The New Basement Tapes is (Left to Right): Jim James of My Morning Jacket, Elvis Costello,
Marcus Mumford of Mumford & Sons, Taylor Goldsmith of Dawes and Rhiannon Giddens of
Carolina Chocolate Drops. The band is seen here recording at Capitol Studios (Sam Jones)
The New Basement Tapes – Elvis Costello, Rhiannon Giddens (Carolina Chocolate Drops), Taylor Goldsmith (Dawes), Jim James (My Morning Jacket) and Marcus Mumford (Mumford & Sons) – today released the latest track from their forthcoming album, Lost On The River: The New Basement Tapes.
Their T Bone Burnett-produced album, Lost On the River: The New Basement Tapes, was founded on a treasure trove of recently discovered lyrics handwritten by Bob Dylan in 1967 during the period that generated the recording of his original Basement Tapes. “Spanish Mary,” with lead vocals from Rhiannon Giddens, is accompanied by a new lyric video (http://vevo.ly/KM5i0I) featuring Bob Dylan’s original handwritten lyrics that served as the basis for the song. “Spanish Mary” is also available as an “instant grat” download with an album pre-order both at iTunes and Amazon.
Rhiannon Giddens, who co-wrote “Spanish Mary” with Bob Dylan and sings the lead vocal, says of the track. “Out of all the lyrics I looked through for the New Basement Tapes project, the one for “Spanish Mary” attracted me first – here was a ballad, and I know ballads! It’s also set in the Caribbean, so I felt the deep African sound of the minstrel style banjo (circa 1856) was appropriate. It was an absolute thrill to get to set music to Dylan’s lyrics, what an opportunity! This project is marked with utter generosity from everyone involved.“
“Spanish Mary” follows the release of three previous tracks from the album:
- “Nothing To It” (co-written by Bob Dylan and Jim James, with lead vocals by James).
- “Married To My Hack” (co-written by Bob Dylan and Elvis Costello, with lead vocals by Costello).
- “When I Get My Hands On You” (co-written by Bob Dylan, Marcus Mumford and Taylor Goldsmith, with lead vocal by Mumford).
The New Basement Tapes and producer T Bone Burnett convened in March 2014 at Capitol Studios in Hollywood to write and create music together for 26-year old Bob Dylan’s long-lost lyrics. Dozens of new songs were recorded by The New Basement Tapes during a two-week period, with the artists swapping instrumental and vocal roles on the tracks throughout the marathon sessions. The complete album, Lost On the River: The New Basement Tapes, will be released by Electromagnetic Recordings/Harvest Records onNovember 10.
Additionally, the original documentary “Lost Songs: The Basement Tapes Continued” will premiere on SHOWTIME on Friday, November 21st at 9 P.M. ET/PT. The documentary, which is directed by Jones, will present an exclusive and intimate look at the making of Lost On The River. A rare look inside the creative process of recording an album and the discovery of long-lost Dylan lyrics, LOST SONGS: THE BASEMENT TAPES CONTINUED captures this unprecedented musical collaboration between these musicians and their producer, the 13-time Grammy winner T Bone Burnett, as they record these newly completed compositions.
Lost On The River: The New Basement Tapes (Deluxe Edition) – Out November 10
1. Down On The Bottom
2. Married To My Hack
3. Kansas City
4. Spanish Mary
5. Liberty Street
6. Nothing To It
7. Golden Tom – Silver Judas*
8. When I Get My Hands On You
9. Duncan And Jimmy
10. Florida Key
11. Hidee Hidee Ho #11
12. Lost On The River #12
13. Stranger
14. Card Shark
15. Quick Like A Flash*
16. Hidee Hidee Ho #16
17. Diamond Ring*
18. The Whistle Is Blowing*
19. Six Months In Kansas City (Liberty Street)
20. Lost On The River #20
*Not available on 15-track standard edition of the album.
