The artist: The Jayhawks

The album: Music From The North Country: The Jayhawks Anthology (American)

The spin: In college, I was introduced to what is often referred to as alt-country — Uncle Tupelo, Wilco, Son Volt and Whiskeytown — but I never listened to the Jayhawks.

Disc one of Music From The North Country: The Jayhawks Anthology, is an excellent primer, but not something that’s going to interest fans of the band. Writer PD Larson, who co-produced the album, expresses dismay in the liner notes that the Jayhawks never really surged in popularity. In that light, the first disc is an argument in favor of affording them more respect, covering 14 years of the group’s career, from the 1989 release of Blue Earth to 2003’s Ethan Johns-produced Rainy Day Music. A handful of tracks are meant to represent the best of each album, which might frustrate hardcore fans.

For the uninitiated, the songs present a narrative that provides a sense of the Jayhawks evolution. The first tracks on disc one, “Two Angels” and “Ain’t No End,” both from 1989’s Blue Earth, have all the elements that drew me to bands that would come later — a genuine appreciation and mastery of the music and musicians that came earlier, such as Gram Parsons, the Byrds and the Flying Burrito Brothers, infused with a contemporary sensibility. The next four tracks, including “Waiting for the Sun” and “Martin’s Song,” are from 1992’s Hollywood Town Hall, and they illustrate the band’s growth. The singing and songwriting is bolder, demonstrating a growing confidence.

The second disc, which will be of more interest to fans already familiar with the Jayhawks’ catalog, contains several unreleased tracks, including “Old Woman From Red Clay” and an alternate version of “Two Angels” with different lyrics. Also included is a demo of “Won’t Be Coming Home,” a song that would later come to life on Golden Smog’s Down By the Old Mainstream album (which featured Jayhawks Gary Louris and Marc Perlman and several other musicians from other well-known bands, including Jeff Tweedy). Although not as polished as the other recordings, these songs act as a strong complement to the first disc, providing a sort of behind the scenes look that helps to develop the band’s character.

The grade: A

– Peter Mongillo

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