![]() The Lillywhite Sessions arrives via Dead Oceans November 16. In a long and fascinating interview with Stereogum about the new album, he explains that he grew up as a hardcore fan, and that he thinks of version of The Lillywhite Sessions as “a loving tribute.” Still, that doesn’t stop him from radically reinventing the songs-his version of “Busted Stuff” takes the peppy original on a misty and careening journey, with lots of new jazzy Bill Frissell-esque guitar lines, until it sounds of a piece with Deafman Glance. Walker has a reputation as a jokester, and his decision to take on one of the most divisive artists in music certainly has the air of a prank, but he’s clearly coming from a place of love for DMB. Many of them ended up reworked and given an official release on the next DMB studio album Busted Stuff, but plenty of people prefer the originals. But this was the age of Napster, and the Lillywhite tracks eventually leaked and became fan favorites. ![]() The label shelved it, and the band released the quickly recorded and poorly received Everyday instead. Matthews and the band recorded it with producer Steve Lillywhite in 1999, but their label didn’t like the dark and knotty songs they turned in. ![]() Walker announced the tribute today as his followup to this year’s very good Deafman Glance, and you can hear his version of Dave’s “Busted Stuff” below.Ī little background on The Lillywhite Sessions for those who missed indoctrination into the cult of DMB as youngsters. guitar tabs on salvia, but is actually just a real thing he did. ![]() Course in Fable is Ryley Walker fully activated.Chicago guitarist and songwriter Ryley Walker recorded a song-by-song tribute to the “lost” Dave Matthews Band album The Lillywhite Sessions-which seems like a bit Walker might throw out on his very funny Twitter feed, next to observations about gas station nacho cheese and scenes of hallucinating P.O.D. Fully clean and sober, Ryley unlocked a new gear within himself where he is playing, singing and experimenting in a way that is more confidently assured than ever before. “Mary mother of crack rocks the sun comes through the blinds.”Īfter a string of thrilling live collaborative improv and avant garde releases, Course In Fable marks the first official solo release from Walker on his new label Husky Pants Records. “Palpitations tick on time, I only wanted one and that was gonna be fine,” he sings on “A Lenticular Slap” showing his powerlessness. With his rich baritone, he makes casual references to his addictions that never read as a punchline but rather a documentation of his experiences. Lyrically, Walker lays bare the many struggles he has had over the last few years. The playing on the album also has a lot to do with that, as the difficult time signatures on a song like “Clad with Bunk” come off sounding inspired rather than the awkward attempts of many jam bands. Produced by studio wizard and Tortoise and Sea and Cake member John McEntire, each of these ingredients are treated delicately, making the transitions known but not forced. And with mega-producer Steve Lillywhite having a hand in recording both Matthews and Peter Gabriel, the similarities become less of a stretch when you really think about it.Īll of this becomes apparent within the first crash hits of the album’s opening track “Striking Down Your Big Premiere.” The song opens on an arpeggiated guitar and synth riff that recalls moments on Genesis’ Foxtrot transitioning into a righteously noodly guitar solo before easing into a folk-rock groove. Hearing that record, you can easily see how being ignited creatively by Dave’s odd song structures as a teen would eventually lead you to someone like Jim O’Rourke. People were puzzled by his admitted love of Dave Matthews until they heard his 2018 reimagining of Matthews’ The Lillywhite Sessions. When tracing these influences with Walker, seeing how he could leap frog from one to the other makes a lot of sense in a way. A seemingly effortless magic trick that resulted in his best record to date. On his newest album Course in Fable, he has mined the jam influence of his youth and blended it with dashes of Chicago Indie Rock, John Fahey “American-Primitive” acoustics and a heavy dose of early British Prog. Ryley Walker understands this and wears this formative listening period like a badge. With so many of the jam band godheads - like The Dead, Phish and Dave Matthews Band - making their unpredictability and willingness to experiment with a wide net of different genres their calling card, it can be a valuable lesson for young and adventurous music fans to always give bands, albums and musical movements the benefit of the doubt. For starters, it can give you an even springboard at below zero elevation from which you climb your way back up to embracing more interesting music. Growing up listening to jam band music can be more of an advantage than a disadvantage in a lot of ways.
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