#seth walker

Darrell Scott Gives “Stuff that Works” for Latest Sunday Offering

- Scott and Seth Walker played raggedy version of Guy Clark song in 2023

Sloppy to be sure, Darrell Scott and Seth Walker were just as surely sincere in paying tribute to Guy Clark.

The obviously unrehearsed cover of “Stuff that Works” was recorded May 25, 2023, in Texas and just released as the latest in Scott’s “It Must be Sunday” video series.

Walker plays acoustic guitar sings co-lead vocals with Scott, who alternates on electric and pedal-steel guitars. Synchronicity is tough to find and a high proportion of musical stumbles occur.

Yet, it’s this willingness to screw up publicly that makes it extra poignant when the pair sing of the kind of stuff you reach for when you fall.

For musicians like Scott and Walker, “Stuff that Works” is one of those things.

NOW I CAN TASTE YOU IN THE BACK OF MY THROAT LIKE A COCAINE DRIP

Song Review: Seth Walker - “Take Me to the River”

Taking minimalism to the maximum, Seth Walker erases all vestiges of Al Green and Talking Heads on his rendition of “Take Me to the River.”

It sports a punchy tempo as Walker plays Oliver Wood’s rubber-bridged guitar accompanied by Rhees Williams’ bass and Mark Raudabaugh’s shakers to create a lo-fidelity mix of subtle sound.

“It brought a new side out in my playing,” Walker said of swinging Wood’s axe.

Making so many significant changes to such a significant tune carries significant risks. Give Walker credit for both his willingness to gamble and his finding a left-field approach that - contrary to logic - worked out quite nicely.

Grade card: Seth Walker - “Take Me to the River” - B

Song Review: Seth Walker - “Fire and Rain”

If you’re gonna cover what you believe is “arguably one of the greatest songs ever written,” as Seth Walker did with “Fire and Rain,” you’d best do something different with it.

And Walker did.

His is a languid, blue shuffle with hints of jazz and country mixed in.

Walker begins the James Taylor number solo and acoustic. A rhythm section enters for verse two, followed by backgrounds and a touch of steel and electric piano.

Mid-song, lead acoustic guitar briefly quotes Taylor’s original intro and Walker sings the words exactly as Taylor wrote ’em. But nothing else is similar, and Walker seems to have understood that was the only way to approach the tune.

Grade card: Seth Walker - “Fire and Rain” - B+

I Hope I Know (2022) … honest and refreshing …

The Mavericks performing “As Long As There's Loving Tonight”. ___________________________ As Long As There's Loving Tonight Songwriters: Raul Malo, Alan Margulies and Seth Walker