Cold As the Clay
He's both a PhD and a punk rocker. Is it any wonder Greg Graffin would release an old-timey folk record? Clearly, the Bad Religion cofounder is a man of many dimensions. As he explains in the liner notes, this one has long been part of him. He grew up with roots music and has always written songs that can be performed sans electricity. Of the 11 on the Brett Gurewitz-producedCold as the Clay, five are originals and six are traditionals. It isn't always easy to tell the difference between the two, since Graffin avoids genre staples, like "John Barleycorn," opting instead for more obscure entries, like "Omie Wise," a relic from his Midwestern childhood (Graffin moved from Milwaukee to LA when he was 11). As with Omie, who is drowned, few of the protagonists make out well: Sadie ("Little Sadie") is shot, Willie ("Willie Moore") dies of a broken heart, etc. With an assist from the Weakerthans and the incomparable Jolie Holland--and instruments like harmonica, banjo, and fiddle--it's a given thatCold as the Claywon't appeal to all Bad Religion buffs. It is, however, a logical next step after Graffin's intimate, decidedly un-punkAmerican Lesionsolo project. Also recommended to fans ofO Brother, Where Art Thou?and Bruce Springsteen'sWe Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions.--Kathleen C. Fennessy