Singleshot Coverfolk: Before the Goldrush
(A Covers Project with Ana Egge, Dawn Landes, Matt the Electrician & more!)
What with finals coming up, I’ve fallen behind on my feedreader, and just today discovered Heather’s notice of Before the Goldrush, an amazing new covers compilation to benefit Teach for America. The digital-only release includes a huge set of new-generation, predominantly indie-folk artists paying tribute to the singer-songwriters of the sixties and seventies who laid the foundation for their own success. As an inner city teacher and a coverfolk blogger, I cannot recommend a better way to support the totality of the things I love.
Before The Goldrush isn’t just worth having for its premise, either. Though I already had a few of these tracks from other sources, there are numerous new names to discover here, and plenty of lovely new covers from songwriters I’ve already started to learn to love. The several songs I’ve heard from the album are diverse, but I have yet to hear a dud — a rarity in the world of compilations. This, plus my happiness at finding so many songs and songwriters I already love on the roster, make it clear that this is one tribute compilation eminently worth the purchase. And, as one Amazon.com reviewer notes, because all proceeds go to a non-profit, the download is even tax deductible.
Here’s the total tracklist, followed by a gorgeous sample previously released elsewhere, and two non-album tracks from new fave artists who also appear on the compilation; for more glowing praise and the Okkervil River cover of Joni Mitchell’s Blonde in the Bleachers, head over to I Am Fuel, You Are Friends. Listen, read, click, and then buy Before The Goldrush. It’s the right thing to do, all ’round.
- Ana Egge: Johnny’s Garden (orig. Stephen Stills)
(originally from cover album Lazy Days; more Ana Egge here)
- Bonus: Matt the Electrician: Jessie’s Girl (orig. Rick Springfield)
(from Made For Working; more Matt The Electrician here)
- Bonus: Dawn Landes: Won’t Back Down (orig. Tom Petty)
(hidden track from Fireproof; more Dawn Landes here)
Cover Lay Down posts new features Sundays, Wednesdays, and the occasional otherday. Coming up this week: new coverfolk from a local singer-songwriter. See you then!
Category: Tribute Albums, indiefolk
January 27th, 2009 at 11:44 pm
Wow! Thank you!
I always wanted to write in my blog something like that. Can I take part of your post to my blog?
Of course, I will add backlink?
Sincerely, Your Reader
February 10th, 2009 at 8:57 pm
[...] Bonham: In My Heart (orig. Bill Withers) (from Before the Goldrush covers compilation, 2009; more Tracy [...]
April 11th, 2009 at 9:41 pm
[...] Here’s a simply stunning eighties cover from new folk-crush William Fitzsimmons, a still-rising star from the same hushfolk school as Sufjan and Iron and Wine, recorded last summer on a Deep Rock Drive session. William Fitzsimmons Bonus: Fitzsimmons’ modern indiefolk lullaby cover of James Taylor’s You Can Close Your Eyes is but one of many powerful tracks on the previously-featured sixties and seventies tribute Before the Goldrush. [...]
June 13th, 2009 at 8:16 pm
[...] Wiley: Little Green (from Before the Goldrush, 2008; more Alicia [...]
June 29th, 2009 at 8:48 pm
[...] an incredible 26 track tribute to the singer-songwriters of the sixties and seventies. Our original review of Before the Goldrush, first posted way back in January, is thorough and complimentary, but it’s worth noting that [...]
November 8th, 2009 at 12:33 pm
[...] post with our March feature, add other ‘09 features on 70s singer-songwriter tribute Before the Goldrush, Wears The Trouser’s Odetta tribute, Susan Werner’s Classics, and the tradfolk covers [...]
January 3rd, 2010 at 12:47 pm
[...] Fitzsimmons: You Can Close Your Eyes (orig. James Taylor) (from Before the Goldrush, 2008; more William [...]
June 9th, 2010 at 11:33 pm
[...] William Fitzsimmons, You Can Close Your Eyes (orig. James Taylor)Perhaps my all-time favorite lullaby cover, posted previously in other guises more than once. And there’s even more depth here if we note that indiefolk singer-songwriter William Fitzsimmons was raised by blind parents. From 2008 classic 70s folkpop cover tribute Before The Goldrush. [...]