For most of this pandemic, Ellis Paul has been performing online concerts, helping us all get through this uncertain and often depressing time. Once a week, he is joined by a special guest (remotely, of course). On August 19th, singer and songwriter James Lee Baker joined Ellis Paul, performing a couple of songs from his home in Denver, Colorado. His songwriting skill was immediately apparent, and the two songs he chose to play were from his new album, 100 Summers. Another reason he was a great choice for Ellis Paul’s show is his sense of storytelling. The new album is packaged like a small hardcover book, with the songs listed as chapters. The book contains not only the lyrics, but the stories behind each of the songs, as well as artwork by Zulfikri Mokoagow. It is a great way to present these songs, which are stories themselves. And even if James Lee Baker is not familiar to you yet, you most likely know some of the musicians who join him on this album. Folks like Mark Erelli, Matt Hubbard and Doug Pettibone perform on these tracks. Fellow Leonard Cohen fans will be excited to know that Roscoe Beck plays bass on this album. All the tracks are originals, written or co-written by James Lee Baker.
The album opens with its title track, “100 Summers,” which has a sweet sound from the start, with that nice guitar work. James Lee Baker’s vocal approach is friendly and warm, with some wisdom behind the lyrics. The song is about appreciating the life we have while we have it. Certain lines stand out for me, such as “I don’t need a thousand friends who don’t know me/To make me think I’ve had a good life” and “Yes, there are things I would like to experience/But without them I will still feel complete.” It is sometimes difficult to maintain that attitude, isn’t it? I find myself worrying that I won’t get to have some specific experiences, particularly as I feel time rushing by. So it’s important to take stock in one’s life and one’s dreams, and to decide, or realize, what is truly important. Matt Hubbard plays mellotron on this track. That’s followed by “Misinterpreting The Angels,” a song inspired by his relationship to, and divorce from, his wife. Check out these lines: “One foot in and one foot out/Cataloguing her every flaw/Half your heart was full of doubt/From keeping track of them all.” Matt Hubbard plays organ on this one. This track also features some good work by Doug Pettibone on electric guitar.
“Santa Barbara” is the first song that James Lee Baker played on Ellis Paul’s show in August, and so is the one that got me excited about this artist. It’s a beautiful song, and it does capture the feel of the place. I love visiting Santa Barbara and its beaches (particularly at low tide). “Santa Barbara, I have come/To hear your mission bells ring/To feel the warm sand on my feet/And the balmy Pacific breeze on my skin/I am here to start a new life again.” Mark Erelli provides backing vocals on this one, and Joel Guzman is on piano. By the way, I was tickled by the fact that James Lee Baker includes a quoted passage from Douglas Adams in the book’s chapter on this song. Matt Hubbard plays accordion on “Wipe The Dust Off Your Bellows,” giving the song the sense of being performed at a restaurant, which fits well with the lyrics. “So I’m giving you call/To see how you’d feel/About getting the band together for a meal.” The song is a sweet sort of waltz. “Life is one big performance and we are the stars/So wipe the dust off your bellows/Please come play your part.” Shanna Hoar provides some nice backing vocals on this one. Then Joel Guzman plays accordion on “Returning To Paris,” an interesting song with a nostalgic quality, yet also a song of letting go. Laurie MacAllister provides backing vocals on this track. You might know her from her work in Red Molly. “Returning To Paris” was written by James Lee Baker and Paul Nelson.
I’m not all that old, not really, but there are some things that can make me feel my age, and James Lee Baker touches upon some of them in “A New Man’s World,” a song he wrote with Robby Hecht. These lines in particular ring true: “Now I can’t follow the new slang/Or even keep up with my phone/Technology connects us all/Together but we’re more alone/The videos, the TV/Only telling bad news.” Doug Pettibone is on lap steel, Matt Hubbard is on harmonium, and Shanna Hoar provides backing vocals. The second song that James Lee Baker played on Ellis Paul’s show back in August was “18-Wheeler (I’m Coming Home).” This song has such a cheerful vibe, I can’t help but love it. Part of its appeal is that rhythm, and there are also some nice backing vocals from Mary Margaret Dement and Shanna Hoar. This song plays with numbers, providing a certain countdown until he’s home. “The miles keep rolling on the dashboard (I’m coming home)/I watch the second hand turn slowly/‘Round the face of the clock (I’m coming home)/I count the days, I count the hours/Until I’m finally with the one I love.” This song was written by James Lee Baker, Aaron Hart and Paul Nelson. Then “The Last Cowboy In Hutchinson County” features some really good work by Doug Pettibone on pedal steel. It’s a rather beautiful song, with a gentle and loving vibe, Laurie MacAllister contributing to its beauty with her backing vocals.
Mark Erelli joins James Lee Baker again on backing vocals on “Leave The Saving Souls For Later.” The line that really stands out for me comes at the end: “For soon you’ll be just a memory.” Again, I’ve been dwelling a bit on mortality lately, and guessing I’m not alone in that. That’s followed by “Breaking Through The Sunbeams.” There have been several songs inspired by the insane and horrific events of September 11, 2001, and this one has a somewhat different approach and angle, telling the story of a man who was supposed to have been at the World Trade Center that day but was sick, and afterward joined the military. It’s an engaging song, and features a strong vocal performance. “Some nights I dream that I am falling/From a window down into the street/Trying to grab hold of something/While I’m breaking through the sunbeams.” I also love the work by Javier Chaparro on fiddle. Then “If Eve Hadn’t Eaten The Apple” addresses religion and equality between men and women. Roscoe Beck does not play bass on this track. Instead, Craig Akin is on electric bass. The album concludes with a second version of its title track, this one with vocals and acoustic guitar.
CD Track List
- 100 Summers
- Misinterpreting The Angels
- Santa Barbara
- Wipe The Dust Off Your Bellows
- Returning To Paris
- A New Man’s World
- 18-Wheeler (I’m Coming Home)
- The Last Cowboy In Hutchinson County
- Leave The Saving Souls Later
- Breaking Through The Sunbeams
- If Eve Hadn’t Eaten The Apple
- 100 Summers (Stripped)
100 Summers was released on September 4, 2020.
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