Jake Xerxes Fussell

Reared in Georgia and now settled in North Carolina, Jake Xerxes Fussellhas established himself as a devoted listener and contemplative interpreter of a vast array of so-called folk songs, lovingly sourced from a personal store of favorites. On his latest album, When Im Calledhis first LP for Fat Possum, and his first as a parentFussell returns to a well of music that holds lifelong sentimental meaning, loosely contemplating the passage of time and the procession of lifes unexpected offerings. The album was produced by James Elkington and mixed by Tucker Martine. In addition to Elkington, it features the playing of Ben Whiteley (The Weather Station), Joe Westerlund (Bon Iver, Califone), and others. Blake Mills contributes guitars on several tracks. Joan Shelley and Robin Holcomb provide backing vocals. Fussell is the rare contemporary to approach folk in its pure form, shunning self-penned compositions about bummer relationships to concentrate on material handed down from bygone, hardened times. The New Yorker (Fussell) is one of the great magpies of American song, collecting forgotten, tarnished gems with a folklorists zeal his renditions arent so much cover versions as composites The Guardian maybe the leading interpreter of American folk music right now. Ann Powers, NPR Age restriction: 14+ / 14 - 16s accompanied by an adult