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Tom Paxton & John McCutcheon - 2026 - Together Again

Folk, Alexandria.

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 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.

Tracks:
01. The Future
02. Old Dog
03. Artie's Last Stand
04. Ran Away with the Circus
05. Pathfinder
06. Stop at Nothing
07. Sargeant O'reilly
08. Cheatin' While I'm Eatin'
09. Rebel Gal
10. Last Man Sitting
11. Every Monday at Two
12. Famous for a Day
13. We Know How This Ends
14. Lay This Old Guitar Down

Staat er compleet op, 10% pars mee gepost. Met zeer veel dank aan de originele poster. Laat af en toe eens weten wat je van het album vindt. Altijd leuk, de mening van anderen. Oh ja, MP3 doe ik niet aan.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5uBdRXmJIgw