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Cowboy Junkies’ `Nomad Series’ has a defined path
The Cowboy Junkies’ “Renmin Park: The Nomad Series, Volume 1” traces narratives both personal (“Stranger Here”) and political (“A Few Bags of Grain”). The brooding folk-rock quartet debuts its adventurous new material Friday at a favorite local venue.
“Playing (at the One World Theatre) is a very comfortable experience,” bassist Alan Anton says. “It’s unlike other places (that are) very business-oriented. It’s like being in somebody’s house, and the dinners are great!”
American-Statesman: Playing (the new album’s instrumental) ‘Intro’ over the PA would be a pretty dramatic way to open the show. Have you tried that?
Alan Anton: We tried that once, and felt like we were in “Monty Python.” It’s kind of wacky, I guess. It didn’t feel like something we should continue doing.
Fair enough. `Stranger Here’ better captures the album’s tone. Explain the story.
That comes from (songwriter Michael Timmins’) experience in China for three months with his family. It’s a story about the difficulties bringing these two cultures together, which is sort of the challenge he presented to us when he came back. He said, “You know, I’ve got an idea for this record that’s gonna combine my three months in China with what we’re doing.” At first, we thought, “Are you nuts?”
Some songs are uncharacteristically political.
You can’t avoid it, especially when you’re dealing with history so recent and well known to everybody. I think there are a couple songs with lines that are pretty overtly political. That’s not Mike’s style, but even he felt it was hard to avoid comment.
You’re planning to release three following albums in this Nomad series. Are the others finished?
We’re about halfway through the second one, which is covers of Vic Chesnutt songs. The other two are sketched out, but we haven’t tackled any of it recording-wise yet. We’ll be busy this summer.
Had you planned to record Vic’s songs before he passed away last year?
Well, we’ve known him and he’s opened for us for years. When he passed in December, it was kind of a shock because we’d just been talking to him about doing a record together - Vic and the Junkies with him writing stuff. That discussion was going on for about a year before that. It was a real kick to us (when he died).
All four sound like albums in the traditional sense. Does that concept feel outdated in this iTunes era?
We’re old school. We grew up with albums, and we think in those terms, a whole record with flow and sequencing and the whole thing. We wish there were still a Side A and Side B so you could have a break or just play one side independently of the other. That was always a great thing. I don’t think we’re ever going to stop thinking that way. It’s engrained in us.
How essential is releasing these on your own label?
We haven’t really been with a label since we left Geffen in 1997 or ‘98. We’ve gone through smaller U.S. labels for releases, but we’ve maintained the control of Latent Recordings since then. It’s been great ever since we left Geffen. They were a sinking ship anyway when we were on them, so we just got bogged down in their problems.
Cowboy Junkies
When: 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. today
Where: One World Theater, 7701 Bee Cave Road
Cost: $65, $50
Information: 330-9500; oneworldtheatre.org
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