Over The Rhine Drunkard's Prayer

Two CDs devoted to the Springfields is probably a bit much for casual fans. This set could likely have been trimmed to one 70-minute CD, leaving out "Silver Dollar," "Row Row Row" and some of the other lesser material from their first album, although it is strange in an enlightening way to hear Dusty singing the latter, a pre-World War I standard more suited to the likes of Ruth Etting. What's good is that none of the high spots are left out, including "Allentown Jail," the ethereal "Far Away Place," "Silver Threads and Golden Needles" (natch), the delightful "Little Boat" (the best of their international numbers), and the gorgeous, near-British beat style "Come On Home," where Dusty starts to show off some of the soulfulness that would later identify her voice. The notes are well detailed, and the mastering is flawless.

“Give me the reasons to go on. Soften the sorrow that shatters and bends, and mend broken dreams.” Singer/songwriter Mark Heard wrote those words in “House of Broken Dreams” on his Dry Bones Dance LP in 1990. There was a prophesy buried within the lines, whether he knew it or not. Heard passed away two years later, in August of 1992, but his words have echoed on in the hearts of all who knew them. And now, with Treasure of the Broken Land: The Songs of Mark Heard, many more hearts can join the chorus while marking the 25th anniversary of his passing. Available June 2 on Storm Weathered Records with a limited edition vinyl to follow, Treasure of the Broken Land is distributed via Redeye Worldwide.