Axels & Sockets

It seems sadly fitting that (best remembered as the founder and leading light of the fabled band ) is better recognized in Europe years after his death in 1996 than he was in his native United States in the final decade of his short life; it was just the sort of fate that met many of the innovative blues and jazz artists and outlaw poets that were his heroes and role models. Though audiences overseas more eagerly embrace 's vision, there was something strongly and defiantly American in his lyrical voice and his fusion of blues, punk, jazz, folk, country, and nearly any other native musical strain that crossed his path. Thankfully, a handful of 's friends and admirers have kept the flame alive with a series of albums that offer fresh, sometimes radical interpretations of his songs, with 's old running buddy contributing guidance and a cache of old demo cassettes that held a treasure trove of unrecorded compositions. The third album from , , offers more rare and unheard tunes performed by a rotating cast of musicians, ranging from folks who knew and worked with ( and ) to like-minded left-of-center rock icons ( ), and young upstarts who see as an influence and kindred spirit ( ). While a number of these performances are rave-ups in 's tradition of punk informed by rootsy blues and country accents -- notably 's version of "Thunderhead" and 's romp through "Ain't My Problem Baby" -- many of the participants put different spins on his work, showing how diverse his songs could be in the right hands. 's wiry vocals fit "Nobody's City" like a glove, 's electronic overhaul of "Goodbye Johnny" transports the song's swampy vibe into cyberspace, 's duet with on "Into the Fire" reinforces both the beauty of the melody and the emotional intelligence of the lyrics, finds something both lovely and ominous in "Desire by Blue River," and 's spoken word duet with an old recording of on "The Journey Is Long" is effective enough that it ought to be longer than just over a minute. ( 's vocals also pop up on 's reworking of "Shame and Pain," with adding his own brand of dissonance.) In their third round, and his colleagues are still finding fascinating things in the archives, and is a potent reminder of the strength and imagination of his songwriting, making a powerful case for his status as an overlooked visionary. ~ Mark Deming