Doc Watson
's
United Artists Records
catalog (long-since acquired by
EMI
) was tapped for two compilations in the fall of 2002, this two-fer combining his 1977 album
Lonesome Road
and his 1978 album
Look Away!
, licensed by
Southern Music Distribution
, and
Songs From Home
on
Capitol Records
label. The flurry of activity can be traced to the success of the
O Brother, Where Art Thou?
soundtrack, with its
traditional country
and
bluegrass
music. That's ironic, given that
Watson
's tenure at
UA
in the 1970s came due to the success of an earlier
collection,
the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
Will the Circle Be Unbroken
album, on which he appeared. The record business is nothing if not trendy, but if that's what it takes to bring two albums as enjoyable as
back into print, so be it.
is, of course, joined by his son,
Merle Watson
, on both releases, as well as by small bands that give the tracks a rocking punch. He essays a variety of
country
folk
standards
, including
Mississippi John Hurt
"My Creole Belle"
(the only track that overlaps with
) and
Bob Dylan
"Don't Think Twice, It's All Right."
The disc ends with two previously unreleased bonus tracks,
"New Born King"
"Peace in the Valley,"
both of them
gospel
songs on which
is joined by an orchestra and choir. The tracks are not consistent with the feistier material from the original LPs, but they are warmly and sincerely performed and provide a reverent coda to an excellent collection. ~ William Ruhlmann