BILL MORRISSEY
The Essential Collection (Rounder Heritage)
Reviewed by Shaun Dale

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Though it's weighted toward material from the 1990s, this collection documents the full twenty year recording career of one of the finest songwriters in contemporary folk music, Bill Morrissey. Emphasis on the 'writer,' which is the strongest feature of Morrisey's musical craft, with convincing characters peopling compelling stories. And in a world where much of the public defines a 'real' writer as one with a published novel to his credit, Bill Morrissey is, indeed, a 'real' writer in that sense, too.

Of course, it's not all that unlikely that the truly essential Bill Morrissey album will be the next one, and Rounder acknowledges the dynamic nature of his talent by including three new unreleased recordings in this collection, but titles notwithstanding, Morrissey richly deserves the honor of a retrospective, and this one delivers all the honor due. You richly deserve to spend some time - lots of time - with songs this good.

Track List:

Barstow * Inside * Robert Johnson * Fifty * These Cold Fingers * Ice Fishing * Just Before We Lost The War * Avalon Blues * Letter From Heaven * Handsome Molly * Different Currency * Cold Cold Night * Small Town On The River * You'll Never Get To Heaven * Birches * Long Gone * 23rd Street * Joe Turner Blues * Just Today * Boston Eyes

© 2005 - Shaun Dale