Electric Dirt

Did you notice in yesterday's " iPod Random Ten" list that "Tennessee Jed" came up—but instead of by the Grateful Dead, it was by Levon Helm? It's the first track on Helm's brand-spanking-new CD, "Electric Dirt." That track, and a few others, have a very definite The-Band-y feel to them. It's hard to describe, but whatever it was that made a song sound like The Band, this has it in spades.

Other tracks have a more rootsy, gospel feel, more like Helm's 2007 release, "Dirt Farmer." You may remember that I loved that CD, and I love this one too. I think I could happily listen to Levon Helm sing the ABCs—if he was really into doing it, that is. Some people are complaining that his throat cancer left his voice not as strong as it was; maybe so, but it is still one of the most soulful voices I know. There's a certain longing, a twang, that only he can muster, and it gets me every time. Right here.