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Cold as the Clay

Greg Graffin
1 disc

1. Don't Be Afraid to Run
2. Omie Wise
3. Cold as the Clay
4. Little Sadie
5. Highway
6. Rebel's Goodbye
7. Talk About Suffering
8. Willie Moore
9. California Cotton Fields
10. Watchmaker's Dial, The
11. One More Hill
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Additional Info

Manufacturer Part Number (MPN): 86809
Credits

Producer
Engineer
Personnel: Greg Graffin (vocals, acoustic guitar, harmonica, piano); Greg Graffin; Chris Berry (guitar, banjo); Joe Wack, Chris Berry (guitar); Greg Smith (electric bass); Stephen Carroll (guitar, slide guitar); David Bragger (banjo, mandolin, fiddle); Jason Tait (drums); Jolie Holland (background vocals).
Photographer: Bryan Sheffield.
As the singer and co-founder of Bad Religion, Greg Graffin's name was well established before he ever released a solo effort. COLD AS THE CLAY might surprise those looking for a Bad Religion offshoot, however, as the album is an acoustic set of traditional American folk songs.
But despite the lack of screaming guitars, jackhammer tempos, and fist-raising choruses, there is something essentially "punk" about the spirit of this music. It is the music of estrangement: haunted and fierce, and it's filled with tales of tribulations and injustice. For punk rockers who never got into Harry Smith's ANTHOLOGY OF AMERICAN FOLK MUSIC, COLD AS THE CLAY could prove a great place to start.
Critic Reviews

Spin (p.78) - "[He] trades rousing electric guitars for banjos and fiddles, but still throbs with a rock band's desperate energy."
Alternative Press (p.216) - "Graffin spins old-time yarns into missives that ponder faith and redemption....Those with open ears will find themselves on a musical journey through American history with one of the best tour guides imaginable."