Austin Sound

Here’s a nice little scoop from the Chronicle’s music news column this morning: Will Johnson, who seems to, as always, have his hands in too many projects to count, has been helping out Jay Farrar along with Anders Parker and Jim James to create a new album of Woody Guthrie tunes in the vein of Wilco and Billy Bragg’s Mermaid Avenue. Like its predecessor, this album was created from unpublished Guthrie lyrics that his daughter entrusted to Farrar and Co. (she must be some kind of crazy Uncle Tupelo fan or something) to arrange and record. It was recorded back in March and is currently being mixed, but that seems to be about as far as they’ve gotten, with no word reported on when it might be released. Johnson, meanwhile, just continues to roll on, inspiring kids to depression with Centro-matic and South San Gabriel, and indulging in some kind of unfortunate artistic infatuation with baseball. Will, stick to the tunes, buddy, as much as the world really does need a painting exonerating Bill Buckner, you’re just a better songwriter. In more Johnson news though, because there is always more, he will also be touring with the Monsters of Folk, backing up Jim James, Conor Oberst, and M. Ward on drums, and in November will be releasing his inventingly titled collaboration with Jason Molina, Jason Molina & Will Johnson. We reckon that should keep all the Johnston fanatics drooling for a while.