Joan Baez - Day After Tomorrow (2008)

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Joan Baez - Day After Tomorrow (2008)
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Joan Baez isn’t one of the most prized American folksingers for nothing. Her voice is powerful, and her presence within the songs is remarkable. When she sings a song, it sounds more like the song is singing her. That was as true when she started her career a half-century ago as it is now, on her latest album Day After Tomorrow.

Joan Baez With Producer Steve Earle
While Baez’s ability to exquisitely capture each note she sings is notable, another instrumental force at work on this record is that of producer Steve Earle. Three of his original songs made it onto the disc, including the arresting disc-opener “God is God.”

Other selections on the disc include Patty Griffin’s “Mary” and Elvis Costello’s “Scarlet Tide.” The latter sees Earle’s harmonies entering the song at the right time, against Kenny Malone’s percussion. Still, though so much of the instrumentation is remarkable (including contributions from Tim O’Brien and Darrell Scott), the disc’s greatest stand-out moment comes from the title song. Here, Baez is alone with just her voice and acoustic guitar, and the song is particularly hard-hitting as a result.

Peace Through Music
If there is a singer alive these days who could sing peace into us all, it is Joan Baez. Not only is she an exquisite vocalist, but she also does a tremendous job at choosing the material she performs. No doubt she took great time and care to consider which songs she would include on this record, and how timely she wanted to be.

It should be noted that the disc starts with a song that grapples with the “What is God?” question, and lands on an a cappella spiritual called “Jericho Road.” In between are songs that struggle with issues of spirituality and conscience, shedding light on many of the important socio-political issues of today as personal choices we all must make. Indeed, this has been a theme running through so much of Joan Baez’s work. Thank goodness she’s still compelled to help us make order from the chaos by singing, with such authority, lines like this one (written by Earle): “Everyday on earth’s another chance to get it right / Let this little light of mine shine and rage against the light.”

Tracklist

01. God Is God (Steve Earle)
02. Rose of Sharon (Eliza Gilkyson)
03. Scarlet Tide (Elvis Costello, Joseph Henry Burnett)
04. Day After Tomorrow (Tom Waits, Kathleen Brennan)
05. Henry Russell’s Last Words (Diana Jones)
06. I Am a Wanderer (Steve Earle)
07. Mary (Patty Griffin)
08. Requiem (Eliza Gilkyson)
09. The Lower Road (Thea Gilmore)
10. Jericho Road (Steve Earle)

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