It’s the reason for the season: country music by Jewish people. And eating matzah until it truly is an affliction on your tastebuds and colon. But to pass the time, here’s another round of Jewish country music!
- Karen and the Sorrows — “Walk Through the Desert”: It wouldn’t be a playlist of queer country music without Karen and the Sorrows’ explicitly Jewish and queer country music. This one’s about what you think it’s about — a literal choice for Passover, and a reminder of the yearning this holiday calls us to.
- Ezra Furman — “Book Of Our Names”: Ezra Furman’s intense spiritual expression is downright prophetic. If you listen to any of her recent interviews, you know that Furman has been immersed in biblical studies and sees her music as an extension of this work. “Book Of Our Names” demands liberation, reminding us that there are many ways that we are still struggling for freedom.
- Sarah King — “Nightstand”: Sarah King’s song of liberation is a bit cheeky to include here, but I couldn’t resist. King’s powerful voice and gothic vision make for a potent form of Americana. Here, King unravels a murder ballad that is justified and satisfying. In the Passover story, the angels rejoice at the Egyptians’ death and God is horrified. He’s not looking into the shadow corners King reveals here.
- Jamie Kent — “Home Again”: To be honest, I picked this song based on the name. Kent’s portrayal of veterans’ struggles with civilian life are touching and poignant. By giving the tune the jaunty air of a road song, we get the sense that Kent’s narrator will never quite find their place, even if they are surrounded by their loved ones.
- Niel Rosenberg & Richard Blaustein — “Old Joe Clark”: I don’t quite remember how Richard Blaustein got on my radar, but this is the only song I could find under his name! Blaustein and Rosenberg give their version of the traditional tune some sprightly pep.
- Ellie Maybe — “Darker Down Here”: Ellie Maybe’s cosmos isn’t particularly optimistic, but she’s looking for hope anyway on this simple-seeming ditty. As the song evolves, the narrator yearns for something better, even if there’s no guarantee things “up there” are what they’re hoping for.
- Langhorne Slim — “Mighty Soul”: I don’t think anyone loves their grandparents as much as Langhorne Slim. “Mighty Slow” introduces us to his latest album, Strawberry Mansion, a celebration of the grit and glamour of his grandparents’ working class neighborhood in Philadelphia. What’s more Jewish than that?
- Allison de Groot and Tatiana Hargreaves — “Hurricane Clarice/Brush Fork of John’s Creek”: Tatiana Hargreaves, half of the powerhouse bluegrass duo, is the Jewish roots artist we’re celebrating here. “Hurricane Clarice” has Jewish roots. “I came up with ‘Hurricane Clarice’ after finishing The Chandelier by Clarice Lispector (1920-1977),” explains Hargreaves. “I don’t remember exactly what compelled me to pick up my instrument after finishing the book but I felt moved by her writing and inspired by her artistry. Lispector’s Jewish Ukrainian family fled to Brazil in 1922, around the same time that my Jewish great grandmother Taube, or Tillie, fled Eastern Europe. I was named after her. This track opens with Allison’s great aunt, also named Tillie, speaking in Ukranian about her sister, Allison’s grandmother. We end with an interpretation of John Salyer’s (1882-1952) version of ‘Brushy Fork of John’s Creek.'”
- Lara Taubman — “Snakes in the Snow”: Taubman’s eerie tale begins with an intriguing banjo line that is reinforced by catchy rock instrumentation that builds with the song. The ominous retelling of Persophone and Hades calls to mind the ancient viewpoint of gods as tricky — and not to be trifled with. Pharaoh should have taken notes.
- Adam Klein — “Wait Til They Come Knockin'”: This is another one I’m picking rather cheekily based on the title. In fact, the song recounts the bravery of the original Selma marchers. Rather than strident or epic, Klein’s sweet voice invokes the spiritual euphoria of marching in solidarity for a cause that is truly just. In many ways, the song is fitting for Passover.
You can follow the playlist on Spotify.