Bonny Light Horseman at Rough Trade and Levon Helm Studio
It may be 2020 but the spirit of the 1800s is alive and well. I heard Wild Mountain Thyme three nights in a row this week, performed by two different bands. There’s no chance of traditional music being forgotten any time soon, if Anais Mitchell, Josh Kaufman, and Eric D. Johnson have anything to say (sing) about it.
It’s an education. Bonny Light Horseman continues the long tradition of reinventing and reinterpreting classic folk music of various origins, from Scottish airs to 1960s Greenwich Village revivalist tunes. Their self-titled record ties a gorgeous knot on the long tangled threads of folk music, a dizzying lineage that adds to the music’s mystique. For example, both Fred Neil and Tim Hardin claimed to have written the traditional song “Green Rocky Road,” according to Mark Brend’s American Troubadours (see BLH’s more Van Ronk-ian take below.) As history conceals the identity of the true songwriters, folk songs come to belong to everyone – the folk, I suppose.
Listening to Bonny Light Horseman is an extremely pleasant way to educate yourself. As singles were released, even the most ardent students of folk music had to put in some work to research the origins and history of each track. They’ve crafted gorgeous re-arrangements and re-tellings of timeless tales of heartache, longing, loss, and love. What better way to learn something than by finding out what inspires the artists who inspire you?
Over the course of two nights, first at Rough Trade in Brooklyn, then at the Levon Helm Studios in Woodstock, the threesome was joined by bassist Annie Nero and drummer JT Bates who added the delicate, melodic touch required by the celestial songs. Kaufman’s playing is unearthly, Anais Mitchell is a goddess to behold, a seven-month pregnant Venus whose voice reaches unknown heights, and if you’ve been paying attention, you already know I’ll fly across the country to hear EDJ sing anything. Bonny Light Horseman gifted their audience with each of the tracks from their record, delivering resonating depths of sound and showcasing flawless musicianship. Beyond these, the collective offered dazzling renditions of the aforementioned “Wild Mountain Thyme,” Tim Buckley’s “Buzzin’ Fly,” Anne Briggs’ “Go Your Way,” and Bobby Charles’ “I Must Be In A Good Place Now.” Hearing the band in Levon’s barn made it even that much more special, Amy Helm joining the band for an encore along with openers Erin Rae and Joe Pug. Two soul-affirming nights of music.
