Of course Joan Baez will never quite be the same soprano with the slightly husky voice that we know from her early work. Nonetheless after fifty years in the biz her taste in song remains broad and compelling and her political views remain staunchly intact.

It’s been a long time since I wrote anything here but it is a great pleasure to commence writing reviews again with this record, Day After Tomorrow. It is so wonderful to hear such an acoustic effort come from Baez-A major step back from the rocky, electric, smomky bar-room mood of her previous effort. It was so wonderful to put on this record and hear a very minimal voice-guitar combo and a song that is so much of our time.

The song selection is eclectic-very contemporary and at the same time very timeless and fitting Baez ageing mezzo as well as can be expected. Joan duets with producer Steve Earle (who wrote three songs for the record) on a few tracks; the rustically, meditative God Is God being a particular favourite of this author. My other favourite Earle’s I Am A Wanderer is an up-tempo, almost classical, ballad about the underdog in society. There are also other gems here Earle,s mountain-style modern primative hymn Gericho Road, Eliza Gilkyson Rose of Sharon and Elvis Costello’s Scarlet Tide all of which are rendered with compassion by this ancient troubadour.

I was pleased to discover that Day After Tomorrowhas been nominated for “Best Contemporary Folk Album” at next year’s Grammy Awards which it totally deserves. Over the next little while I’ll be writing reviews of some of the other nominees from the traditional and contemporary lists which is full of greats this year.