Search - Eliza Gilkyson :: Land of Milk & Honey

An important new release with infectious and thought-provoking tracks and guest vocal appearances by PATTI GRIFFIN, MARY CHAPIN CARPENTER, IRIS DEMENT and SLAID CLEAVES! "Land of Milk and Honey" is a collection of songs that are decidedly socio/political in nature. From the wake-up call to awareness of the current agenda of the "neo-cons" in "Hiway 9" to the "bugle call of peace" in Woody Guthrie's previously unrecorded and timely anti-war song "Peace Call", Eliza Gilkyson spares no punches. This is music for a generation that does not want to stand idly by while losing their dream for a quality of life they hold dear. Gilkyson once again uses a sparse, edgy organic production, with her longtime teammates, producer Mark Hallman and a cast of some of the best players Austin has to offer, to convey her firm convictions and insight into today's world. Cameos include an enthusiastic Slaid Cleaves on "Hiway 9", and Jon Dee Graham and Stephen Bruton on the soulful "Dark Side of Town", an ode to their old friend and head of Eliza's production company, Al Ragle. Especially touching is the mother's prayer, "Tender Mercies", with background harmonies by Eliza's son Cisco and daughter Delia. Gilkyson's lush and passionate voice wraps itself around the major themes of her generation, with topics ranging from the anti war movement, abusive relationships ("Ballad of Yvonne Johnson"), personal relationships ("Separated"), and coming to terms with the folly of man ("Milk and Honey"). There is even an old song written by her late father, folksinger Terry Gilkyson, that addresses the "great food chain of life" as Eliza puts it. But through all these weighty topics, Eliza never loses sight of her sense of wonder ("Wonderland") and her hopes for humanity. The closing song, Guthrie's "Peace Call", was discovered in an old out-of-print songbook from the Guthrie archives while Eliza was on the road with the Woody Guthrie tribute tour last summer. Rendered by a team of like-minded songstresses Patty Griffin, Mary Chapin Carpenter, and Iris Dement, the song shows a solidarity of intention that truly conveys Guthrie's message of peace in times of war.