Viv & Riley and Rachel Baiman Cover Western Centuries

By -


2026 marks the twentieth anniversary of Free Dirt Records, one of my personal favorite roots/Americana labels. To celebrate, they're releasing The Long Memory: 20 Years of Free Dirt Records, featuring unreleased songs from the label's vault. The first single from that release comes from Viv & Riley and Rachel Baiman, who cover Western Centuries' 2016 song "The Long Game." Knowing the artists involved, it's a safe assumption that the cover will be a little more folky than the original. Western Centuries' original is a little more rock and roll and more upbeat, while the cover is more subdued and more downtempo. It's one of those covers that sees Viv & Riley and Rachel Baiman stay completely true to the original while adding their own unique spin on the song. We're always sure to check out any release from Free Dirt Records, so we're looking forward to checking out the compilation in November.

Viv & Riley say of their new cover:

“‘The Long Game’ is a song written by our departed friend and mentor Jim Miller, an incredible singer, songwriter, and member of fellow Free Dirt band Western Centuries. It contains a constant stream of Jim wisdom, written from his perch a few decades down the line. After Jim’s passing, we found ourselves listening to this song again and again because it feels like Jim speaking to us from beyond. When we were first starting out playing together as 18 year olds and Viv was signed to Free Dirt, Jim invited us out to open for Western Centuries and it was a formative first touring experience. We still feel so proud to share a label roster with him on Free Dirt and it feels fitting to share this song as a part of celebrating 20 years of Free Dirt, a label that has greatly shaped the direction our lives have taken. This version was recorded as part of the first sessions of our collaborative project kissing other ppl with another dear friend and member of the Free Dirt family, Rachel Baiman. It is particularly profound for us because Jim and Viv’s mom made music together during their formative young musical years. We lost Viv’s mom, Carol Elizabeth Jones, earlier this year, like Jim, far too soon. We imagine them singing together once again, somewhere we can’t yet see. But we hear them all the time.”

You can listen to Viv & Riley and Rachel Baiman's version of "The Long Game" below. The Long Memory: 20 Years of Free Dirt Records is due out November 6, and is available for pre-order here. The compilation will also feature tracks from Willi Carlisle, Allison De Groot & Tatiana Hargreaves, Kaia Kater, Cinder Well, and more.

On Repeat...

Failure - "The Air's on Fire"

By -
Image
Photo by Lyndsey Byrnes With their upcoming seventh overall studio album, the highly influential band Failure will have released more albums since reuniting in 2014 than they did during their first run. The first single from that album, "The Air's on Fire," shows the band expanding their sound while still being rooted in what has always made them great. The song is a dark and moody one that is always threatening to explode but never quite does. This is an example of 90's alt-rock meets art rock at its very finest. It's the kind of song that could easily have come out thirty years ago, but that doesn't mean it sounds dated. After the first listen, "The Air's on Fire" will sound like a killer alt-rocker from a 90's band that hasn't lost a step at all. The more you listen, the more complex Failure get on the single, and the more the song reveals itself to you. Ken Andrews says of his band's latest single: “That song is directly about my ...
Read more

Hiding Places - "Waiting"

By -
Image
Photo by Calli Westra Brooklyn's Hiding Places are originally from North Carolina, and that sound is all over their latest single. "Waiting" has a strong alt-country meets dark indie rock sound. The song is as hypnotic as it is heartbreaking. Even if you're not paying attention to the lyrics, the vibe of the song is overwhelmingly dark and somber. There's plenty of country twang and indie rock fuzz throughout the song, with the music carrying the weight of the song as much as vocalist/guitarist Nicholas Byrne's voice does. The song is stunning, both in its beauty and mood. I feel like I've been sitting on "Waiting" for a while now until I could fully wrap my head around it. Hiding Places has something truly special here. Nicholas Byrne says of his band's latest single: "Hiding Places’ first bassist, Anthony Cozzarelli, left the band in July of 2022. I wrote the chorus the day before Anthony left the band. I recalled the slow death of my ...
Read more

Mama's Broke - "How it Ends"

By -
Image
Mama's Broke, the post-folk Canadian duo of Lisa Maria and Amy Lou Keeler, have just released a break up song that might be their most accessible yet. While the previous singles from their upcoming album have a certain darkness or a sense of foreboding, "How it Ends" sounds relatively upbeat. Considering this is a song about how you never think you'll find someone as good as your ex after a break up, that's quite a feat. This is a traditional folk song with some slightly modern folk harmonies. As much heartbreak as their is in "How it Ends," there is also the warmth of remembering a recent relationship. You can listen to "How it Ends" below. Narrow Line is due out May 13 on Free Dirt Records, and can be pre-ordered here . For more on Mama's Broke, check out the artist's website .
Read more