Living legend Guy Clark’s music is as timeless as that of his old sparring partner Townes van Zandt and with a back catalogue overflowing with quality the man has few contemporary peers as a songwriter, LA Freeway that kicks of proceedings on his live album Songs and Stories remains one of favourite tracks of all time, if you can write a track like Boats to Build and leave it out of a live performance it’s got to be proof of a song set of the highest order.
On Songs and Stories Clarke plays the songs and the stories, some of the insight and commentary won’t be new to existing fans but there a few nice touches and Clarke’s asides remain an added bonus to the recording which was taped at the Belcourt Theatre in Nashville, on-stage Clark is joined by long-time sidekick and co-writer Verlon Thompson, Shawn Camp, Bryn Davies and Kenny Malone who’s contributions are essential to the experience.
The man himself is 70 shortly, long may he continue to play and perform with such a relaxed purity of a man in his element.
Released on Dualtone you can buy from their webstore or from Amazon in the UK
Track listing.
1. Introduction
2. L.A. Freeway
3. Story: Sometimes They Come Easy
4. Maybe I Can Paint Over That
5. Story: Townes’ Road Keets
6. If I Needed You
7. The Cape
8. Homegrown Tomatoes
9. Shawn and Verlon
10. Story: The Legend Of Sis Draper
11. Sis Draper
12. Magnolia Wind
13. Story: I’m From Greasy Bend
14. Darwettia’s Mandolin
15. Story: Hang In There
16. Joe Walker’s Mare
17. A nod to Rodney Crowell
18. Stuff That Works
19. Out In The Parkin’ Lot
20. Intro: The Randall Knife
21. The Randall Knife
22. Curtain call for the cast
23. Dublin Blues
I was truly fortunate to be in the audience at Guy’s 2009 Belcourt show where these songs were recorded. Perhaps to be expected, the song order was taken apart and put back together for the benefit of this release – which is fine. Some songs from the show were dropped from Songs and Stories – perhaps for time/disc space constraints and perhaps because certain songs didn’t lead with a Guy story. But one track I wish had been included was Hemingway’s Whiskey – clearly a great song. And one can’t sing about Hemingway without consciously thinking of a great story.
Here’s my review of the show from back then.
http://toomuchcountry.blogspot.com/2009/09/guy-clark-at-belcourt-theatre.html