Tom Paxton & John McCutcheon – Together Again
It’s always refreshing to hear new music from an 88-year-old Tom Paxton (vocals/harmony vocals) who decided to record with a 73-year-old youngster like John McCutcheon (vocals/guitar/harmony vocals/banjo). The 14-song showcase Together Again (Drops Jan 9/Applesongs/53:06) was produced by John with Bob Dawson. The songs touch upon the political, humorous, & nostalgic, with a stretch into baseball & WWII vets.
Cringe-worthy? Nah. Tom’s a folk legend for a reason. He was never flaky, pretentious, silly, or incompetent. He wasn’t exactly as radical as the late Phil Ochs, but he had his folky strengths. A 1967 L.A. psychedelic rock band Clear Light (with vocalist Cliff DeYoung, who later became an actor) covered Tom’s prickly “Mr. Blue,” & rendered it dark in a Tom Waits style. Superb. I have it. Tom Paxton’s a widely covered singer-songwriter & he started his long career in 1962.
And so, Tom & John once again explore a few challenging song themes with highly buffed creativity. There’s a quality to the songwriting, storytelling & performance that’s produced here. The partnership is ideal.
The recording is pristine, with exhilarating musicianship. It begins with the clarity of “The Future,” a ballad with an old folk traditionist formula. Loaded with poignancy. Some people would call it sappy, but when you’re older, reflecting on old friends & places, it has its pleasures. Nothing new is explored in these pieces. Many subjects deal with coping with growing older. So, gaining a new, younger audience may be a long shot. However, the music itself has its liveliness & humor which may appeal to young singer-songwriters.
“Artie’s Last Stand,” with its nostalgic & plaintive storytelling, is worthy of being covered by any good singer. Whereas many younger artists seem to recycle old ideas in songs, these veterans write about a “parking lot circus” in “Ran Away With the Circus,” & the men in an old barbershop — no longer there. The stuff of great songwriting. I’m not as old as these gentlemen, but I do remember the 3rd-rate carnivals, circus’ & amusements that came through town. And such barbershops. It did leave good memories. Maybe they succeeded with the smell of their popcorn, red candied apples & in the barbershop, the Wild Root, Club Man & talcum scents.
“Cheatin’ While I’m Eatin’” is more country than folk. A careful listen to John’s vocal would generate a grin through it’s a cool little story. Steve Hinson’s fine steel guitar suggests a country varnish but never gets too shiny.
Highlights – “The Future,” “Artie’s Last Stand,” “Ran Away With the Circus,” “Cheatin’ While I’m Eatin’,” “Last Man Sitting,” “We Know How This Ends,” & “Lay This Old Guitar Down.”
Musicians – Jon Carroll (piano/organ/accordion), JT Brown (bass), Steve Fidyk (drums) & Stuart Duncan (fiddle).
All songs by Paxton-McCutcheon. Color image courtesy of Michael G. Stewart. CD @ Bandcamp & https://www.folkmusic.com/ & https://www.facebook.com/TomPaxtonMusic/
Enjoy our interviews here: Interview: Tom Paxton Talks Clowns, Defining Folk Music, and “Bluegrass Sings Paxton” and here: Interview: John McCutcheon on Building “Together” with Tom Paxton