The Spill Magazine The Spill Magazine
The Spill Magazine The Spill Magazine
The Spill Magazine The Spill Magazine
  • Reviews
    • Album Reviews
    • Features
    • Live Reviews
    • Festivals
  • Portraits
  • Headlines
    • News
    • Contests
    • Events
    • Entertainment Headlines
    • Concert Listings
    • Toronto Concert Venues
  • New Music
    • Premieres
    • Track Of The Day
  • Track Of The Week
  • Books + Movies
  • About
16
new
SPILL NEWS: CANADIAN PUNK LEGENDS DAYGLO ABORTIONS HIT THE ROAD WITH CITIZEN RAGE FOR A CROSS CANADA TOUR
SPILL FEATURE: DON’T YOU FEEL CLOSER? – A CONVERSATION WITH CY CURNIN OF THE FIXX
SPILL MUSIC PREMIERE: BROKE ROYALS – “REVIVALISM”
SPILL NEW MUSIC: COMBICHRIST SHARES NEW SINGLE & LYRIC VIDEO FOR “MODERN DEMON” VIA OUT OF LINE MUSIC
SPILL NEWS: KATIE TUPPER RETURNS WITH NEW SINGLE “HONEY” + EMBARKS ON CANADIAN TOUR
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: VARIOUS ARTISTS – PAY IT ALL BACK VOL. 8
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: FLORENCE + THE MACHINE – DANCE FEVER
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: MASTER BOOT RECORD – PERSONAL COMPUTER
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: FADER – QUARTZ
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: DIATOM DELI – TIME~LAPSE NATURE
SPILL VIDEO PREMIERE: PANJOMA – “BLEEDING SUN”
SPILL VIDEO PREMIERE: BEAUTY IN CHAOS – “AFTERLIFE” FT. TISH CIRAVOLO
SPILL NEW MUSIC: NEW SINGLE FROM ARKELLS “PAST LIFE (FEAT. COLD WAR KIDS)”
SPILL VIDEO PREMIERE: MORTAL PROPHETS – “STOMP THE DEVIL”
SPILL NEWS: MUSICOUNTS ANNOUNCES DALLAS GREEN AS THE ‘2022 MUSICOUNTS INSPIRED MINDS AMBASSADOR AWARD’ RECIPIENT
SPILL NEWS: THE SMASHING PUMPKINS ANNOUNCE NORTH AMERICAN ARENA TOUR | JANE’S ADDICTION TO JOIN AS SPECIAL GUESTS
  • Reviews
    • Album Reviews
    • Features
    • Live Reviews
    • Festivals
  • Portraits
  • Headlines
    • News
    • Contests
    • Events
    • Entertainment Headlines
    • Concert Listings
    • Toronto Concert Venues
  • New Music
    • Premieres
    • Track Of The Day
  • Track Of The Week
  • Books + Movies
  • About
  • Spill Menu
    • Reviews
      • Album Reviews
      • Features
      • Live Reviews
      • Festivals
    • Portraits
    • Headlines
      • News
      • Contests
      • Events
      • Entertainment Headlines
      • Concert Listings
      • Toronto Concert Venues
    • New Music
      • Premieres
      • Track Of The Day
    • Track Of The Week
    • Books + Movies
    • About
Album Reviews
221
Editor Pick
previous article
SPILL FEATURE: LOOKING BACK AND GIVING BACK - A CONVERSATION WITH SUE FOLEY
next article
SPILL NEWS: WOLFE ISLAND MUSIC FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES WINTER BALL 2019 ON MARCH 28 IN TORONTO

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: TOWNES VAN ZANDT – SKY BLUE

Townes Van Zandt

Townes Van Zandt
Sky Blue
TVZ Records/Fat Possum Records

March 7, 2019 would have been Townes Van Zandt’s 75th birthday, and so it is a fitting release date for  an album of unreleased material. Van Zandt died on January 1, 1997 and in his lifetime he recorded ten studio albums. Those ten albums influenced artists such as Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Steve Earle, just to mention three.  Sky Blue is an album that clearly demonstrates what the fuss is all about. In some ways it is an excellent introduction to this talented writer and performer.

The songs on the album date back to 1973/74, but they sound like they could have been written and recorded in 2019. As with much of his catalogue, the songs are  timeless. There are 11 previously unreleased songs here, assembled and put together by his family. Given the beauty of this album, it makes one wonder what else is in the vault. But what is even more amazing, Sky Blue does not sound like an album of outtakes, but a brand new album by a genius.

There are numerous unreleased versions of songs we know and love. The version of “Poncho and Lefty” is one of the best available and “Rex’s Blues”, although an early draft, sounds as good as the released version.

There are also some never before released cover versions. The traditional, “Hills of Roane County,”  is an East Tennessee murder ballad from the 1880s . Van Zandt tackles it with beauty and respect to the traditional song. Also featured are Richard Dobson’s “Forever for Always for Certain,” and Tom Paxton’s classic “The Last Thing on My Mind”. It is cliché to say that he makes them his own, but it is true. These covers become Van Zandt songs, and they sound fantastic.

Perhaps of most interest is the inclusion of two previously unreleased songs, written by Van Zandt. “All I Need” and the title track, “Sky Blue”. It is amazing it has taken this long for the songs to have been released. They are both lyrically and musically stunning.

Sky Blue is, for the most part, Van Zandt and his guitar. What more do you need? He sounds somewhat weary but the passion in his voice is beyond compare. The recordings sound great and it is a rare commodity of an album that pleases both avid and casual fans.



Artist Links

website_flat_2016 facebook_flat_2016 twitter_flat_2016

Editor Pick
Item Reviewed

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: TOWNES VAN ZANDT – SKY BLUE

Author

Aaron Badgley

Here's what we think...
Spill Rating
Fan Rating
Rate Here
New Criteria
10
—
9.0
Total Spill Rating
—
Total Fan Rating
You have rated this
Album Reviews
album reviewalbum reviewsall i needfat possum recordssky bluetownes van zandttvz records
album review, album reviews, all i need, fat possum records, sky blue, townes van zandt, tvz records
About the Author
Aaron Badgley
Born and raised in Whitby, Aaron discovered music through his love of The Beatles. This led to a career in radio, writing for various publications, and ultimately a radio show about The Beatles (Beatles Universe), which ran for over four years. When not immersed in music, Aaron enjoys spending time with the loves of his life -- his wife Andrea, and daughters Emily and Linda (all of whom have an intense love of music too).
RELATED ARTICLES
album reviewalbum reviewsfat possum records
 
9.0
On-U Sound
—

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: VARIOUS ARTISTS – PAY IT ALL BACK VOL. 8

by Ljubinko Zivkovic on May 13, 2022
Various Artists Pay It All Back Vol. 8 On-U Sound Master producer/songwriter/artist Adrian Sherwood has been behind all things On-U Sound since 1979, and since then he and [...]
 
10
Florence + The Machine
5.8

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: FLORENCE + THE MACHINE – DANCE FEVER

by Robert Defina on May 13, 2022
Florence + the Machine  Dance Fever Polydor Records Florence + The Machine has always found the midway point between her classically-trained vocals and accessible dance pop. Her [...]
 
9.0
Master Boot Record
—

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: MASTER BOOT RECORD – PERSONAL COMPUTER

by Samantha Stevens on May 13, 2022
Master Boot Record Personal Computer Metal Blade Records Once in a generation a musical genre takes a leap and for metal…that leap is Master Boot Record. The brainchild of [...]
 
9.0
Fader

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: FADER – QUARTZ

by Aaron Badgley on May 13, 2022
Fader Quartz Blanc Check Records Fader is a duo, consisting of Neil Arthur (Blancmange/Near Future) and Benge (Wrangler, Creep Show and John Foxx And The Maths). Quartz is their third album, [...]
 
9.0
Diatom Deli

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: DIATOM DELI – TIME~LAPSE NATURE

by Ljubinko Zivkovic on May 13, 2022
Diatom Deli Time~Lapse Nature RVNG International Artist PR’s can really go to extremes, from bare facts to wordy gibberish that praises the artists to heaven with no substantial [...]

Latest Album Reviews
View All
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: VARIOUS ARTISTS – PAY IT ALL BACK VOL. 8
9.0
—
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: FLORENCE + THE MACHINE – DANCE FEVER
10
5.8
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: MASTER BOOT RECORD – PERSONAL COMPUTER
9.0
—
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: FADER – QUARTZ
9.0
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: DIATOM DELI – TIME~LAPSE NATURE
9.0

Tweets by @spillmagazine

SPILL MAGAZINE MENU
  • Home | The Spill Magazine
  • Premieres
  • Track Of The Week
  • Album Reviews
  • Books + Movies
  • Features
  • Live Reviews
  • Festivals
  • Portraits
  • News
  • Events
  • Entertainment Headlines
  • Concert Listings
  • Toronto Concert Venues
  • About Us
  • Contests
  • New Music
  • Spill Magazine Contributors
  • TOTD
  • Privacy Policy
  • The Scene Unseen
  • Newsletter

Copyright © 2022 | The Spill Magazine
All Rights Reserved.

TRENDING RIGHT NOW
   
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: THE BIRTHDAY MASSACRE – FASCINATION
716
 
SPILL FEATURE: CRUISE TO THE EDGE 2022 – THIS YEAR’S PROG CRUISE MAKES A LOT OF NOISE. A WHOLE LOT OF NOISE.
453
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: PRIMUS – CONSPIRANOID
418
 
SPILL FEATURE: DANCE TO THE PERFECT MESS – A CONVERSATION WITH CARL MARSH OF SHRIEKBACK
406
 
SPILL NEWS: BARENAKED LADIES TO RELEASE LIVE TRACKS FROM SOLD-OUT ROYAL ALBERT HALL SHOW | DELUXE EDITION OF ‘DETOUR DE FORCE’ OUT JUNE 3
320
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: MEN WITHOUT HATS – AGAIN (PART 2)
319
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS – UNLIMITED LOVE
312
 
SPILL LIVE REVIEW: JERRY CANTRELL w/ LOLA COLETTE @ HISTORY, TORONTO
282
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: TANGERINE DREAM – RAUM
268
 
SPILL VIDEO PREMIERE: LOST CAT – “L.O.S.T.”
265
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: VR SEX – ROUGH DIMENSION
254
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: PAN AMERICAN – THE PATIENCE FADER
253
 
SPILL NEW MUSIC: VENUS BEMUS RELEASES DEBUT SINGLE “STORMS”
251
ENTERTAINMENT HEADLINES