Dirt Farmer

Sunday, November 11, 2007

In 1998, the singer of "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" was almost driven down by throat cancer. Almost, but not quite: "Dirt Farmer" is former the Band-member Levon Helm's return from voicelessness, and he's used the unexpected opportunity to express his deep and abiding devotion to the roots music he first heard growing up in rural Arkansas. Helm's singing is more ragged for the wear, but his weathered tone suits traditional material like "False Hearted Lover Blues" and "The Blind Child." Produced with rough-hewn tenderness by Helm's daughter Amy (a member of Ollabelle) and Bob Dylan sideman Larry Campbell, the album also includes tunes by Steve Earle as well as Buddy and Julie Miller, the latter of whom add old-pal harmony vocals to "The Mountain." Spirited and moving.—Mikael Wood

Labels: ,