Daniel Bachman – “Rappahannock River Rag” (Jack Rose)

Couldn’t come back from the break with better news than a new collection of covers from RSTB fave Daniel Bachman. After gracing us all with a defining statement in last year’s Axacan, Bachman rips into 2022 with a full seven-piece set of songs that runs down some of his personal favorites — songs that have brought him comfort in darker days. Alongside the Roy Harvey/Leonard Cohen cover that lends its name to the title here, Lonesome Weary Blues runs down pieces from Lemuel Turner, Alan Wilson, Jack Rose, Elizabeth Cotton and a few traditionals that are given Bachman’s distinct treatment. The cohesion doesn’t come from the origins so much as Bachman’s finger-bitten blues approach, leaning into the songs here with a feeling that bliss might be long gone, but relief is somewhere on the other side of each one of these tunes. Hard to pick a favorite out of the bunch, but its pretty hard to pass up Daniel taking on Jack’s ramble, culled from a b-side with the Black Twigs back in 2009. While there’s a feeling of defeat as this year crests the hill, at least this is a bit of light to shine the way.

Support the artist. Buy it HERE.