In 1998, sandwiched between Wilco’s debut masterwork Being There and its follow-up Summerteeth, the band joined forces with British folk singer Billy Bragg to issue Mermaid Avenue, a collection of newly crafted songs drawn from Woody Guthrie’s unused lyrics. It yielded “California Stars,” a tune that would become a long-running fixture in their live sets, and in 2000 they followed with Mermaid Avenue Vol. II. The original record reemerged into the spotlight in June when Wilco and Bragg delivered a complete performance of the album for the first time at Wilco’s Solid Sound festival. And now the Mermaid Avenue revival continues with a new box set.
Back in 2012, Wilco and Bragg released Mermaid Avenue: The Complete Sessions, which united Vol. I, Vol. II, and 17 previously unreleased recordings packaged together as Vol. III. In December, a more expansive edition of The Complete Sessions is slated for release. This new set comprises seven LPs plus a 7″. It adds 18 additional tracks: 17 alternate takes and demos, and a Woody Guthrie “home tape” rendition of “Hesitating Beauty.” Wilco and Bragg performed these songs together for the first time at Solid Sound.
Mermaid Avenue: The Complete Sessions is out 12/11 on Craft Recordings.
