It just came to my attention that there’s an alternate version of Over the Rhine’s song “Drunkard’s Prayer” available for download on their site… free!
The page says:
It’s always a challenge to figure out what to put on a project. Brent played a beautiful saxophone solo, but in the end we went for a simpler version of the song. Did we make the right choice?
Karin and Linford, the right choice is to record multiple versions of each song, and then to spring them on your fans as surprise packages, just like you’re doing. Thanks for another visit to a great song!
An Historic Drunkard…
“On The House: The Bizarre Killing of Michael Malloy” just hit the book stores. It’s the true story of a Depression-era drunkard who thwarted numerous attempts on his life. One reviewer noted that Malloy had “more lives than a Hindu cat.” Check out the author’s web site at http://www.simon-read.com. Cheers.
I was not impressed by Drunkard’s Prayer. It sounds like their other albums. I had a been there done that type of feeling for this album. Music, still beautiful, voice still delightful, but so what? I want to see them break out a little bit. Try to expand their music horizons a bit.
I have to disagree. I think Drunkard’s Prayer is their best, most cohesive collection of songs (thematically and musically), and the intimate setting fits their sound remarkably well (really allows the lyrics to shine through). I love OHIO, but there is a bit of filler (though better than many other bands’ A-material). That being said, “Drunkard’s Prayer” the track is the weakest track on an otherwise glorious album.
Musically it is strong, I just want to see them expand a little bit. I felt like I listened to the same thing as their other albums. Ben Folds was able to do that quite well.
Although I like OHIO, albums with more than a few songs of filler like that one fall quickly into the stack on my dresser. Drunkard’s Prayer, however, is the perhaps the best thing they’ve done yet: a return to simple production value (where the interplay between piano and guitar somehow captures Karen and Linford’s relationship better than words) and the ability to make a simple line like “I want you to be my love” just break your heart. This one quickly joins the desert island discs.
The only other albums I can think of that have OTR toting the “rootsy, downplayed” music are Ohio and Good Dog Bad Dog, and maybe the Christmas album. And I think GDBD sounds very distinct from both Ohio and Drunkard’s Prayer. Their other…four studio albums are very notably different from Drunkard’s Prayer.
**
I was not impressed by Drunkard’s Prayer. It sounds like their other albums. I had a been there done that type of feeling for this album. Music, still beautiful, voice still delightful, but so what? I want to see them break out a little bit. Try to expand their music horizons a bit.
**
OTR broke out quite a bit with Films For Radio.
Drunkard’s Prayer was created during a time when Karen and Linford were re-evaluating their marriage, so it makes sense to me that the sound of the album would reflect something akin to their musical roots.
Anyone who spends that much time in introspection and personal struggle would naturally create from a place of comfort and familiarity.
The whole album is the declaration of a choice to love, which, when you know the context it was created in, makes it incredibly profound.
Personally, the first time I heard the album and read the liner notes I had a very emotional response. It struck me deeply because of my own personal struggle.