Rating: NN
Presumably intended as an all-star folk and roots salute to the songwriting genius of Randy Newman, Sail Away could be alternately subtitled The South Strikes Back. Newman likes to write from the perspective of misogynists, zenophobes, racists, rapists and slave traders, giving his social commentary its bite, but the satirical subtleties have been lost in translation here. Tim O’Brien’s sweetly sung version of Sail Away comes off like a good ol’ boy’s romantic ode to the slave trade – perfectly in tune with the sunny storybook cover image of a slave ship – while Steve Earle turns Rednecks into a fist-shaking anthem the hooded horde could shout along to at cross-burning rallies. Sonny Landreth ignores the topical poignancy of Louisiana 1927, rejigging the moving lament into a bouncy radio-ready boogie. The Duhks’ gleeful take on Political Science puts a jaunty spin on America’s first-strike threat – perfect for President Bush’s iPod. Newman’s likely laughing himself to tears.
