Latest in 100-Song Living Tribute Doesn’t Disappoint.
Let’s Go Dancing started life as a 60th birthday surprise video for Drivin N Cryin frontman Kevin Kinney, made during lockdown. Since then, it has merged into a 100-song all-star tribute produced by his wife Anna Jensen. The latest in the series, Stopped a Freight Train with a Grain of Sand, released for streaming and in limited-edition vinyl, concentrates on the grittier end of his writing. The opener, appropriately Let’s Go Dancing, has Dear Tick presenting a jangling rendition which sticks close to the original. Black Crowes Chris Robinson was delighted to be asked to contribute, saying, “Kevin Kinney, the troubadour’s poet. And the poet’s troubador. Rich and I were thrilled to do this because we love Drivin N Cryin.” The Crowes’ full-throttle version of Acceleration, originally on the 2012 EP Songs About Space and The Ramones, pays homage to the spirit of the latter, only missing a 1-2-3-4 intro. Kinney’s son Tyler’s drumming alongside Atlanta garage punk outfit Dinos Boys adds a youthful angst to proceedings on Saddle on the Side of the Road, the 90’s radio hit Fly Me Courageous is driven by Butch Walker’s melodic sheen.
The inclusion of Drivin N Cryin bassist and co-founder Tim Nielsen is a nice touch, and alongside Hootie & the Blowfish guitarist Mark Bryan, they deliver a warm, lived-in take on Can’t Promise You the World. Fang of Gore, fronted by Ts Burnham, daughter of Gang of Four drummer Hugo Burnham, gives a female perspective to Let Lenny B. There’s a hint of a Faces lift in Ian McClagan’s take on Paul McDonald, which drives along on a lazy beat. The closer, the instrumental Underground Umbrella from Peter Stroud and Hammond B-3 legend Ike Stubblefield in his final performance, provides a chance to get your breath back and analyse the depth of Kinney’s songwriting talent, which has led to such a heartfelt tribute.
