Description
Produced by Gary Louris, John Jackson and Ed Ackerson at Flowers Studio, Minneapolis, Back Roads and Abandoned Motels sets nine songs co-written by Louris with other artists alongside two of Garys latest compositions.
Recorded in two soulful sessions in 2017, Back Roads and Abandoned Motels finds the current incarnation of The Jayhawks Louris (vocals, acoustic and electric guitars), Marc Perlman (bass), Tim OReagan (vocals, drums, percussion), Karen Grotberg (vocals, piano, keyboards), John Jackson (mandolin, violin, acoustic guitar) expanding the groups répertoire with 11 new performances of Garys songs. Karen and Tim each sing lead on two songs on the album. Tim performs Gonna Be a Darkness and Long Time Ago while Karen takes lead vocals (for the first time on a Jayhawks album) on the opener, Come Cryin to Me (featuring a soulful horn section arranged by David Ralicke) and on El Dorado.
Destined to become a classic in The Jayhawks catalogue, the Back Roads and Abandoned Motels setlist of songs co-written by Louris includes Come Cryin to Me (originally released on Natalie Maines Mother in 2013); Everybody Knows and Bitter End (released on Dixie Chicks Taking The Long Way in 2006); Gonna Be a Darkness (written and performed by Louris and Jakob Dylan for True Blood: Music From The HBO Original Series Volume 3 in 2011); Need You Tonight (originally released on Scott Thomas Matson Tweed in 2015); El Dorado (originally released on Carrie Rodriguez She Aint Me in 2008); Bird Never Flies (originally released on Ari Hests The Break-In in 2007); Backwards Women (written with Wild Feathers but never recorded) and Long Time Ago (written with Emerson Hart of Tonic but never recorded).
For more than three decades, The Jayhawks deeply melodic, harmony-rich blend of rock, folk and country have earned them consistent praise from fans and critics alike. Back Roads and Abandoned Motels expands the groups repertoire with brand-new recordings of songs that frontman Gary Louris has co-written with other acts.
If you want a chorus, youd better call Louris, its been said and Garys tackle-box of hooks and easy approach to collaboration have made him an in-demand songwriting partner. He co-wrote four songs with the Dixie Chicks on their Grammy Award-winning album Taking The Long Way (2006) and later contributed to Mother, the 2013 solo debut by Natalie Maines, the groups lead singer. Louris has also collaborated with such notable singer-songwriters as Jakob Dylan and Ari Hest, along with country and rock acts like Carrie Rodriguez and Wild Feathers.
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