January-February 2008

BILL STAINES’ OLD DOGS: MUSIC AS PURE AS A SIERRA CREEK

ARTIST: BILL STAINES
TITLE: OLD DOGS  

By Terry Roland

Do you ever long to get away? Sometimes, in the middle of the week, do you have an intense desire to walk in a meadow, see a shooting star, reflect on a glacial mountain, pluck an old guitar on an aged, wood front porch, or just scratch the grateful belly of an old dog? If you do, Bill Staines’ newest release, Old Dogs, provides a much-needed respite from the complexities of today’s world. He also gives a glimpse into the diversity of American experiences through which, he allows his audience to see the past in a way that informs our appreciation for the present.

The theme of Old Dogs, like its title song, is a meditation on growing older and simply noticing the clear-eyed wonder of places and time slowly passing away. Staines’ invites us to join him on a journey through the back roads of Wyoming, to see the antique-ambiance of a fading, aging Savannah, and to gaze into the madness of a Montana man “a forgotten son of some old yesterday.” The images pass by like old photographs from an antique trunk locked away for years.

The fact that these images can be conjured up is a testament to this album’s rich instrumental, lyrical and poetic success. Staines’ is credited with the album concept. While this is not a commonly given credit, it is well deserved. On both original songs and fine interpretations, Staines’ weaves tales that resonate with an American experience hidden from modern view and passing away into our common history. John Stewart’s Cody (a duet with Staines’ talented son, Bowen) and Guy Clark’s Lone Star Hotel Café are prime examples of this theme. The title song, Old Dogs, gives an analogy of the love of life that comes from old dogs and a joyful way to view the human experience of growing older as a path to grace and acceptance. The one instrumental track, Andie’s Air, is a melody that could’ve been written during The Civil War. The traditional song, Great Dream from Heaven, is a look into the faith and the promise of the hereafter. Especially moving is Staines’ medley of Elizabeth Cotton standards, Freight Train and Oh Babe It Ain’t No Lie, re-titled Cotton Pickin’ for his use of Cotton’s style of playing the guitar upside down and backwards; a method that Staines’ himself uses for his playing today.

The music is straightforward acoustic instrumentation; skillfully and carefully executed with no attempt to showcase any one musician, but rather to support the nuance of the song. This strengthens the focus on the concept and the lyrical content. The musicians include Brian Wood on lead guitar, Mike Walsh on bass, John Curtis on mandolin, and Stingy Lapel on percussion, among others. Special instrumental mention should be given to Billy Novick, who provides soprano sax on two songs and Oisin McAuley’s wistful use of the violin (not a fiddle, a violin!). While Novick’s saxophone seems an unlikely choice to appear on a collection of contemporary and traditional folk songs, the instrument is so carefully woven into each song with such harmony; one has to wonder why this combination isn’t used more often in American folk music. McAuley’s violin brings a classical dimension to the songs. When these instruments are combined with a dobro and piano, the results are stunning. The instrumental and conceptual continuity of the production makes it among the best of Staines’ recording work.

Old Dogs is a fine example of how an artist can use collaboration to make a relevant statement about the past, to restore the collective American imagination about our cultural and historical landscape. It also provides a deeper appreciation of our present lives and allows us to see the grace that surrounds us today. And all the better with the gratefulness embodied in old dogs and a folksinger who lingers a while and talks to the autumn wind.