The Chieftains' new CD "Down the Old Plank Road"

[Tonto Yoder]

This CD was just released Tuesday the 17th, but I bought it without question since two of my favorite artists, Patty Griffin and Gillian Welch, are on it. Like some other Chieftains' CD's, it seeks to find common elements in Irish tunes & American country music.
The artist roster reads like a who's who of real country music:
Alison Krauss, John Hiatt, Lyle Lovett, Buddy & Julie Miller, Bela Fleck et al.

The surprise standout track was by Alison Krauss--an achingly beautiful ballad of lost love that's stripped to its essentials--just Krauss' inimitable voice with just the right amount of back-up.
I played this CD on a 3 CD changer today while at work: each time the Krauss came round, I just had to stop work and listen.

It's certainly not for everyone's tastes, but anyone who enjoyed "Oh Brother Where Art Thou" or "Down From the Mountain" should check this out. BTW, I'm generally not a fan of what's called "country music" nowadays, but these tunes seem earlier and purer: if all "country" was like this, you could call me "Bubba Yoder."

[Punker X]

I got the "Long Black Veil", outstanding CD. Mick Jaggar on the title song, the entire "Stones" on another, other guesses include Sting, Snead O'Connor, Van Morrison, Mark Knopfler, Ry Cooder, Marianne Faithfull and Tom Jones.

I've been so wrapped up in vinyl lately, I haven't even been looking for CD's. I might have to go pick this one up.

X

[Tonto Yoder]

PX.
I have "Veil" also; what seems like a more similar effort is "Tears of Stone" with a preponderance of female artists, some famous and some obscure (at least to me). "Plank Road" is quite different--more mountain/roots music but still a great effort.
I tried to find a website that had song samples, but came up empty.

TY