Arizona is in many ways like an exceptionally interesting, but painfully private person. She doesn't reveal all of herself at once. Rather, she makes you work at getting to know her, and opens up to you slowly. Only when you take the time to bond with her, sharing little bits of yourself with her along the way, will she tell you her secrets, and once she does, you can't believe you ever doubted her coolness. Before you and she are even drinking buddies, she's sure to mention her friend Al. (So is half the state's population.)
Al Perry, sometimes referred to as “the honorary mayor of Tucson,” is quite possibly the most loved man in the southern half of Arizona. Nearly everyone who's met him has some fantastically endearing story to tell about an encounter with him. Al, though, is more than just a well respected man about town. He's a legendary Arizona musician, and he recently came out with a new record. Titled, The Three Track Session EP, the album is exactly what it claims to be. Seven classic country tunes by the likes of Hank Williams, Naomi Ford, and Porter Wagoner are presented in a stripped down fashion, and recorded with no frills by Jack Miller on an Ampex 3-track machine, “...used back in the golden age,” according to the three lines of liner notes printed on the back of the case.
I am often skeptical of the cover album, and for good reason. There's nothing worse than someone butchering a monumental tune, or rehashing the same radio hit, particularly if the one doing it is a musician you otherwise like. I must concede though, there are some efforts, which are in fact cover albums, by definition, but which should never be lumped into the same category as that riff raff that gives the whole concept a bad rap.
It is my not-so-humble opinion that in order for an artist to make a cover album, he or she should have to meet a certain set of qualifications.
1)
The artist in question should have a minimum of one decade experience playing and performing.* (Punk icon and personal idol Patti Smith once said that while she had wanted to make a cover album for a long time, she didn't until recently because she wasn't ready, and didn't have the experience necessary. That is the kind of reverence and humility a good cover album requires.) *This is not to say that one could not record a cover song with less experience.
2)The artist should have a fresh take on the material being covered, particularly if that material is familiar to the vast majority of average people – music snobs or not.
3)The artist should be able to recite the liner notes to the original tune from memory.
Oh how I don't wish this to sound harsh, dear reader! I simply believe that a poorly done cover album is actually detrimental to your long term visions of health and happiness, and one well done can give you an appreciation for songs you didn't even like the first time around.
I am very pleased to report that Perry's latest record does all of the things that a good cover record should. In an age when over produced seems to be the industry standard, it's refreshing to have something that's back-to-basics and places the listener's focus on the purity of the arrangement. This authentic country style allows one to enjoy each element of the collective, including, and especially, the lyrics. Perry unsurprisingly chooses a set of songs where love, but more often heartbreak is the theme. While it may not work for everyone, he has a certain sincerity to his distinct voice that echoes how genuine the original pieces were, yet makes them his own.
This Arizona gem couldn't do much to offend, but that's exactly the honest sweetness that makes this album great. Always a pleasure, Al.
