(2021) VA – Allen Ginsberg’s The Fall of America: A 50th Anniversary Musical Tribute


Review:
From 1965 to 1971, beloved poet and writer Allen Ginsberg wrote The Fall of America: Poems of These States, a poetry collection detailing his travels across and “discovery” of America. Now, in honor of the 50th anniversary of those writings, a special star-studded tribute album has been announced. Simply titled The Fall of America – A 50th Anniversary Musical Tribute, it sees acts such as Yo La Tengo, Angelique Kidjo, Sonic Youth members Thurston Moore and Lee Ranaldo, Devendra Banhart, and Andrew Bird “re-interpreting” Ginsberg’s original poems. The 20-track project also features contributions from Mickey Hart, Handsome Family, Shintaro Sakamoto, Scanner, Bill Frisell, and Howie B with Gavin Friday. In addition to celebrating Ginsberg the forthcoming album is being dedicated to the late Hal Willner. Prior to his death from COVID-19 last April, Willner had produced multiple Ginsberg releases, as well as served as a longtime producer on Saturday Night Live. The Fall of America tribute is out digitally on February 5th via Allen Ginsberg Recordings, with a physical release set for June 4th. Proceeds will benefit HeadCount.org, which promotes voter registration through music.





Track Listing:
1. Scanner – Elegy for Neal Cassady (feat. Allen Ginsberg) (4:18 )
2. The Handsome Family – Hiway Poesy Painted Desert to Albuquerque (feat. Allen Ginsberg) (5:16)
3. Shintaro Sakamoto – Manhattan Thirties Flash (3:43)
4. Lee Ranaldo, Thurston Moore, Allen Ginsberg – Hum Bom! (feat. Allen Ginsberg) (4:02)
5. Aliah Rosenthal – War Profit Litany (1:42)
6. Ed Sanders – Memory Garden (4:27)
7. Mickey Hart – Drones Du Jour (First Party at Kesey’s with Hell’s Angels) (feat. Allen Ginsberg) (1:23)
8. Ethereal_Interface – An Open Window On Chicago (feat. Allen Ginsberg) (4:22)
9. Howie B, Gavin Friday – Death On All Fronts (Ameirca Is Falling) (4:00)
10. Disco Pusher – A Prophecy (feat. Allen Ginsberg) (3:28 )
11. Kaya Project – Wales Visitation (5:55)
12. Angélique Kidjo – Uluru Song (2:33)
13. Bill Frisell – Over Laramie (feat. Allen Ginsberg) (1:20)
14. Andrew Bird – Easter Sunday (3:42)
15. Devendra Banhart – Milarepa Taste (2:03)
16. Yo La Tengo – Bayonne Entering NYC (feat. Allen Ginsberg) (8:14)
17. The Good Ones (Rwanda) – Falling Asleep In America (feat. Allen Ginsberg) (1:17)
18. Steven Taylor – Continuation of A Long Poem Of These States (2:05)
19. Lang Lee – Pain On All Fronts (feat. Allen Ginsberg) (5:36)
20. Social Animals – Falling Asleep in America (Roses Smell Sweet) (2:26)


Media Report:
Genre: folk, jazz, tribute
Format: FLAC
Format/Info: Free Lossless Audio Codec, 16-bit PCM
Bit rate mode: Variable
Channel(s): 2 channels
Sampling rate: 44.1 KHz
Bit depth: 16 bits