I Am The Resurrection: A Tribute To John Fahey

I Am The Resurrection: A Tribute To John Fahey

(Vanguard)

John Fahey expanded the boundaries of acoustic guitar beyond folk music. In fact, "folk" seems too limiting to describe someone who delved into blues, Native American music, Indian ragas, experimental dissonance, and pop. While members of Sonic Youth often praise Fahey's work, his influence on other indie rockers is dubious, making I Am the Resurrection a curious, if ultimately satisfying, tribute. With contributions that sweep from Calexico, Fruit Bats, Sufjan Stevens, and Devendra Banhart to Cul De Sac, Resurrection is filled with surprises. Fahey's music isn't re-created as much as re-imagined. Howe Gelb turns "My Grandfather's Clock" into a piece for barrelhouse piano, while Sonic Youth's Lee Renaldo conceives "The Singing Bridge of Memphis, Tennessee" as a collage for electric guitar, street sounds, and spoken word. The disc's co-executive producer M. Ward picks "Bean Vine Blues #2" on what sounds like barbed wire. Only Peter Case's "When the Catfish Is in Bloom" recalls Fahey's intricate finger-picking style, yet does so with humor and grace. As tributes go, this one serves different purposes. Anyone who's followed Fahey will find a lot to like, while newcomers will almost certainly resurrect the originals.