The Bootleg Series, Vol. 9: The Witmark Demos: 1962-1964

Like any fledgling songwriter, signed with a publishing company at the outset of his career. Publishers are standard practice for songwriters -- it's where the money comes in, as songs are published, performed, and covered -- but in the early '60s there was an expectation that publishers would help place songs in the hands of appropriate singers, a practice effectively ended by popularizing writers singing their own songs, but in 1962, this self-sufficiency was a rarity. Even his 1962 debut contained only three originals, which in his case reflected his traditional folk roots, but needed a publisher for those three songs so , who signed the singer/songwriter to , pointed him toward . cut a demo session for between the recording and release of and when that album wound up stiffing, let him buy out his contract in the summer of 1962, which then led to him signing with publishing company. Between 1962 and 1964, a period that roughly spanned to cut several demo sessions for , usually with the intent of the publisher pitching songs to other singers. Many of his early classics were first essayed here -- -- and he also cut songs he never revisited. Some wound up with other artists -- -- some were lost to time, leaking out on bootlegs until they officially surfaced on 2010's . Many of these recordings have been heavily bootlegged, some excerpted on previous , but they've never been presented as completely and in as great fidelity as they are on this two-disc set. Great fidelity seems almost unnecessary for such simple recordings, although the cleanliness enhances the intimacy, so familiar songs are lent freshness when surrounded by the thumping of a microphone or closing of a door. This disarming intimacy -- verging on eavesdropping -- is as attractive as the 15 songs that never appeared on an official album. Some of these songs are throwaways -- lacks finished verses, with promising that he'll write them down later -- but there's considerable charm in hearing tossing off a song, plus some of these half-forgotten discards, like and are still quite strong. Nevertheless, the real appeal of this volume of the is to listen as develops as a songwriter and artist. The songs spilled forth at an astonishing rate, and the great majority were not only superb, they were different from what came before, with his homage quickly replaced by a quick-witted protest singer who then started to delve into the personal in revolutionary ways. At its core, these demos are the sound of becoming , and it's an evolution that's spellbinding. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine