All great things must come to an end. Kind of has multiple meanings for this Long May You Run, J. Tillman project. Who knows if we will get another album from “J. Tillman” – maybe Western Vinyl will convince him or Sub Pop will decide that Father John Misty is so successful that a side project would be a good thing. Overall, I think Josh Tillman is strong enough in his convictions to do whatever the hell he wants to for the sake of his music and everybody else is just along for the ride. Whether you think the ride is all just an elaborate ruse or not, it is quite a ride.
As much as I want to not like this new Father John Misty “recording personality”, I just can’t. The FJM borderline condescension via satire can sometimes overwhelm little ol’ me at times but he still has some great frickin’ tunes. I think the days of J. Tillman are behind us – we may get glimpses here and there just due to specific situations where Josh is recording and he shows flecks of what once was. Again, I think that will be rare and almost by accident. As they say: the king is dead, long live the king.
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Doc Feldman’s cover of Wayward Glance Blues was the first cover I received in my inbox for this project. It blew me away instantly. I was familiar with Doc Feldman’s work as I am one of few that have heard his debut album and it is deep in the kind of southern folk-country that clings to your ribs. This song truly pays homage to the original in my books and lets hope we hear more of Doc Feldman in the very near future.
More Info on Doc Feldman: facebook.com/DocFeldmanmusic
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Next we have another slow burner (it is like I was waiting for Friday to mellow you all out) from David McMillian of the band Fort Frances. David plays Before We Retire with a slow melancholia to immerse in. While playing in the deep end of the sombre pool might not be the traditional game plan for McMillian with his day job with Fort Frances he comes through it all shining like a true sad bastard.
More Info on David McMillian of Fort Frances: fortfrancesmusic.com/ | facebook.com/fortfrancesband
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Kentucky duo Ivy Leaves are now up with their cover of Fireworks. Their song has a nostalgia feeling – maybe it is the subject matter of the song itself or maybe it is the banjo peaking through but I feel a back road and AM radio when hearing their song. Until the kick drum hits and it is a wake up call back to life, almost that moment on a lazy day when you suddenly awake in the hammock only to realize you are exactly where you wanted to be.
More Info on Ivy Leaves: facebook.com/ivyleavesband
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Another song that premiered over at Cover Lay Down this week (see here) was Quarter Mile Thunder’s Trouble’s Always Free. QMT plays the song as if he is singing right in your ear and to you. The only thing that proves he isn’t is the swirling atmosphere surrounding the song. Sung like a caged inmate teaching (or warning) of his plight, it comes as a message in song form about this thing called trouble.
More Info on Quarter Mile Thunder: quartermilethunderband.com/ | facebook.com/quartermilethunder
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Finally I would like to close out the series with an Alabama crew that has always impressed, Fire Mountain. They are young, full of talent and mix the slow ballads with more up-tempo southern folk rock. They have slowed it down to half speed for J. Tillman’s Ties That Bind and they capture the “last song of the night” quality that the whiskey soaked crowd know they all need. I joked to myself that this song might mean more than just a cover now that front-man Perry Brown has just gotten engaged this week…
More Info on Fire Mountain: firemountainband.bandcamp.com/ | facebook.com/firemountainisawesome
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A huge Thank You to all the musicians involved in this Cover Project!!
All covers to date can be found here: Long May You Run, J. Tillman Revisited Page
You can find the original J. Tillman album via iTunes: iTunes
A reprint on CD can be found via Fargo Records in France: Fargo Records Store
~Sandy (Smansmith)