In Review :: YES! Music Picks

Musical inspiration while putting out this issue

Townes

Steve Earle’s latest album revisits some of the most iconic songs of Townes Van Zandt. These covers seem less fresh exploration than a friendly eulogy. Earle channels Van Zandt’s storytelling with precision, and yet manages to lean into the songs just enough to remind you it’s Earle.  And in the end, the world can never have too many versions of “To Live is to Fly.”

Pancho and Lefty, by Steve Earle.

To Live is to Fly, by Steve Earle.
www.steveearle.com

Idjagiedas

The songs of Norwegian Sami rights activist and folk musician Mari Boine  tend toward haunting, all the more hypnotic for being performed in her native language. Songs mix traditional folk songs and instrumentation of the North Sami native culture with more modern rock influences.

Vuoi Vuoi Me, by Mari Boine

In the Hand of the Night, by Mari Boine
www.mariboine.no

Not Far Now

Masterful folk artist Richard Shindell’s first original album since 2004 includes songs set in his adopted home of Argentina. This long-awaited, partly fan-financed album does not disappoint.

State of the Union, by Richard Shindell.
www.richardshindell.com

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