of albums. They’re both good. Take yer pick. Go mad. Get both! Or there’s the new E.P. available on their Bandcamp site. They were selling vinyl copies at their shows, only 80 copies pressed(with a new Secret Broadcast cd which I am enjoying muchly)
https://theearlies.bandcamp.com/album/message-from-home
& heres a link to their latest secret broadcast
Enjoy. i’m off out to work.
Oops! Huge. Sorry.
Thanks. I think I’ll start at the beginning
Well I’d tell ya to do it the other way round but up to you. First one’s more chilled out, the seconds more in yer face. I’ve grown to love ’em both, though the second slightly pips it for me, being the one I loved first. A strange mixture of electronica & prog. A band filled with fantastical musical prowess. If there was any justice in the musical world they should’ve been huge. Do check out their Secret Broadcast mixes too. A whirlwind ride though their hugely varied musical influences. Great fun.
BOLLOCKS. I had (have) a ticket for that, and was looking forward to going, er, tonight. I never could get the hang of calendars.
Oh no! That sucks. @kid-dynamite I’ve only ever done that once & I’m filled with horror at the thought of ever doing it again. They just announced yesterday that they ARE splitting up so tonight’s show in London will be their last one ever. Bugger. ‘Twas an interesting venue too, The Exchange. Is it new? I’ve never been to a gig there before. It looked fairly new. Very dingy outside but quite nice inside. I’m not really helping am I? I feel your pain though, really. I would be gutted. They are one of my favourite bands ever.
It is quite new, @contraryarticle, been there a year or two. It’s run by the people who were behind The Croft up in Stokes Croft before it got gentrified.
Very unlike me to miss a gig like that. Please don’t tell me they did an epic version of Morning Wonder.
Ugh. @kid-dynamite You’ll hate me. They did. They opened the show playing the opening bit for it just to build up the excitement, but then played One Of Us Is Dead as requested by the newly married couple down the front, who had met & bonded when she played him The Earlies (nice wedding song!!) They encored with Morning Wonder & then Dead Birds( didn’t bother doing the farce of gettin’ off the stage first as there was no room for ’em to move & as Brandon said, there was nowhere for ’em to go anyhow). Oh, the whole gig was ace. They played their little hearts out. They were in great form. Great banter ‘tween audience & band. We laughed, I almost cried. Big Jeff shook his shaggy mop down the front, as did I. SUCH a nice bunch of people. They played every one of my favourite songs, well they must’ve played nigh enough the whole 2 albums worth anyhow. We clapped ’em off the stage ’til we could clap no more (That’s a lot of clapping for 11 people trying to wend their way through a maze of synths & other assorted musical debris to get off the teeny tiny stage)Oh, I feel so bad. (it’s the being brought up catholic in me) They were selling their t shirts off at 3 quid each (which was kind of a major hint they were calling it a day)Aggghhhh!!!! What a gig to miss. You can hate me now. I’m sorry 🙁
OK. I’ll start at the end and work forwards. ?
That’s the right answer 😉
It’s okay, I hate myself more.
Aww. I’m sorry. Here’s their live sesh on Marc Reilly’s show (Tom Ravenscroft sittin’ in)to make up slightly
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02y9r1d
& ALL their Secret Broadcasts
God I’m so tempted to head up to London for their very last night, but I’ve got work tomorrow at 9 dammit.
Lucinda further increases her lead in the number of tributes she is prepared to appear on. (What can they be paying her with?)
Seriously, she must spend her whole time in one recording studio or another.
Here’s one of the less obvious appearances, with long time buddy (?!), Little Milton
Rather like similarly sadly fated Judee Sill, Karen Dalton veers into territory where the quality of the music is almost overshadowed by the nature of the myth. Either way, both were extraordinary talents and although i’m not sure anyone can do Karen Dalton like Karen Dalton can, I look forward to listening to this album of covers.
Great. I’m really glad you are looking forward to it, Fin. However, this is not a covers album. These ladies have all written the music to Dalton’s words. They are singing a song they co-wrote.
I love a covers album, me! Looking forward to this one.
*sigh*
Make sure you pay good cash money for the privilege, HP.
Cash money! *nostalgic interlude*
If you prefer, give me your credit card numbers & I’ll order it for you.
I have never in my life owned a credit card.
Does she cover Streets Of London?
Debit card, then.
If you pay enough, I am sure she would sing Streets of London, even though she’s dead.
That Judee Sill, tho’, admitting I fell into the hype-pit there a few years ago. Christ, she’s hard work, all that shrill screeching, earnest looks and dewdrop nose, to maudlin plonk plonk piano.
Dreadful noise, whereas Karen gives quite a sub-Janis shimmer to folky acoustica.
Don’t think she is quite as bad as all that. However, I struggle to listen to more than a couple of tracks at one sitting.
Thanks for the review, Tigger.
This looks right up my street and it’s on Spotty too.
Just got back from the wilds of Öland. I’ve got a lot of catching up to do.
Thanks to Tigger I moved this one up the priority list and am now happily listening to this gem. These tribute type affairs can be a bit hit and miss but there isn’t a duff track on here, and it all hangs together. There are some lovely vocalists here and I have a feeling this could be the start of several beautiful relationships (and bankruptcy!). ***looks in wallet, curses Tigger***