THE JAYHAWKS - MUSIC FROM THE NORTH COUNTRY

OK this is quite an old release, I didn't buy it when it came out due to it being quite pricey and I had quite a few of the tracks. Well, I snagged this earlier in the week on eBay for less than a tenner and I'm well pleased. So what do we have; CD1 is a chronological run through the choice cuts from The Jayhawks albums, CD2 is the usual B-sides, demos, live cuts and previously unreleased recordings and the DVD covers the music videos and some TV appearances. The whole thing comes in quality packaging and a 28 page booklet. So far so good, especially for £7.95!

So onto the band, I first heard about The Jayhawks in 1992 through my Neil Young contacts, who claimed that Hollywood Town Hall had a Neil Young & Crazy Horse feel to it. I bought it, loved it, and followed them from that point on. The follow up album Tomorrow The Green Grass was more mainstream and had some potential chart songs, however at this point Mark Olson walked away from the band to care for his sick wife Victoria Williams (...and went to record several great albums with her as The Original Harmony Ridge Creek Dippers).

The Jayhawks carried on and recorded one more great album, Sound of Lies in 1997. I finally saw them live on that tour and it's still in my top 10 gigs. Further albums followed; Smile in 2000 and Rainy Day Music in 2003, both good albums but not a patch on the early 90's stuff.

Olson is now back in the fold and we can apparently expect a new album from the classic Olson/Louris line up in 2011. By the way two albums were released prior to Hollywood Town Hall; The Jawhawks in 1986 and Blue Earth in 1989, though I've never felt inclined to track them down. I like to think that The Jayhawks landed on the scene with Hollywood Two Hall which would have been one of the greatest debuts ever.

I've played this through several times now and it's a cracking record, I love CD1 which really highlights the development of The Jayhawks sound and the three stages of the band. Quite why this band didn't fly on the 90's americana/alt country/no depression wave is beyond me. Much of this record is up there with the best of Wilco/Whiskeytown/Calexico. Maybe in their latest incarnation they will finally hit the jackpot.

I'm not going to attempt to list my favourite tracks as playing CD1 is like slipping on your favourite jumper and setting down to read a great book. Wonderful stuff which just washes over you and is finished before you know it.