Vetiver: Thing Of The Past

Elly Roberts reviews

Vetiver: Thing Of The Past
Distributed by
Fat Cat RecordsCover

  • Released: May 2008
  • Rating: 10/10+
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Oldies. With new values.

Driving through the sparse north Wales countryside seemed an appropriate place tolisten to Vetiver’s wonderful Thing Of The Past.

It reminded me of a similar journey through Wisconsin’s undulating landscape13 years ago. The title is also a clue. Essentially, Vetiver is acountry band lead by Andy Cabic) a buddy of the brilliant Devendra Banhart(who occasionally joins them) cellist Alissa Anderson (who adds some divinevocals too) drummer Otto Hauser, violinist Carmen Biggers, guitarists KevinBarker and Sanders Trippe and bassist Brent Dunn.

Thing Of The Past is respectfully dedicated to Cabic’s heroes, as heunearths songs which might otherwise have been well forgotten from the late’60s to early ’70s. For this reviewer alone, it’s brought a great deal ofpleasure and it will to you too.

For some fans it might be considered a retrograde step – not at all.

It might prove, in the future, to be inspirational for them, and others – musiclovers. It does take some courage attempting a covers album, but when you’vegot top class production by country specialist Pernice Brothers’ Thom Monahan,it helps. They stamp their ideas perfectly with acoustic lead rambler Housesby forgotten Canadian Elyse Weinberg followed by Daryl Adams’ gorgeous driftingswing Roll On Babe.


When they hit Sleep A Million Years by Dia Joyce, (recorded some 40years ago by obscure artist Kathy Heiderman), featuring musical stable-mateYashti Bunyan’s sublime vocals, they strike gold. Matthews Southern Comfort’s1970 track from Later That Same Year – Road To Ronderlin – is aquaint and delicate ballad, beautifully handled.

The biggest surprise is choosing a song by Brit space-rockers Hawkwind – HurryOn Sundown (1970), though their cover makes absolute sense because theoriginal, a lightweight rocker by their standards, is a great song featuringrasping countrified-blues harmonica. Vetiver simply make it their own due tothe exquisite country credentials, retaining the romp, making it the mostexhilarating of them all – pure brilliance.

More class ensues on LoudonWainwright’s The Swimming Song, covered by Kate and Annie McGarrigle,retaining the rootsy/bluegrass feel, though without the original’s gusto.Another major highlight is Cabic joined by writer of Blue Driver – 67 year-oldMichael Hurley on a groovy country boogie.

Standin’, by enigmatic country legend Townes Van Zandt is a smooth ‘chuggernaut’and great follower-on to Blue Driver. And finally, where it all began.Bobby Charles’s sublime lo-fi ballad, I Must In A Good Place Now … “Appletrees blooming all around / I must be in a good place now / Sunshine coming /A rainbow colored sky” summed up my time and place on the road home.

File under: Nice one Andy !

Weblink:myspace.com/vetiver


The full list of tracks included are :

1. Houses
2. Roll On Babe
3. Sleep A Million Years
4. Hook And Ladder
5. To Baby
6. Road To Ronderlin
7. Lon Chaney
8. Hurry On Sundown
9. The Swimming Song#
10. Blue Driver
11. Standin’
12. I Must Be In Good Place Now

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