The MG Album Club #22 - The Walkabouts - Satisfied Mind

[axolotl]

The Walkabouts ~ Satisfied Mind



Music Year 1993 presented a bit of a challenge for me; not because there were no or few albums that I liked, but rather because there were so many albums for which I have affinity. It might seem somewhat odd that I picked a cover album, but these are simply not songs you hear much of the time, and if you do, you are already well-acquainted with this album.

When that old familiar harmonica and piano roll in, and I hear "How many times have you heard someone say, ..." I am transported. There are several instances of that in this album. It may not be the fastest transportation around; it is dusty and slow and more like a folksy surrey with the fringe on top, which is a thought I have when I see ol' "Herman in the Wheatfield," the total badass gangstah on the front cover. Many of the songs lean a bit to the dark side, with lyrics of poverty, bigotry, and murder. Some border on sweet and serene, with lyrics of love, attachment, and bereavement.

Yes, this "Polly" (Track #4) is the same one written by Gene Clark, and of which Alison and Robert sang, but the team of Carla and Chris did it first second. This version of the song is the one that most bringz teh feelz for me. Is it definitive? I don't know. Who am I to say, anyway? Overall, there is nary a song that I do not like (maybe one or two that I am less keen toward), but they all deserve to be heard, and the final three songs are all-killer, no-filler.

It is no knock against this album that most of the instrumentation is acoustic. The recording is top-notch, moreover. Peter Buck, Mark Lanegan, and Minnie Moore many more perform duties herein.

 

[Zeeba Neighba]

Nice choice. I know you’ve given me props when I’ve posted this one in the past. Clearly we both enjoy this one

 

[Ojai Sam]

Spotify link:

 

[Unsomnambulist]

Practically flawless.

 

[Ojai Sam]

Axo, big thanks to you for surfacing this gem. It was name checked several times on both the old site and here but I never got around to it. That surprises me a lot, because they are clearly harbingers of the whole alt country (whatever that is) wave. They were even based in Seattle, where No Depression magazine got its start.

Like The Byrds (from whom they appropriated the title song), Gillian Welch, Uncle Tupelo, Freakwater and others, The Walkabouts seamlessly mixed traditional country material with contemporary songs that sound old. So here we get The Carter Family rubbing shoulders with Nick Cave and John Cale. The surprising cover of Johnny Rivers' "Poor Side Of Town" may be the best adaptive reuse I've ever heard. The whole record sets and maintains a consistent mood that makes every song sound original.

And that leads me to my one slight reservation about this album. I had to check the lyrics and writer credits to confirm that they were actually singing The Carters' "Storms Are On The Ocean" and Charlie Rich's "Feel Like Going Home". Is it ethical/cool/artistic license to take someone else's lyrics and sing them to an unrecognizable tune? Search me. What do y'all think?

Bethatasitmay, "Satisfied Mind" is a terrific record. So good, that I'm going to track down their other work.

on the Sam-O-Meter.

 

[axolotl]

Axo, big thanks to you for surfacing this gem. It was name checked several times on both the old site and here but I never got around to it. That surprises me a lot, because they are clearly harbingers of the whole alt country (whatever that is) wave. They were even based in Seattle, where No Depression magazine got its start.

Like The Byrds (from whom they appropriated the title song), Gillian Welch, Uncle Tupelo, Freakwater and others, The Walkabouts seamlessly mixed traditional country material with contemporary songs that sound old. So here we get The Carter Family rubbing shoulders with Nick Cave and John Cale. The surprising cover of Johnny Rivers' "Poor Side Of Town" may be the best adaptive reuse I've ever heard. The whole record sets and maintains a consistent mood that makes every song sound original.

And that leads me to my one slight reservation about this album. I had to check the lyrics and writer credits to confirm that they were actually singing The Carters' "Storms Are On The Ocean" and Charlie Rich's "Feel Like Going Home". Is it ethical/cool/artistic license to take someone else's lyrics and sing them to an unrecognizable tune? Search me. What do y'all think?

Bethatasitmay, "Satisfied Mind" is a terrific record. So good, that I'm going to track down their other work.

on the Sam-O-Meter.

I'm not going to respond (meaningfully) to your question, Sam, other than to call these new iterations renditions. I do shake my fist in your general direction because you broke my trifecta of great songs that end this album, though.

The Walkabouts are seriously underappreciated in the United States, as a whole. They seem to be appreciated more in Europe than in America. There are many albums from this group that I think you would like (including New West Motel, Setting the Woods on Fire, Nighttown, and Drunken Soundtracks, to name a lot). The one most like this album is the one most unlike this album; however and to wit, their rendition of songs by European artists: Train Leaves at Eight. TL@8 would be my next recommendation to almost anyone who is discovering this band's music.

 

[Nickyboy]

Not something I would normally seek out, but it keeps reminding me of Robert Plant and Alison Krauss' album, which I also like. Very nicely done. Would be good background music during a dinner party. 4/5.

 

[lpfreak1170]

Absolutely incredible album! If I had discovered this upon release, I would have worn it out.

 

[axolotl]

Absolutely incredible album! If I had discovered this upon release, I would have worn it out.

What a relief you didn't. Then, you'd have to buy it all over again.

 

[Zeeba Neighba]

A long-favorite of mine. Now when I say long-favorite, I mean over the past 10 years - I didn't discover this album in the early 90s either. Pretty sure it popped up on one of my list/series (like 1001 Albums You Must Listen to...). From first listen though, it grabbed with with a quiet beauty.
Of course, it didn't hurt that it had a cool slow cover of Patti Smith's "Free Money" off Horses, also an album I love. So many great songs, Gene Clark's "Polly", the title song, and the tremendous 8+ min version of Charlie Rich's "Feel Like Going Home". These are some definite reimagining of these songs, most recognizable. As Sam points out some are very different (Johnny River's "Poor Side of Town" for example). Still, they are original, haunting, beautiful (and isn't that what Led Zeppelin did to most blues songs anyway, change to the point they could slap their name on it ). Doesn't bother me at all - a great album
I rate - I gotta say, this album is so quiet, subtle. If it was in-your-face more, I'd remember breaking it out more than once a year ("Oh yeah, I love that album. Gotta play it") which is what I do now I estimate. I do really love it and could easily see it breaking into 5 star territory for me personally

 

[Old Uncle Toe]

This was a delightful listen. I wasn't ready for alt-country in the late '90's and I've never heard of The Walkabouts before today. But as I've mentioned recently, I'm finding a place for that and other -country music in my life. So this was a very timely choice for me. Even though I only knew a few of these songs from before this album, I enjoyed it very much in its own right. The instrumentation is interesting, in that you can kind of hear that restatement of old time folk to modern sounds. And I liked that the male and female vocal leads would trade off songs or perform together on some tracks. I like that bit of variety.

As to @Ojai Sam 's question about changing the melody under the lyrics? In blues music, songs that were written in the 1920's are still being performed today. If each artist played them exactly the same way it would get boring. The fact that they change it up keeps the old song relevant. Granted, most often the melody remains somewhat intact so that's not a perfect example. But I think that since all of the songs on the album were intentionally retooled, you buy in to it or not. Your choice. (IMO, it's okay. I like a bit of imagination, a bit of initiative, a bit of experimentation.)

Anyway, I really enjoyed this album. It makes me want to go listen to more of The Walkabouts. As @Nickyboy says, a great background music album. Although for me, it will probably be for car rides rather than dinner parties.