Levon Helm “Dirt Farmer” « Cool Album of the Day

« Brian Eno / Harold Budd “Ambient 2: The Plateaux Of Mirror”

Levon Helm “Dirt Farmer”

Posted 16 Feb 2012 in Albums of 2007, Albums of the 00s, Americana, Country, Folk, Levon Helm, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer

Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#632 in the Series) is Levon Helm, Dirt Farmer. (Vanguard Records)

Every year since the early 80’s I’ve come up with my own Album of the Year. This won easily as my Album of Year in 2008. (It was actually released late in late 2007, I know! You’ll understand soon.)

We all know Levon Helm as drummer, picker and lead vocalist of The Band. If you’re a fan of The Band, or just Americana music in general, you must add Dirt Farmer to your collection.

It was strange. I actually had this album for quite some time before I really got into it. I had it, gave it a quick spin when I must have been busy, or in a crappy mood, and then set it aside for at least three months. Why, I don’t know. But thankfully, I did give it a second listen. Some albums you have to be in the correct mood for it to work that first time.

So when I gave Dirt Farmer a second chance I was truly moved. Levon Helm is an absolute amazing human. He recorded this album when he was 67 years old and was just coming off throat cancer. His voice was a little weak in places, and quite robust in others. We have good days and bad days. He’s since released a follow up called Electric Dirt and has been touring constantly. Of Course he still has his acting career as well. And he’s now over 70 years of age.

On Dirt Farmer, Levon is joined by his daughter Amy Helm as well as former Bob Dylan band member, Larry Campbell. Campbell also was the producer on the project.

The album begins with the traditional “False Hearted Woman Blues.” Next up is “Poor Dirt Farmer.” It is pure ‘Band’ sounding, complete with Levon leading the verse vocals with a full vocal, full band chorus. I would have loved to hear this with Rich Danko at his side.

Steve Earle contribute a track called “The Mountain.” “Got Me a Woman” is a great blues track with basically Levon and his 8-string.

“Single Girl, Married Girl” is a fun sing-a-long explaining the differences of the two.

There is one song however that puts Dirt Farmer over the top. It took the album from a very good album to a great album. That song is the ballad duet that Levon performs with his daughter Amy. It’s called “Anna Lee.” Written by Laurelyn Dossett, it is just Levon, Amy and Larry Campbell’s fiddle. Father and daughter sound amazing together. If you don’t want to buy this complete album at least download this track. Levon has a hard time hitting some of the notes. But it just adds to the mystique and loveliness of the song. It actually feels like Amy is pulling him up at times. Plus it fun to hear him sing about someone named “Anna Lee” again.

Dirt Farmer was Levon’s first studio album since 1982. It won a Grammy Award for best Traditional Folk Album in 2008.

It peaked at #102 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart. Levon Helm was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of The Band in 1994.

— Larry Carta

Track listing

“False Hearted Lover Blues” (Traditional) – 3:29
“Poor Old Dirt Farmer” (Tracy Schwarz) – 3:52
“The Mountain” (Steve Earle) – 3:35
“Little Birds” (Traditional) – 4:41
Amy Helm
“The Girl I Left Behind” (Traditional) – 3:36
“Calvary” (Byron Isaacs) – 4:53
“Anna Lee” (Laurelyn Dossett) – 3:43
“Got Me a Woman” (Paul Kennerley) – 3:11
“A Train Robbery” (Paul Kennerley) – 5:28
“Single Girl, Married Girl” (A. P. Carter) – 3:18
“The Blind Child” (Traditional) – 3:26
“Feelin’ Good” (J. B. Lenoir) – 3:31
“Wide River to Cross” (Buddy & Julie Miller) – 4:52

Personnel

Levon Helm – acoustic guitar, mandolin, arranger, drums, vocals, liner notes
Larry Campbell – dulcimer, acoustic guitar, fiddle, mandolin, percussion, arranger, background vocals, producer, guitar
Georgette Cartwright – creative services coordinator
Ahron R. Foster – photography
Larry Campbell
Justin Guip – engineer, mixing
Amy Helm – mandolin, percussion, piano, arranger, drums, vocals, background vocals, producer, harmony vocals, mandola
Byron Isaacs – bass, percussion, background vocals
Buddy Miller – harmony vocals
Julie Miller – harmony vocals
Brian John Mitchell – piano, accordion, background vocals
Glenn Patscha – pump organ
George Receli – Percussion
Doug Sax – mastering
Carrie Smith – art direction, design
Teresa Williams – background vocals, harmony vocals