It smells like country spirit as Kort get ready to bring their old-school recalibration of classic country to the Marble City. Kurt Wagner of Lambchop and Cortney Tidwell tell TONY CLAYTON-LEAwhy their hearts ache for old Nashville
KURT AND Courtney? Courtney and Kurt? We’ve been here before, brothers and sisters, but this pairing isn’t what you might think. Loud guitars, iconic rock stars, brassy wives and anything smelling remotely of teen spirit are left behind when it comes to Kort: Nashville’s Kurt Wagner and Cortney Tidwell.
Wagner you might know – he’s the head honcho in Lambchop, one of alt.country’s most alt.country groups. As for Tidwell, she’s one of Nashville’s low-key, quirky delights, a singer on the fringes of commercial success and acceptance, but one whose heart remains rooted in legacy and heritage.
The pair had known each other for some time, but only recently, and temporarily, got together to make Invariable Heartache, a collection of songs that were sourced from the 1950s/1960s country-and-western label Chart, which was run by Tidwell’s grandfather. The resulting album is full of old-school country charm given a dutiful modernist spin, but more crucially it allows “old” Nashville to be heard through fresh ears.
“I think the idea of Nashville,” says Tidwell, “or what people perceive to be the Nashville sound, has changed over the years. Although there are still purists out there like Gillian Welch, Emmylou Harris and Loretta Lynn, real country music is somewhat pushed aside in Nashville. I think it’s been a very cool thing to bring these songs and the spirit of them back.”
“It’s what I’ve been about since I started making records here in Nashville – to infuse my ideas with the place I come from,” adds Wagner. “I try to find a way to refer to elements, sounds and notions that make Nashville what it is and, indeed, who I am. Invariable Heartache is just a more direct result. The more direct influence of Nashville can be felt in the choice of material, none of which I wrote. So the roles are inverted, and the things I do with, for example, Lambchop are more in the background.”
Country songwriting at its best is emotionally acute, highly observant and graceful – are these the qualities you wanted to get across?
“We just wanted to be respectful of the material and try to be ourselves at the same time,” says Wagner. “There is a way to approach the notion of country music that isn’t reproduction and retro interpretation. It can best happen if you are from this place and are surrounded by an environment that is so dominant. The things we saw in this music are things that in many ways are forgotten when people make country records these days. It’s interesting to note, however, that it’s the new generation of artists that are able to re-infuse those original qualities.”
Although the content of the source material is very simple, says Tidwell, the sensibilities are more complex.
“Country music is about feeling. And what truly makes a country song isn’t just stories for real people – it’s about heartache. I can’t say precisely what Kurt and I are putting across, but I do know that we are having a helluva time doing these songs, and I hope that comes across to people in a positive way. Singing these songs again is like riding a bike after a long time off it. You just never forget how to do it. This style of music is etched into my heart. Forever.”
This idea from Wagner and Tidwell is akin to musical archaeology. The digging up of old bones, the dusting off, the presentation – it sounds like it was as much fun to do as it was an academic exercise.
“Oh yes, I’m very glad to have had the access to this archive of mostly obscure material,” says Wagner. “For my part a lot of it rekindles my experiences of growing up in a place where this stuff was the music of the day and had an important role in defining the perception of what this place is to the rest of the world.”
“It was amazing to dig up these songs and learn more about what my family was doing at that time,” says Tidwell. “Chart was a prolific label, and I actually had no idea how diverse some of the artists were.
“And discovering how most of the songs came about was just magic. It’s these family bits and pieces and stories I’ve learned since the making of this record, all of which make me who I am. Growing up as a child around this stuff while it was happening has inspired me so much.
“My grandfather didn’t have much in his life in rural Georgia, but he loved music. He had a dream and he worked and wove that dream into something viable. And it worked. It really worked.”
So, Kurt and Cortney – are you the new Robert Plant and Alison Krauss? “Naw,” deadpans Wagner, “we’re just their lesser-known country cousins.”
“Maybe,” ponders Tidwell, “they should come over for a barbecue soon?”
Kort play the Set Theatre tonight as part of Smithwick’s Kilkenny Rhythm and Roots Festival (kilkennyroots.com). Invariable Heartache is out now
Top five acts to see in Kilkenny
JOHN GRANT
One-time member of The Czars, and the creator of easily one of the best albums of 2010 (Queen of Denmark, his solo debut), Grant is a surprise (but very welcome) guest at this year’s event. He’ll be paying Czars favourites, but the majority of his set will be culled from his debut and (with a bit of luck) some new material.
BETH ORTON
Orton has fluctuated between hi-concept folk, ambient/psych material (remember folktronica?) and plain and simple folk/roots music, but has been keeping a low profile of late. She follows up her 2006 album Comfort of Strangers with a new album this summer. Expect old and very new material at Kilkenny.
WILKO JOHNSON
He’s roots, all right, but not as some would define it. Johnson first came to light in premier UK act Dr Feelgood, the sweaty RB band that snuck into punk via a back door located in a seedy, beer-stained club. You know those quiet singer-songwriter gigs featuring sensitive reflections on childhood, home and love? Well, you won’t get any of that nonsense at a Wilko show.
JAMES WALBOURNE
We first met up with Walbourne when, quite a few years ago, he was in Peter Bruntnell’s band, and what an exceptionally gifted (and fluid) guitarist he is. Nothing has changed since then, except for Walbourne’s present solo status. His new album, The Hill, is a gift for those searching for accomplished singer-songwriter material enhanced by quicksilver solos.
STACIE COLLINS
If you like your roadhouse country-rock fused with the authentic twang of Dwight Yoakam, the swagger of Exile on Main Street-era Rolling Stones and the emotional tics of Tammy Wynette, then Bakersfield’s Stacie Collins is your woman.
