A timelessly classy release by the veteran soul, blues and gospel singer and social activist from the Staples Singers, in a release of wonderfully moving and poignant cover versions, beautifully interpreting works by artists including Tom Waits, Curtis Mayfield, Leonard Cohen, and Gillian Welch. The title track is of course a cornerstone – a gorgeous, intimate, country-flavoured version of the 1995 song by Sparklehorse written by Mark Linkous (who passed away in 2010). It’s a number that naturally resonates. The album includes low-key support by a host of luminaries Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy, Justin Vernon aka Bon Iver, MJ Lenderman, Katie Crutchfield, Buddy Guy and Bonnie Raitt, all no doubt huge admirers of the 86-year-old star who brings poignancy and presence to all the songs here. Other particular highlights include the jaunty, defiant (and politically topical) opener and version of Waits’ and Kathleen Brennan’s Chicago; the sharply poignant is A Satisfied Mind, a gorgeous take on Curtis Mayfield's We Gotta Have Peace; a gently defiant rendition of Gillian Welch’s Hard Times; a gorgeous version of Leonard Cohen's Anthem, and the empathetic and solidarity-finding rendition of Kevin Morby's Beautiful Strangers, written in the aftermath of the Le Bataclan terrorist attack in Paris, which recently had a tenth anniversary. Covers albums don’t always bring something new, but Staples’ delivery is perfectly delivered with a soft and sensitive power. An extraordinary singer with a seven-decade career, she an enduringly brilliant figure across many eras, an international treasure. Out on ANTI Records.
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