Various - Song Of America

on paper, this project appears as improbable as the partnership that conceived it: former u.s. attorney general janet reno and veteran nashville indie-punk troubadour ed pettersen (who happens to be married to reno's niece). the history of america through 50 songs, encapsulated on three discs? the first disc alone spanning 1492 to 1860, from the landing of columbus to the civil war? an idiosyncratic selection that includes songs familiar to almost all americans and others familiar to practically none? rather than a dry, dusty museum piece, the results are compulsively listenable, as producer pettersen invites a wide range of artists to do what they do best - interpret the material and make it their own. highlights are many, as the early days of the republic find harper simon (paul's son) rendering 'yankee doodle' as if it were an indie-rock viagra commercial; the advent of the civil war shows marah, like an american pogues, bringing a punk ferocity to 'john brown's body'; and del mccoury's bluegrass rendition of 'the times they are a-changin'' finds an older man renewing a young bob dylan's anthem. the sonorous dignity that jazz vocalist andy bey brings to the depression-era panhandler's plea, 'brother, can you spare a dime?', is particularly moving, as is bettye lavette's gospel rendition of bruce springsteen's aids ballad, 'streets of philadelphia'. revolution, immigration, war, atomic power, civil rights, feminism, faith, depression, and despair - it's all here, in song.