By Bloodshot Records
Bloodshot Records will release its 25th anniversary compilation, Too Late to Pray: Defiant Chicago Roots on Friday, November 8th.
The album revisits the concept of the Chicago roots/country label’s first release from 1994, For A Life of Sin: Insurgent Chicago Country, in gathering new recordings from standout like-minded acts across the current local scene.
The album features 22 original and cover songs, with contributions from Robbie Fulks, Jon Langford’s Hillbilly Lovechild (featuring Steve Albini), Freakwater, Brendan Kelly and the Wandering Birds (of Lawrence Arms), Half Gringa, The Handsome Family, ROOKIE, The Hoyle Brothers, Sima Cunningham (of OHMME), Kelly Hogan, and others. A full artist and track listing can be found below.
Outlaw country group Wild Earp & The Free For Alls captures the compilation spirit with their city-traversing video “The Last Honky Tonk in Chicago.”
The video was directed by Wild Earp, shot and edited by Paul Dybas, and features the band and friends two-stepping all over town, visiting local fixtures like Empty Bottle, Carol’s Pub, Lonesome Rose, Chicago Theater, the El train, bus stops, and the shore of Lake Michigan.
To celebrate the release of Too Late to Pray, two live events will be held in Chicago:
* A Too Late To Pray Album Release Party at Workshop 4200 on November 9th, featuring performances by ROOKIE, Wild Earp & The Free For Alls, Big Sadie, David Quinn, and The Dyes.
* A special Chicago Honky Tonk Matinee at Empty Bottle on November 17th, featuring Kelly Hogan & The Western Elstons.
Full artist and track listing:
1. Wild Earp & The Free For Alls, “The Last Honky Tonk in Chicago”
2. Tammi Savoy & the Chris Casello Combo, “If It’s News to You”
3. Jon Langford’s Hillbilly Lovechild, “I Am a Big Town”
4. Half Gringa, “Wearing White”
5. Brendan Kelly & the Wandering Birds, “Lay Me Down”
6. The Family Gold, “The Sun Is Going Down”
7. Big Sadie, “You Never Told Me”
8. ROOKIE, “Head Over Heels”
9. The Dyes, “Liza Jane”
10. Robbie Fulks, “Lonely Ain’t Hardly Alive”
11. Freakwater, “Sway”
12. David Quinn, “Long Time Gone”
13. The Hoyle Brothers, “A Little Bit of Buck”
14. Bethany Thomas & Tawny Newsome, “Dinosaur”
15. Sima Cunningham, “Weeds and Daisies”
16. The Lawrence Peters Outfit, “I Wrote You a Song”
17. Kelly Hogan, “Gotta Have My Baby Back”
18. The Saluda Moonlighters, “Honky Tonkin’ in the Moonlight”
19. Los Gallos, “Yeah Yeah Yeah”
20. Joybird, “The Sweetness”
21. The Western Elstons, “Toast That Lie”
22. The Handsome Family. “Tower of Song”
Liner notes and credits.
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Comments welcome.
Posted on October 7, 2019