Grateful Dead guitarist, Bob Weir has a new album, Blue Mountain, coming out on September 30th. The album marks his first recordings of entirely new material in 30 years. Weir partnered with producer Josh Kaufman, singer songwriter Josh Ritter, guitarists Aaron Dessner and Bryce Dessner and bassist Scott Devendorf. The album focuses on his earlier experiences working on a ranch in Wyoming as a teenager.
On Tuesday, September 27, Weir performed selections from his new album at Amoeba Records in Hollywood, CA. Prior to that, I had a chance to listen to the full album. Here are my thoughts.
I’ve always been a fan of Bobby’s “Cowboy Songs” with the Grateful Dead, RatDog, etc, etc, etc. The El Paso (Marty Robbins), Me & My Uncle (John Denver), Mexicali Blues and so on. This new album is a full 12 songs of those Cowboy songs…but a little different. Weir takes his experiences from his time when he “ran away and became a cowboy” and translates them into great songs. If you’re looking for a Grateful Dead rockin’ version of the cowboy classic…move along, there’s nothing to see here. If you’re into the traditional trail, mountain, open plains riding, cowboy classic…step up to the bar for a shot of red eye because we’ve got some talking to do.
I rather like the whole album. A little bit Bob Dylan without the political message. Gene Autry with a little more dirt. A little bit Johnny Cash without convicts. Equal amounts of dust and dirt, trains and trucks, rivers and ranches. “Hey Hey”s are plentiful. Every song is different but all with a similar thread. I’m not going to go song by song because, well, I’d lose half of you by about song 4. So, here are my favorites…in order as they appear on the album.
- Only A River will have you singing along and stay in your head long after it’s played. Top of the list for me.
- Gonesville has that country gospel vibe that’ll get your toes tapping.
- Lay My Lily Down takes us up to the Appalachian mountains with a dark undertone and dirge-like a la “Long Black Veil” et al.
- Ghost Towns is a bit more indicative of a Bob Weir song. If you know what I mean…nuff said. If you don’t…enjoy the song.
- Ki-Yi Bossie sounds just like what you’d expect to hear in a bunkhouse with a dusty uncorked bottle of booze, a plate of beans and a room full of sun baked cowboys. Gene Autry could just have easily recorded this in 1940 something. And I love it. The tune is a trail song…the lyrics are a bit more serious.
- Blue Mountain, Weir explains, is a song he heard way back in his cowboy days and then many years later took to learning it. A simple cowboy traditional with just Weir and an acoustic guitar. Pure and simple delight of a singer with a guitar.
- One More River To Cross. Well, we started with a river, might as well end with a river. Slow and melodic, it’s a tune that will have you swaying in place before you know it.
All in all, a wonderful offering from Bob Weir. The dust and the trail have clearly played a major role in his musical life beyond his time on the ranch in Wyoming. We have heard it for 50 years in the Grateful Dead’s catalogue and now, upon personal reflection, Weir has given us a “non-Dead” selection of cowboy tunes. I’m a fan…have been for a long time, but I’m not one to blindly jump on board if it’s not up to par. This is definitely worth giving a listen to.
BLUE MOUNTAIN TRACK LIST
1. Only A River
2. Cottonwood Lullaby
3. Gonesville
4. Lay My Lily Down
5. Gallop On The Run
6. Whatever Happened To Rose
7. Ghost Towns
8. Darkest Hour
9. Ki-Yi Bossie
10. Storm Country
11. Blue Mountain
12. One More River To Cross
Weir will be performing in support of the album this fall on his “Campfire Tour.” Tickets for the tour are available at www.bobweir.net. Every online ticket order comes with one (1) physical CD of Bob Weir’s new album “Blue Mountain.” A limited amount of Enhanced Experiences are available throughout the tour including two premium tickets in the first 2 rows, an invitation to attend soundcheck and more.
BOB WEIR LIVE
October 7—Marin County Civic Center—San Rafael, CA
October 8—Fox Theater—Oakland, CA
October 10—The Wiltern—Los Angeles, CA
October 12—Tower Theatre—Upper Darby, PA
October 14 & 15—Kings Theatre—Brooklyn, NY
October 16—The Capitol Theatre—Port Chester, NY
October 19—Ryman Auditorium—Nashville, TN
October 20—The Chicago Theatre-Chicago, IL
