The canon of blues, country and gospel that fired up the 60s folk boom is currently inspiring a host of Americana acts, though none make the old songs sound fresher than Willie Watson. His second solo outing since quitting the Old Crow Medicine Show brings vivacity to some well-worn standards – The Cuckoo Bird, When My Baby Left Me, John Henry – thanks to a voice that’s young but weathered, strong but eerie, and comes backed by intricate banjo and guitar picking. Producer David Rawlings gives the session an unforced, analogue sound and adds some luscious gospel crooning from the Fairfield Four. A forceful evocation of a mythic, half-forgotten America.
