Protobilly: The Minstrel & Tin Pan Alley DNA of Country Music 1892-2017
JSP Records (3CD, 226 mins)
This compilation is an amazing and expansive labour of love that traces the journey of country music from the very beginnings of recorded music to the present day. However, with its focus on the influences taken from the early days of pop – from the music halls and vaudeville shows – it steers clear of the most well-trodden ground in the examination of one of America's most valuable folk traditions.
The sequencing of the tracks across the album’s three discs really shines a light on the evolution of the genre. Each piece is represented by between two and four different recorded versions across various styles and time periods. You can hear the development across each example. Warbling voices turn into close harmonies; brass bands and string orchestras are replaced by banjos and guitars; polkas, early jazz, jump blues, Viennese marches and show-tunes transform into folk ballads, bluegrass and good ol' cowboy songs.
The package has an explicit disclaimer warning of the period sensibilities at play on the recordings, which should not be judged by modern standards. It’s nice to go in prepared, but it definitely raises some interesting conversations: it's one thing to safeguard these recordings for posterity and research, but do we really need a song entitled 'N***** Blues' (uncensored, naturally) in the context of this album? Would the compilation have suffered from its omission? I'm not sure it would.
Nevertheless, Protobilly is a collection of awe-inspiring scope and depth. What is clearly the result of years of research has been distilled into nearly four hours of music and a 76-page booklet with detailed descriptions and histories of each song and recording. Entertaining and intriguing in equal measure, this is one hell of a listen.