Taking minimalism to the maximum, Seth Walker erases all vestiges of Al Green and Talking Heads on his rendition of “Take Me to the River.”
It sports a punchy tempo as Walker plays Oliver Wood’s rubber-bridged guitar accompanied by Rhees Williams’ bass and Mark Raudabaugh’s shakers to create a lo-fidelity mix of subtle sound.
“It brought a new side out in my playing,” Walker said of swinging Wood’s axe.
Making so many significant changes to such a significant tune carries significant risks. Give Walker credit for both his willingness to gamble and his finding a left-field approach that - contrary to logic - worked out quite nicely.
Grade card: Seth Walker - “Take Me to the River” - B
Mosaic comprised of 529 Polaroid photographs, created by Jimmy DeSana and David Byrne for the 1978 Talking Heads album, More Songs About Buildings and Food.