Though they've been married since 1988 and have often collaborated on other people's records, this
Red House
date marks the first shared album between session ace
Larry Campbell
and singer-guitarist
Teresa Williams
.
Campbell
of course is renowned for his membership in
Bob Dylan
's band, playing in
Levon Helm
's group, and for his voluminous sideman and touring work.
Williams
, also a member of
Helm
's band, has had her own career for decades -- she first hired
Larry
in 1986 to back her at N.Y.C.'s Bottom Line -- and has worked with
Mavis Staples
,
Emmylou Harris
Dylan
, and
Buddy
and
Julie Miller
, to name a few. This is a righteous collection of originals and covers that ranges from classic stellar duet country to Americana, rural gospel, and blues with a lot of space in between.
wrote or co-wrote eight of these eleven tracks, including the hard-grooving R&B of "Surrender to Love." His throaty baritone and
' clean, Appalachian alto blend beautifully; the contrast bridges American musical heritage from the '20s to the 21st century, and
's funky guitar work adds fire. The core band on this date includes
Little Feat
pianist
Billy Payne
, drummer
Justin Guip
, and bassist
Byron Isaacs
. "Another One More Time" is an Americana love song with
taking the lead;
and guest
Amy Helm
provide harmonies. One can hear traces of
Gram Parsons
' and
' approach here, but the big, ringing, layered guitars and
' wide-open back-holler soul offer a modern twist.
plays mandolin on the wrenching "Down on My Knees," the grain in his voice is offered a poignant solace through
' moving harmony singing.
is heard on an arrangement of
Donny Winters
Ray Edenton
's country classic, "You're Running Wild," which was a vehicle for the
Louvin Brothers
. (It was recorded during the drummer's
Electric Dirt
sessions in 2009.) The spirit and influence of the
Rev. Gary Davis
is evoked twice here, first on the rag-cum-country blues of "Everybody Loves You" and later on the bluesman's own "Keep Your Lamps Trimmed and Burning." The latter is a brilliant showcase for
. She wails, growls, and testifies atop
's razor-wire guitars and
Payne
's B-3 as the rhythm section provides a slippery reggae groove. The closing cover of the
Grateful Dead
's "Attics of My Life" is rendered as a Southern hymn. With only an acoustic guitar as accompaniment, the stirring three-part harmony has help from
. Gorgeously recorded and mixed by
Guip
Larry Campbell & Teresa Williams
is 44 minutes of roots music gold. The new original songs stand side by side with their classic counterparts. These inspiring performances are made possible because of the lifetime of collaborative experience -- in everyday life as well as in music -- this pair put into them. American roots fans take note, this album will still sound as fresh and bracing in a decade as it does now. ~ Thom Jurek