Oh Michael, Look What You've Done: Friends Play Michael Chapman

Folk/country
Folk guitar master and singer-songwriter Michael Chapman gets his own tribute album courtesy of the awesome Tompkins Square. A truly diverse set of interpretations, each song uniquely lovely. Anyone who’s ever sweepingly dissed folk or country should listen to this album right now and be converted. Everything is great, but here are some favorites: 3, 5, 7, 11. No FCCs.

1. (2:39)—Instrumental. Upbeat, mid-tempo, warm. Fiddles, banjo, acoustic guitar.
2. (3:25)— Plugged in country. Chugging but easygoing. Subdued, deep male vocals.
3. *(7:06)—Sloooow. Lots of reverb, other guitar effects. Features Lucinda Williams’ grizzled vocals. Enters slowcore or shoegaze territory.
4. (3:49)—Angsty, mid-tempo strumming and half-spoken vocals. Thurston Moore is coolness personified.
5. *(4:38)—So breathtakingly beautiful and warm. Acoustic plucking, steel guitar, hushed vocals.
6. (2:40)—A-cappella. Mid-tempo, stark, melancholy, heavy on the reverb.
7. *(7:44)—Slow, big, lumbering, scorched-earth country rock. Backup singers during the choruses. This just oozes cool.
8. (4:09)—Slow, shimmering guitar. Vocals that soar in spite of the singer’s age. Drums enter a minute in.
9. (4:12)—Waltz-time guitar plucking. Male/female harmonies. Refreshing like a drink of cool water.
10. (6:23)—Instrumental. Medium-slow, hypnotic guitar plucking. Soft and comforting.
11. *(5:05)—Slow, autumnal, naturalistic. Bridget St. John’s age gives her vocals a muted gravity.
12. (3:12)—Instrumental. On-the-rise guitar god William Tyler offers a jaunty blues walk with a little harmonica.