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America (John Fahey album)

April 15, 2024

America is an album by American folk musician John Fahey, released in 1971. Originally intended to be a double album, it was released as a single LP. The unreleased material was subsequently restored in later CD and vinyl reissues.

America
Studio album by
John Fahey
Released1971
Recorded1971
StudioLarrabee Sound, Los Angeles
GenreFolk
Length38:51 (Original version)
79:16 (Reissued version)
LabelTakoma
ProducerJohn Fahey
John Fahey chronology
The New Possibility
(1968) 		America
(1971) 		Of Rivers and Religion
(1972)

History edit

The America sessions yielded over 80 minutes of music and Fahey worried that a double album wouldn’t sell. Originally planned to be a double-LP, almost half of the material was cut when it was released as a single LP. The 1998 CD reissue by Takoma restores the unreleased tracks.[1] The title song, "America", is an extended version of the song originally recorded on Death Chants, Breakdowns & Military Waltzes and was cut from the original release. It is a rare example of Fahey playing a 12-string guitar. Fahey commented on the original and reissue releases in an interview for The Wire, "I thought the material on the second disc wasn't quite up to snuff, but listening to it now, it doesn't sound too bad."[2]

The front and back cover art was created by Patrick Finnerty, the painting titles were respectively "The Turtle in the Millpond" and "The Destruction of Takoma Park, Maryland, 20012 [sic]". The original working title for the album was "Ecology".[3]

In 1972, referring to "Mark 1:15", Fahey said "“Out of all the songs I ever wrote, I consider only two of them 'epic' or 'classic' or in the 'great' category and they are both on this record. It’s taken me more than five years to complete these."[4] The CD reissue edits out roughly two minutes from this track due to the time constraints of a single CD pressing.[5] "Mark 1:15" includes portions of "When the Springtime Comes Again," from Death Chants, Breakdowns & Military Waltzes.

"Dvorak" is an arrangement of the third movement of Antonín Dvořák's Symphony No. 8. "Jesus is a Dying-Bed Maker" is based on the traditional gospel music song "In My Time of Dying. "Dalhart, Texas, 1967" was later revisited as "The Grand Finale" on John Fahey Visits Washington D.C..

America was reissued on a limited edition vinyl double album in 2009 on the San Francisco–based label 4 Men With Beards. It includes all tracks and a gatefold with a reproduction of the original album booklet.[6] In reproducing the 1998 CD version, this release also included the truncated "Mark 1:15"

Reception edit

In his review of the reissue of America, music critic Richie Unterberger called it "...Fahey at his most ambitious... inventive acoustic guitar instrumentals that draw from folk and blues, with a sedate presentation that has a relaxing effect." and contrasts the CD reissue with the original LP.[7] Will Hermes of Entertainment Weekly likewise contrasts favorably the two releases, stating "Restored to full scope, this set of chamber blues projects a sweeping panorama, combining epic originals with fractal readings of Skip James, Dvorak, and even "Amazing Grace". A new cornerstone in a towering oeuvre."[8]

Matt Hanks of No Depression magazine treats the reissue just as kindly, calling the reissue of America the "biggest debunker to date" of the improvement of the songs by reissue. "Heard in near-entirety, America transcends its already classic standing and becomes one of the most ambitious and epic records Fahey ever made... if you’re seeking one man’s ruminations on a world that has both enchanted and forsaken him, America is the Fahey effect you’re looking for."[1]

Critic Greg Cahill of the Sonoma County Independent called the reissue "...rapturous in its beauty—a majestic, spacious work as grand in its deceptive simplicity as the early American landscape from which it draws inspiration."[14]

Track listing edit

All songs by John Fahey unless otherwise noted.

  1. "Voice of the Turtle" – 15:42
  2. "The Waltz That Carried Us Away and Then a Mosquito Came and Ate Up My Sweetheart" – 5:49
  3. "Mark 1:15" – 16:18
  4. "Knoxville Blues" (Sam McGee) – 3:07

1998 reissue edit

  1. "Jesus Is a Dying Bedmaker" – 4:20
  2. "Amazing Grace" (John Newton) – 2:18
  3. "Song #3" – 1:48
  4. "Special Rider Blues" (Skip James) – 3:03
  5. "Dvorák" (Antonín Dvořák, arranged by Fahey) – 3:42
  6. "Jesus Is a Dying Bedmaker 2" – 3:23
  7. "Finale" – 3:10
  8. "America" – 7:40
  9. "Dalhart, Texas, 1967" – 11:01
  10. "Knoxville Blues" (Sam McGee) – 3:07
  11. "Mark 1:15" – 14:18
    • Note: Song has been abridged
  12. "Voice of the Turtle" – 15:42
  13. "The Waltz That Carried Us Away and Then a Mosquito Came and Ate Up My Sweetheart" – 5:49
  • Note some CD reissues incorrectly use "Jesus Is a Dying Bedmaker" instead of the correct "Jesus Is a Dying-Bed Maker".[3]

Personnel edit

Production notes

  • John Fahey – producer
  • Bill Belmont – reissue producer
  • Patrick Finnerty – art direction, design
  • John Judnich – engineer
  • Joe Tarantino – remastering
  • Charles M. Young – liner notes

References edit

  1. ^ a b Hanks, Matt (July–August 1998). . No Depression (344). Archived from the original on 2010-01-13. Retrieved 2010-03-17.
  2. ^ Pouncey, Edwin (August 1998). "Blood on the Frets". The Wire (174). Retrieved March 15, 2010.
  3. ^ a b Guerrieri, Claudio (2014). The John Fahey Handbook, Vol. 2. ISBN 978-0-9853028-1-8.
  4. ^ The Fahey Files notes on the songs.
  5. ^ Excerpts from the reissue liner notes.
  6. ^ John Fahey.org News. 2013-04-19 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved March 8, 2010.
  7. ^ a b Unterberger, Richie. "America > Review". Allmusic. Retrieved March 20, 2010.
  8. ^ a b Hermes, Will (May 1998). "Review: America". Entertainment Weekly.
  9. ^ Strong, Martin Charles (2010). The great folk discography. Volume 1, Pioneers & early legends. ISBN 9781846971419.
  10. ^ MusicHound Folk: The Essential Album Guide (1998)
  11. ^ Weisbard, Eric; Marks, Craig, eds. (1995). "John Fahey". Spin Alternative Record Guide (1st ed.). New York: Vintage Books. ISBN 0-679-75574-8.
  12. ^ Sheffield, Rob (2004). "John Fahey". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). London: Fireside Books. pp. 545–546. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
  13. ^ Larkin, Colin (2011). "John Fahey". Encyclopedia of Popular Music (5th ed.). Omnibus Press. ISBN 978-0857125958.
  14. ^ Cahill, Greg (May 1998). "Review: America". Sonoma County Independent.

April 15, 2024
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America is an album by American folk musician John Fahey released in 1971 Originally intended to be a double album it was released as a single LP The unreleased material was subsequently restored in later CD and vinyl reissues AmericaStudio album by John FaheyReleased1971Recorded1971StudioLarrabee Sound Los AngelesGenreFolkLength38 51 Original version 79 16 Reissued version LabelTakomaProducerJohn FaheyJohn Fahey chronologyThe New Possibility 1968 America 1971 Of Rivers and Religion 1972 Contents 1 History 2 Reception 3 Track listing 3 1 1998 reissue 4 Personnel 5 ReferencesHistory editThe America sessions yielded over 80 minutes of music and Fahey worried that a double album wouldn t sell Originally planned to be a double LP almost half of the material was cut when it was released as a single LP The 1998 CD reissue by Takoma restores the unreleased tracks 1 The title song America is an extended version of the song originally recorded on Death Chants Breakdowns amp Military Waltzes and was cut from the original release It is a rare example of Fahey playing a 12 string guitar Fahey commented on the original and reissue releases in an interview for The Wire I thought the material on the second disc wasn t quite up to snuff but listening to it now it doesn t sound too bad 2 The front and back cover art was created by Patrick Finnerty the painting titles were respectively The Turtle in the Millpond and The Destruction of Takoma Park Maryland 20012 sic The original working title for the album was Ecology 3 In 1972 referring to Mark 1 15 Fahey said Out of all the songs I ever wrote I consider only two of them epic or classic or in the great category and they are both on this record It s taken me more than five years to complete these 4 The CD reissue edits out roughly two minutes from this track due to the time constraints of a single CD pressing 5 Mark 1 15 includes portions of When the Springtime Comes Again from Death Chants Breakdowns amp Military Waltzes Dvorak is an arrangement of the third movement of Antonin Dvorak s Symphony No 8 Jesus is a Dying Bed Maker is based on the traditional gospel music song In My Time of Dying Dalhart Texas 1967 was later revisited as The Grand Finale on John Fahey Visits Washington D C America was reissued on a limited edition vinyl double album in 2009 on the San Francisco based label 4 Men With Beards It includes all tracks and a gatefold with a reproduction of the original album booklet 6 In reproducing the 1998 CD version this release also included the truncated Mark 1 15 Reception editProfessional ratingsReview scoresSourceRatingAllmusic nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp 7 Encyclopedia of Popular Music nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp 13 Entertainment WeeklyA 8 The Great Folk Discography5 10 9 MusicHound nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp 10 Spin Alternative Record Guide8 10 11 The Rolling Stone Album Guide nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp 12 In his review of the reissue of America music critic Richie Unterberger called it Fahey at his most ambitious inventive acoustic guitar instrumentals that draw from folk and blues with a sedate presentation that has a relaxing effect and contrasts the CD reissue with the original LP 7 Will Hermes of Entertainment Weekly likewise contrasts favorably the two releases stating Restored to full scope this set of chamber blues projects a sweeping panorama combining epic originals with fractal readings of Skip James Dvorak and even Amazing Grace A new cornerstone in a towering oeuvre 8 Matt Hanks of No Depression magazine treats the reissue just as kindly calling the reissue of America the biggest debunker to date of the improvement of the songs by reissue Heard in near entirety America transcends its already classic standing and becomes one of the most ambitious and epic records Fahey ever made if you re seeking one man s ruminations on a world that has both enchanted and forsaken him America is the Fahey effect you re looking for 1 Critic Greg Cahill of the Sonoma County Independent called the reissue rapturous in its beauty a majestic spacious work as grand in its deceptive simplicity as the early American landscape from which it draws inspiration 14 Track listing editAll songs by John Fahey unless otherwise noted Voice of the Turtle 15 42 The Waltz That Carried Us Away and Then a Mosquito Came and Ate Up My Sweetheart 5 49 Mark 1 15 16 18 Knoxville Blues Sam McGee 3 071998 reissue edit Jesus Is a Dying Bedmaker 4 20 Amazing Grace John Newton 2 18 Song 3 1 48 Special Rider Blues Skip James 3 03 Dvorak Antonin Dvorak arranged by Fahey 3 42 Jesus Is a Dying Bedmaker 2 3 23 Finale 3 10 America 7 40 Dalhart Texas 1967 11 01 Knoxville Blues Sam McGee 3 07 Mark 1 15 14 18 Note Song has been abridged Voice of the Turtle 15 42 The Waltz That Carried Us Away and Then a Mosquito Came and Ate Up My Sweetheart 5 49Note some CD reissues incorrectly use Jesus Is a Dying Bedmaker instead of the correct Jesus Is a Dying Bed Maker 3 Personnel editJohn Fahey guitarProduction notes John Fahey producer Bill Belmont reissue producer Patrick Finnerty art direction design John Judnich engineer Joe Tarantino remastering Charles M Young liner notesReferences edit a b Hanks Matt July August 1998 Review America No Depression 344 Archived from the original on 2010 01 13 Retrieved 2010 03 17 Pouncey Edwin August 1998 Blood on the Frets The Wire 174 Retrieved March 15 2010 a b Guerrieri Claudio 2014 The John Fahey Handbook Vol 2 ISBN 978 0 9853028 1 8 The Fahey Files notes on the songs Excerpts from the reissue liner notes John Fahey org News Archived 2013 04 19 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved March 8 2010 a b Unterberger Richie America gt Review Allmusic Retrieved March 20 2010 a b Hermes Will May 1998 Review America Entertainment Weekly Strong Martin Charles 2010 The great folk discography Volume 1 Pioneers amp early legends ISBN 9781846971419 MusicHound Folk The Essential Album Guide 1998 Weisbard Eric Marks Craig eds 1995 John Fahey Spin Alternative Record Guide 1st ed New York Vintage Books ISBN 0 679 75574 8 Sheffield Rob 2004 John Fahey In Brackett Nathan Hoard Christian eds The New Rolling Stone Album Guide 4th ed London Fireside Books pp 545 546 ISBN 0 7432 0169 8 Larkin Colin 2011 John Fahey Encyclopedia of Popular Music 5th ed Omnibus Press ISBN 978 0857125958 Cahill Greg May 1998 Review America Sonoma County Independent Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title America John Fahey album amp oldid 1184062675, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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