Ghosts of West Virginia

 
Ghosts of West Virginia cover
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Steve Earle And The Dukes
Ghosts of West Virginia

[ New West Records / CD ]

Release Date: Friday 22 May 2020

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Ghosts of West Virginia centres on the Upper Big Branch coal mine explosion that killed twenty-nine men in that state in 2010, making it one of the worst mining disasters in American history.

When asked about what drove him to craft his deeply evocative new album, Steve Earle says, "I thought that, given the way things are now, it was maybe my responsibility to make a record that spoke to and for people who didn't vote the way that I did," he says. "One of the dangers that we're in is if people like me keep thinking that everybody who voted for Trump is a racist or an asshole, then we're fucked, because it's simply not true. So, this is one move toward something that might take a generation to change. I wanted to do something where that dialogue could begin".

In ten deftly drawn, roughly eloquent, powerfully conveyed sonic portraits, Earle and his long-time band the Dukes explore the historical role of coal in rural communities. More than merely a question of jobs and income, mining has provided a sense of unity and meaning, patriotic pride and purpose.

Tracks:

1. Heaven Ain't Goin' Nowhere
2. Union, God and Country
3. Devil Put the Coal in the Ground
4. John Henry was a Steel Drivin' Man
5. Time is Never on Our Side
6. It's About Blood
7. If I Could See Your Face Again
8. Black Lung
9. Fastest Man Alive
10. The Mine

Devil Put the Coal in the Ground