Charlie Parr - Stumpjumper '2015

Tracks list

A roots man of integrity with a predilection for truly vintage vibes, Minnesotas
Charlie Parr has made his career hollering, picking, and stomping his way
through the Midwest and beyond, leaving a trail of fine records that feel just a
shade away from the great rural folk and blues songs of Harry Smiths epic
Anthology of American Folk Music. Eschewing proper studios whenever possible,
his lo-fi releases have been captured in storefronts, warehouses, and garages or
live on-stage in several cases. Now 13 years into his recording career and with
more than a dozen albums either self-released or scattered across the globe on
tiny indies, Parr has settled in with St. Pauls Grammy-winning folk label Red
House Records (Greg Brown, Loudon Wainwright III), just a couple of hours away
from his Duluth home. While signing with Red House might feel like a sort of
Midwestern homecoming, Stumpjumper, his debut for the label, is a bit of a
departure. Recorded in North Carolina with producer Phil Cook of the psych-folk
group Megafaun, the album is Parrs first solo effort to feature a full backing
band. A sort of hybrid of his previous production styles, Stumpjumper (the title
is a Jeep culture reference to off-roading), is as live and red-blooded as
anything in his catalog, but the added thump of drums, electric bass, fiddle,
and additional guitars gives songs like the excellent Falcon and Frank Miller
Blues a vibrancy that suits his woolly, homespun style. The wild buzz of loose
strings, the ramshackle percussion, the occasional fuzzed-out guitar, and Parrs
own National steel, banjo, and 12-string playing create a joyful noise that can
just as quickly turn dark, as on the haunting Resurrection or the wistful Over
the Red Cedar, a lovely ode to the unwavering passage of time. Parr has only
gotten better as a songwriter, and his spirited performances here are augmented
well by this strong group effort. ~ Timothy Monger

Tracklist:
1 01. Charlie Parr - Evil Companion (02:55)
1 02. Charlie Parr - Empty Out Your Pockets (04:44)
1 03. Charlie Parr - Falcon (04:59)
1 04. Charlie Parr - Remember Me If I Forget (03:43)
1 05. Charlie Parr - On Marrying a Woman with an Uncontrollable Temper (04:53)
1 06. Charlie Parr - Over the Red Cedar (04:18)
1 07. Charlie Parr - Resurrection (07:19)
1 08. Charlie Parr - Stumpjumper (04:25)
1 09. Charlie Parr - Temperance River Blues (04:15)
1 10. Charlie Parr - Frank Miller Blues (07:00)
1 11. Charlie Parr - Delia (06:01)

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