A Far Cry from Dead

Amazon.com
Even in the 1990s, as he was finishing a lifelong quest to drink himself to death, Townes Van Zandt continued to write, record, and perform. After he died on New Year's Day, 1997, his last tapes started leaking out. There was The Highway Kind, a collection of live originals and studio covers, and Last Rights, a "CD documentary" of songs, stories, and interviews. All this belated work features a frail but unflinching voice haunted by its approaching rendezvous. Now comes this collection of 13 voice-and-guitar demos from 1989 through 1996 that Van Zandt's widow, Jeanene, turned over to producer Eric Paul, who tastefully fleshed them out with overdubs from a Nashville country-rock band. It's the most accessible of the man's posthumous releases, with Van Zandt revisiting some famous songs ("Pancho & Lefty," "For the Sake of the Song") and some obscure ones from a wearier but wiser perspective. He also reveals two unreleased tunes--the bouncy comic number "Squash" and the heart-shriveling "Sanitarium Blues," an autobiographical talking blues about his stay in a mental hospital. --Geoffrey Himes

A Far Cry from Dead,Townes Van Zandt,Arista,Americana,Contemporary Folk,Country-Rock,Folk & Traditional,Pop,Popular Music,Progressive Country,Singer/Songwriter

Average customer rating:

A Far Cry from Dead Townes Van Zandt Manufacturer: Bmg Special Product ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Alt-Country & Americana | Country | Styles | Music General | Country | Styles | Music Outlaw & Progressive Country | Country | Styles | Music General | Traditional Country | Country | Styles | Music Contemporary | Bluegrass | Country | Styles | Music General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music General | Folk | Styles | Music Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music Country Rock | Rock | Styles | Music CDs Under $7 | Country General | Country | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Country General | Country | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music CDs Under $7 | Folk General | Folk | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Folk General | Folk | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music ASIN: B0009CTWRG Release Date: 2004-11-23

Tracks:

1. Dollar Bill Blues
2. To Live's to Fly
3. Rex's Blues
4. Sanitarium Blues
5. Ain't Leavin' Your Love
6. Greensboro Woman
7. Snake Mountain Blues
8. Pancho and Lefty
9. For the Sake of the Song
10. Waiting Around to Die
11. Many a Fine Lady
12. Tower Song
13. Squash

Average customer rating: SQUASH 12 Masterworks My first look at this great musican did not disapoint. Hard to Recommend INCREDIBLE!

A Far Cry from Dead Townes Van Zandt Manufacturer: Arista ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Alt-Country & Americana | Country | Styles | Music General | Country | Styles | Music Outlaw & Progressive Country | Country | Styles | Music General | Traditional Country | Country | Styles | Music Contemporary | Bluegrass | Country | Styles | Music General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music General | Folk | Styles | Music Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music Country Rock | Rock | Styles | Music Similar Items: At My Window High, Low And In Between/Late Great The Highway Kind Legend Rear View Mirror, Vol. 2 ASIN: B00000JCNG Release Date: 1999-06-29

Tracks:

1. Dollar Bill Blues
2. To Live's To Fly
3. Rex's Blues
4. Sanitarium Blues
5. Ain't Leavin' Your Love
6. Greensboro Woman
7. Snake Mountain Blues
8. Pancho And Lefty
9. For The Sake Of The Song
10. Waitin' 'Round To Die
11. Many A Fine Lady
12. Tower Song
13. Squash

Amazon.com

Even in the 1990s, as he was finishing a lifelong quest to drink himself to death, Townes Van Zandt continued to write, record, and perform. After he died on New Year's Day, 1997, his last tapes started leaking out. There was The Highway Kind, a collection of live originals and studio covers, and Last Rights, a "CD documentary" of songs, stories, and interviews. All this belated work features a frail but unflinching voice haunted by its approaching rendezvous. Now comes this collection of 13 voice-and-guitar demos from 1989 through 1996 that Van Zandt's widow, Jeanene, turned over to producer Eric Paul, who tastefully fleshed them out with overdubs from a Nashville country-rock band. It's the most accessible of the man's posthumous releases, with Van Zandt revisiting some famous songs ("Pancho & Lefty," "For the Sake of the Song") and some obscure ones from a wearier but wiser perspective. He also reveals two unreleased tunes--the bouncy comic number "Squash" and the heart-shriveling "Sanitarium Blues," an autobiographical talking blues about his stay in a mental hospital. --Geoffrey Himes

Customer Reviews:

SQUASH.......2002-06-04

I have to say that for fans, "Sanitarium Blues" is worth the price of admission alone.

But alot of this material has been released many times before & any previous incarnation is far superior than what has been dressed up here. The overall impression is that of a corpse being dressed up in his Sunday best for an open casket funeral.

12 Masterworks.......2001-10-13

This posthumous compilation of Van Zandt's most stunning and, perhaps, popular works is marred only by the concluding, 13th song, "Squash". Would that Arista had left it off. It is easy enough, however, to edit this item out and end the session with "Tower Song". The various mixed reviews, above and herein, are a testament to the complicated legacy of Townes Van Zandt. Vanity Fair recently (November 2001) included TVZ in a very tedious, pseudo-ironic list - a so-called "Rock Snob's Dictionary". TVZ is listed for the ultra-gratuitous reason that he "exuded a hard-drinkin', ramblin'-man aura despite coming from a wealthy family" and "died a Harry Nilsson-like alcohol-related death in the 1990s". Basta. Given VF includes this useless fillip in an issue devoted to "Music" - with the usual line-up of self-absorbed rock and pop fixtures - more than proves the point that true artistic integrity is lost on the guardians of commercial success (excess). TVZ was the most pure manifestation of a 40-50 year process of acculturation in the country-blues-folk genre without ever breaking out of the cult-status, musician's musician half-nelson partly imposed and partly self-wrought. His early works, often uneven and full of experimental assemblages of various streams of musical Americana, are tough to assimilate without careful editing. For example, the re-issue (1996) of two early 1970s recordings - "High, Low and In Between" coupled with "The Late, Great Townes Van Zandt" - is full of junk and is no one's fault except TVZ. This new collection, "A Far Cry From Dead", on the other hand, is nearly flawless, with the exception of the 13th track, and Van Zandt's voice and guitar are complemented by an all-star cast of studio musicians that are, in fact, paying homage to TVZ, after his death, and his extraordinary odyssey through the outback of America's musical landscape. If you listen to the early version of, say, "To Live Is To Fly" and the version on "A Far Cry From Dead" you may well experience an aural epiphany - a collapse (implosion) of 30 years - with the innocence and purity of the early version colliding with the worldweariness of the latter. The deepening of Van Zandt's voice followed the deepening of his experience of the world and it is reflected, in a sublime manner, in the very simple, exquisite re-calibration of this one song illuminating the presence of time itself while riding far above in a place that time cannot touch.

My first look at this great musican did not disapoint........2000-07-05

After reading his name on the liner notes of other bands I finally bought this CD. I now see why this man has shaped the musical expresions of other artist. This is a good first look for those who want to see what Townes Van Zandt is all about. I have sort of grown tired of a lot of modern folk and blues artists because their music lacks the reality and struggle which comes out in older recordings of the first blues and folk artist, not Townes. Townes Van Zandt reminds me of other artist, but he refuses to sound like others. And he has songs with very personal and meaningful themes. His songs are often sad and beautiful. When I hear his songs I think life is hard but it is the best deal you got and you have to live it

There is a great version of To live is to Fly on this record. Better even than the Cowboy Jukies version

As well the Song Waiting around to die is a great song about what life is all about.

I rate this a 4 because In Pain and Abnormal are better records and have almost all the songs on this record. But if you want to hear a wide range of songs over this mans all too short career than this is a good introduction.

Hard to Recommend.......2000-05-12

I am very disappointed by this CD. After being enthralled with each of the TVZ songs on Lyle Lovett's "Step Inside this House" CD, I was eager to get my hands on some "real Townes" music. I don't know what went wrong, but "A Far Cry From Dead" is generally listless and void of any of the magic that I hear in Lovett's covers of TVZ songs. Is this CD merely an anomaly, or are all of the TVZ CDs this "un-listenable"? Not recommended for those wishing to "discover" TVZ.

INCREDIBLE!.......2000-02-28

Soul-wrenching vocals of old and new tunes posthumously released. The studio backup tracks enhance the songs without detracting from the feeling that comes from Townes' late-career gravel-like voice. Sanitarium Blues is a must hear for any Van Zandt affectionado.

Average customer rating:

A Far Cry from Dead Townes Van Zandt Manufacturer: Bmg Special Product ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Alt-Country & Americana | Country | Styles | Music General | Country | Styles | Music Outlaw & Progressive Country | Country | Styles | Music General | Traditional Country | Country | Styles | Music Contemporary | Bluegrass | Country | Styles | Music General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music General | Folk | Styles | Music Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music Country Rock | Rock | Styles | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Country General | Country | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Country General | Country | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Folk General | Folk | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Folk General | Folk | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music ASIN: B0009CTUF0 Release Date: 2004-11-23

Tracks:

1. Dollar Bill Blues
2. To Live's to Fly
3. Rex's Blues
4. Sanitarium Blues
5. Ain't Leavin' Your Love
6. Greensboro Woman
7. Snake Mountain Blues
8. Pancho and Lefty
9. For the Sake of the Song
10. Waiting Around to Die
11. Many a Fine Lady
12. Tower Song
13. Squash

Music Album:

1. Amazing Steel Guitar: The Buddy Emmons Collection
2. An Acoustic Tribute to O Brother Where Art Thou
3. Another Time & Place
4. Band In The Pocket #4 - Country/Bluegrass
5. Best of: Flower That Shattered the Stone [Import]
6. Big Boss Man: The Groove Sessions
7. Bluegrass from Roots to Branches [Import]
8. Buckshot
9. Chapter One: A New Beginning [Import]
10. Chris Gaffney & the Cold Hard Facts

Music Album