Billy Bragg, Wilco - Mermaid Avenue
List Price:
Our Price: $10.30
You Save: $3.68 (26%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $7.71 (click here)
Category: Music CD
See more new music releases
Buy this Music CD at online store in your country
Canadian Music Store
Canadian Music Store
Music CD Cover
Artist: Billy Bragg, WilcoBrand: BRAGG,BILLY & WILCO
Edition: Music CD
Audio: English (Original Language)
CD Release Date: 1998-06-23
Music Label: Elektra / Wea
Soundtracks:
- Walt Whitman's Niece
- California Stars
- Way over Yonder in the Minor Key
- Birds and Ships
- Hoodoo Voodoo
- She Came Along to Me
- At My Window Sad and Lonely
- Ingrid Bergman
- Christ for President
- I Guess I Planted
- One by One
- Eisler on the Go
- Hesitating Beauty
- Another Man's Done Gone
- The Unwelcome Guest
Free Music Notes for Mermaid Avenue
Free Music Review: A fitting tribute
Hit: 5 Stars
Do not be scared off by the premise of the project: a vaguely country-rock band and a Scottish folksinger reviving ancient Woody Guthrie lyrics. First of all, none of those descriptions do their discriptee justice; Wilco's one of the strongest songwriting groups in America today with the musical skills to back it up, Billy Bragg's a gifted balladeer and a brilliant folk-rocker and Woody Guthrie...well, that name ought to speak for itself by belonging to one of the greatest songwriters ever, author of a vast catalogue of topical, witty and beautiful songs that celebrate people, life, children and America in a way that has rarely been matched. Apparently, Woody's daughter Nora approached Wilco and Bragg about the possibility of collaborating to write music and record some of the thousands of songs that Woody wrote but never recorded. The result is a very impressive album. Maybe the key is that the artists, while certainly aware of Guthrie's incredible contributions, don't spend the album revering Guthrie, wringing their hands over being worthy of such a project. Wilco and Bragg jump right in and immediately get their hands dirty, opening with a song that's confusing and ribald but playing and hollering along with so much energy it will literally make you smile. Most of the Woody Guthrie releases now in print tend to focus on his political ballads and protest songs, so its fortunate that Wilco and Bragg chose lyrics that reflected a more personal side of Guthrie: love songs, songs about his children, songs lusting after Ingrid Bergman...Woody would have been unlikely to record such autobiographical songs, and its fortunate that someone did, leaving no doubt that Woody was more than just a powerful voice for others but a brilliant, introspective artist as well. Musically, the album's much like Wilco's "Being There," heavy on organ and acoustic guitar, with many large swells of sound. This might sound a little offensive to some, but this isn't a Woody replica, it's a modern band making these songs their own. The arrangements are straightforward and layered, which results in a rich, warm sound. Bragg's brogue works perfectly as a vehicle for Guthrie's rough lyrics, and Jeff Tweedy's boyish drawl lends an innocence and charm to the love songs that couldn't even be achieved by Guthrie. Woody was known to pass his guitars along to aspiring musicians to help them along; even better that he should pass along some songs not only to Wilco and Bragg, but through them, to the rest of us as well. This is probably more of a Wilco album than anything else, but with even greater-than-normal lyrics, and it's apparent how much Tweedy has taken from the classic understatement of Guthrie. Cannot recommend this album enough.
Mermaid Avenue Poster
No Description AvailableNo Track Information Available
Media Type: CD
Artist: BRAGG,BILLY & WILCO
Title: MERMAID AVENUE
Street Release Date: 06/23/1998
Genre: ROCK/POP
Alternative Rock Music CDs
Music Genres
Top music charts in Alternative Rock Music CDs
Bouncing Souls - Maniacal LaughterRelease date: 1996-01-26; Music CD
Best price: $30.00
Blondie - Parallel LinesRelease date: 1994-07-29; Music CD
Best price: $397.77
Doors - L.A. WomanRelease date: 1993-04-09; Music CD
Best price: $199.99
Amon Duul - Phallus DeiRelease date: 1997-04-08; Music CD
Price in other shops:
Tangerine Dream - MelroseRelease date: 1990-10-02; Music CD
Best price: $74.98
Tangerine Dream - Private Music of Tangerine DreamRelease date: 1992-11-10; Music CD
Best price: $8.00
Price in other shops:
![Ska Explosion [VHS] Image](/images/Ska-Explosion-VHS-6303381014-X.jpg){kind=small}
Ska Explosion [VHS]Cleopatra; Release date: 1995-02-28; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $14.99
Price in other shops:
![Little Earthquakes [VHS] Image](/images/Little-Earthquakes-VHS-6302488664-X.jpg){kind=small}
Little Earthquakes [VHS]Atlantic / Wea; Release date: 1992-11-10; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $7.00
Price in other shops:
Exileby Geoffrey Oryema
Music CD
Best price: $4.95
![Louder Than Live [VHS] Image](/images/Louder-Than-Live-VHS-6301627865-X.jpg){kind=small}
Soundgarden - Louder Than Live [VHS]A&M Video; Release date: 1991-07-01; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Price in other shops:
Top Rated Albums
Uncle Tupelo - March 16-20 1992Release date: 2003-04-15; Music CD
Best price: $4.73
Price in other shops:
Wilco - Sky Blue SkyWILCO; Release date: 2007-05-15; Music CD
Best price: $4.94
Price in other shops:
Wilco - Wilco (The Album)WILCO; Release date: 2009-06-30; Music CD
Best price: $4.22
Price in other shops:
Wilco - Yankee Hotel FoxtrotYankee; Release date: 2002-04-23; Music CD
Best price: $8.80
Price in other shops:
Wilco - A Ghost Is BornWILCO; Release date: 2004-06-22; Music CD
Best price: $6.00
Price in other shops:
Wilco - Being ThereWILCO; Release date: 1996-10-29; Music CD
Best price: $6.45
Price in other shops:
Wilco - SummerteethWILCO; Release date: 1999-03-09; Music CD
Best price: $4.30
Price in other shops:
Wilco - A.M.Release date: 1995-03-28; Music CD
Best price: $4.48
Price in other shops:
Wilco - The Whole LoveRelease date: 2011-09-27; Music CD
Best price: $14.95
Price in other shops:
Mermaid Avenue Vol. IIBRAGG,BILLY & WILCO; Release date: 2000-05-30; Music CD
Best price: $11.00
Price in other shops: