The full-length collaboration between free-folk pioneer Dredd Foole, a.k.a. Dan Ireton, and multi-instrumentalist Ed Yazijian has been a long time coming. Emerging from the Boston post-punk scene of the ’80s, the duo first joined forces to explore a new musical direction, one that would incorporate traditional folk techniques and instrumentation into a more unconventional and improv-based form. At first, this new sound elicited its fair share of furrowed eyebrows, and their performances served mainly to divide and mystify audiences. Following this initial response, the duo went their separate ways, only to cross paths again in 1994 on Dredd Foole’s seminal In Quest of Tense, in which Yazijian contributed on one track. Although it garnered little attention upon its release, In Quest of Tense nonetheless gained a quiet following among likeminded artists, and Foole has since worked with the likes Matt Valentine, Thurston Moore, and Jim O’Rourke. However, it wasn’t until the duo’s appearance at the landmark Brattleboro Free Folk Festival in 2003 and the subsequent Wire article covering the events when their music was properly contextualized and would eventually gain acceptance under the banner of New Weird America.
Fast-forward to February of 2008, and Ireton and Yazijian have reconvened at Ireton’s Brattleboro home to lay down the sessions that would form That Lonesome Road Between Hurt and Soul. Recorded in less than a week, the album finds the duo taking a zero-bullshit approach, abandoning overdubs and studio effects in favor of loose and extended jams performed in single takes. The result is some of the rawest and most confrontational material produced by either artist to date.
Unsurprisingly, the proceedings are dominated by Ireton’s unhinged vocal style — think Tim Buckley but sung with maniacal punk rock abandon — which is presented here without the heavy reverb or delay that has characterized some of his earlier releases. Likely to repel those who have previously found his style off-putting, Ireton utilizes the loose song form to employ vocal improvisations ranging from frantic whispers and guttural howls to hysterical babbles and honky falsetto. Whether you find Ireton’s uninhibited methods moving, comedic, or just plain cringe-worthy, they are nonetheless delivered with a level of sincerity and conviction that's impossible to dismiss. Indeed, Ireton’s words have always seemed secondary to the sheer expressive qualities exuding from the sounds themselves, even if those sounds can be quite abrasive and hard to take at times. Thankfully, though, Yazijian’s strings complement Ireton’s antics well and, in turn, provide the album with some much needed color and variation.
Overall, the extended jams on That Lonesome Road are plagued by a crude and voyeuristic quality. At times, I can’t help feeling like I’m peering in on impromptu sessions between two friends who just happened to be in the same town at the same time. While some may find it tempting to legitimize That Lonesome Road based on the duo’s previous fundamental contributions to free-folk, there is still the matter of other artists who have since adopted the genre’s standards to create truly unique, challenging, and captivating works. For the most part, That Lonesome Road retains the challenging aspects that have become characteristic of the free-folk form, but offers little in return. That being said, there are still places, such as on the cover of Tim Buckley’s “Buzzin’ Fly” and the 21-minute opener “You Feel,” where the duo hit upon moments of unabashed beauty. These moments are fleeting, however, and merely hint at the duo’s undeniable potential. Given the opportunity for further collaborations, Ireton and Yazijian seem more than capable of producing a work that will garner them increased recognition, not only as pioneers, but as a continuing force in one of the most identifiable musical trends of the past decade. Until that time comes, That Lonesome Road Between Hurt and Soul will have to do.
1. You Feel
2. Overcome
3. Buzzin’ Fly
4. Freedom
5. Love in the Basement
6. Charlestown Blues
7. So High
More about: Dredd Foole & Ed Yazijian
