Weir, Bob
Blue Mountain 2016 Columbia
No FCC’s
Alt Country.
Ace was part of the new deal with Warners, The GD were inactive in 1975, so Kingfish kept him busy. He had to do those records to survive. Since then, when he does one, I am pretty sure it is out of pure spite and doggedness. The wafting country sounds like it’s been in him awhile, but it is all new stuff, in a dark country mode, songs contrived by Weir with Lyrical assistance from professional songwriter, Josh Ritter, a push from producer Josh Kaufman (winner: The Voice), and lead guitar from contributor, Aaron Dressler (The National). It is a coincidence, I suppose, that Aaron and the Joshes were under 40 years of age while Bob was aged 67 when these sessions took place, prior to the Trey’ful Dead farewell shows of June/ July 2015.
This is an album for his fans to ponder. Will it be his final? As a collection it is consistent: when you hear any minute of any song you will have a totally reliable, solid example of what every song will sound like all the way through. It is the sound that Dylan referred to as being in the next room playing “soft but there is nothing, really nothing to turn off”