Leave it to Bobby Bare Jr. to refuse to choose between David Gates and Gerry Beckley. His upcoming EP American Bread, due out August 11, is true to its title, consisting of covers from the catalogues of America and Bread.
The precise track-listing hasn’t been revealed, but given that it’s seven songs – requiring, presumably, a 4-3 split – I guess we’ll find out which band he likes better once the sequence leaks out. (Personally, I would’ve played it “Sister Golden Hair”, “Guitar Man”, “Ventura Highway”, “Sweet Surrender”, “Lonely People”, “Diary”, and “Daisy Jane”.)
Here’s the official press-release scoop:
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Nashville, TN – June 19, 2009 – Bobby Bare Jr. has been a busy man since the 2006 release of The Longest Meow. The birth of his second child, literally hundreds of shows, executive producing a Shel Silverstein tribute project with an accompanying Shel Silverstein day celebration at Chicago’s Millennium Park, writing and recording his next full length album, and lastly… finalizing the release of the American Bread EP.
American Bread EP, recordings from Bobby Bare Jr. and David Vandervelde covering the songs of 70’s soft rock giants Bread and America. In the span of 7-songs, American Bread EP imagines the hits of both bands sifted through Bare’s great range of influences that in moments conjuring up aural images of post-punk on A Horse With No Name and rock n roll abandon on Sister Golden Hair (beta)… cleverly pulling 70’s influence into 70’s inspiration.
“I just woke up one morning with a desperate need to both caress and molest these beautiful “SOFT ROCK” classics that seem to have been both over looked and under appreciated by today’s rockers. Also I was quite certain the world needed more “ALLIGATOR LIZARDS IN THE AIR”. – Bobby Bare Jr.
American Bread EP was recorded and mixed by David Vandervelde and includes performances by Chris Scruggs, Carey Kotsionis, Carl Broemel, Kai Welch, and Aaron Ford.
July 13th will be a significant day for both Bobby Bare and Bobby Bare Jr. with the first ever SHELEBRATION presented by the Chicago Cultural Center at Millennium Park. The show is significant for the Bare family since both have been executive producing an album of Shel Silverstein songs that will be released later in the year on Sugar Hill Records. Bobby will appear on the album along with Kris Kristofferson, Andrew Bird, Lucinda Williams, Ray Price, Bobby Bare Sr., My Morning Jacket, Dennis Locorriere and Ray Sawyer of Dr. Hook, Dr. Dog, Todd Snider, Band Of Horses, and The Boxmasters.
Bobby hits the road in July in support of American Bread EP which will also be partnered with the Bloodshot Records 15th Anniversary Beer-B-Q performances throughout the U.S.
American Bread EP will be released through Junket Boy at independent record stores throughout the U.S. on August 11th 2009.
Finally, Bobby’s gonna have a hard time topping this take on the Golden one:
