[rating=9.00]
Bloodshot Records is so deeply ingrained in the hearts of its followers that it’s hard to imagine a time when it didn’t exist. For their 20th birthday, they’ve collected 38 favorites from their catalog and divvied them up amongst a diverse group of artists to create While No One Was Looking: Toasting 20 Years of Bloodshot Records. But this is so much more than a covers album. Each artist is thoughtfully paired with a song, and each of them makes it completely their own. A mix of Bloodshot artists and friends of the label are featured here, singing some of Bloodshot’s best songs from the likes of Neko Case, Old 97s, Bottle Rockets, Robbie Fulks, Ryan Adams, Alejandro Escovedo, Scott H. Biram, Lydia Loveless, Jon Langford and the Sadies, Ha Ha Tonka, Nora O’Connor, Waco Brothers, and so many more.
There’s a heavy presence of Ryan Adam’s seminal 2000 debut Heartbreaker (his only record with the label), with covers of favorites like “My Winding Wheel” (a dreamy duet between Ivan and Alyosha) and “Come Pick Me Up” (a punk rock take by Superchunk). Perhaps the most fun of all, though, is Blitzen Trapper’s rendition of “To Be Young (Is To Be Sad, Is To Be High)”. With an almost Dylan-esque flavor, Blitzen Trapper makes this tune folksy and bluesy, and it’s so obvious they’re having a hell of a time singing it. Another stunning Adams tribute comes from Nicki Bluhm & the Gramblers on the classic “Oh My Sweet Carolina”. Bluhm’s heavenly vocals are made for this track, accompanied by heavy piano that lends a lullaby vibe.
Both Neko Case tunes are also well paired, with William Elliott Whitmore singing a musky, raspy version of the sweetly sad “I Wish I Was the Moon”, and Into It. Over It. doing a quiet, subtle “Deep Red Bells”. These are swell choices from one of Case’s best records, Blacklisted.
What makes Looking such an interesting record is the way each song chosen takes on a completely new life when delivered by different voices. Some songs are nearly unrecognizable, and you may find yourself doing a double take when you realize what they are. Particularly, this was the case with Kevin “Shinyribs” Russell’s cover of Lydia Loveless’ “All the Time”. It’s a fascinating choice from her catalog for this collection to begin with, and Russell’s take on it is so masculine and pared down, with little more than an acoustic guitar accompanying his weathered vocals. And the magic is in the fact that it works, effortlessly. Russell’s pacing is so vastly different from Loveless’, and his performance is a standout.
Similarly is the Robbie Fulks tune “I’ll Trade You Money for Wine”, sung here by Andrew Bird and Nora O’Connor in a lovely duet. Also, Shakey Graves’ cover of rockabilly artist Wayne Hancock’s “Happy Birthday Julie” is wonderfully strange and different. Other standouts come in Samantha Crain’s simple take on Ha Ha Tonka’s “Cold Forgiver”, Carolyn Mark’s soulful cover of Alejandro Escovedo’s “Last to Know”, Diarrhea Planet’s livewire performance of Waco Brother’s “Dry Land”, and the Bottle Rockets’ “1000 Dollar Car” done faithfully by The Handsome Family.
Though naturally, Bloodshot devotees will each determine their own favorites, and that’s just one more reason this record is so special. Longtime fans of the label will fall in love with their offerings all over again, and for the newbies, well, they’ve got 20 years worth of catching up to do.
