Echo in the Canyon

Echo In The Canyon (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Various Artists 
BMG

Director Andrew Slater's new documentary, “Echo In The Canyon,” celebrates the birth of the music scene that emerged out of the Laurel Canyon area of Los Angeles in the mid-Sixties. The musicians who lived or settled in Laurel Canyon during this time drew inspiration from folk music and the Beatles, giving rise to a movement that was a focal point of what became known as the "California Sound."

At the heart of this emerging scene were artists like the Beach Boys, the Byrds, the Mamas and the Papas, and more. Slater, a former record company executive, worked closely with singer, songwriter, and Wallflowers frontman Jakob Dylan on this feature-length film detailing this burgeoning music scene and its influence on future artists.

With Slater handling the film’s production, Dylan spearheaded the soundtrack that brought the film to life. The result is not only an homage to the Laurel Canyon movement, but also a tribute to mid-'60s pop songwriting at its best. The assortment of songs chosen for the film’s soundtrack range from folk to pop to easy listening. Rather than simply compiling the original, or best known, versions of these songs, Dylan recorded new versions in collaboration with a number of his contemporaries and friends.

As an album, Echo In The Canyon is an introspective and sometimes somber collection. Dylan and his collaborators — including Fiona Apple, Beck, Jade Castrinos (formerly of Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros), Cat Power, Eric Clapton, Josh Homme (of Queens of the Stone Age and Eagles of Death Metal), Norah Jones, Regina Spektor, and Neil Young — generally stay true to the originals. Faithful reproductions are favored over reinterpretations or reinventions. In one sense, this choice allows the classic versions of these songs to shine in the spotlight, although each cover does encourage comparison to the classic original.

But it’s hard to find fault with any of these 13 tracks, all of which honor a golden era in popular music that continues to inspire and influence today’s music makers.

Listen to Paul Cavalconte's FUV Live interview with Andrew Slater and Jakob Dylan.

Tracklisting:

1. “Go Where You Wanna Go," Jakob Dylan and Jade Castrinos (written by John Phillips; originally by the Mamas and the Papas, 1965) 
2. “The Bells Of Rhymney," Jakob Dylan and Beck (written by Pete Seeger and Idris Davies; originally by Pete Seeger and Sonny Terry, 1958; best known version by the Byrds, 1965) 
3. “You Showed Me," Jakob Dylan and Cat Power (written by Jim McGuinn and Gene Clark; originally by the Turtles, 1968)
4. “She," Jakob Dylan and Josh Homme (written by Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart; originally by the Monkees, 1967) 
5. “In My Room," Jakob Dylan and Fiona Apple (written by Brian Wilson and Gary Usher; originally by the Beach Boys, 1963)
6. “Goin’ Back," Jakob Dylan and Beck (written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King; originally by Dusty Springfield, 1966; also by the Byrds, 1967) 
7. “Never My Love," Jakob Dylan and Norah Jones (written by Donald and Richard Addrisi, aka, the Addrisi Brothers; originally by the Association, 1967; also by the 5th Dimension, 1971) 
8. “It Won’t Be Wrong," Jakob Dylan and Fiona Apple (written by Jim McGuinn and Harvey Gerst; originally by the Byrds, 1965) 
9. “No Matter What You Do," Jakob Dylan and Regina Spektor (written by Arthur Lee; originally by Love, 1966) 
10. “Questions," Jacob Dylan and Eric Clapton (written by Stephen Stills; originally by Buffalo Springfield, 1968) 
11. “I Just Wasn’t Made For These Times," Jakob Dylan and Neil Young (written by Brian Wilson and Tony Asher; originally by the Beach Boys, 1966) 
12. “Expecting To Fly," Jakob Dylan and Regina Spektor (written by Neil Young; originally by Buffalo Springfield, 1967) 
13. “What’s Happening?!?!," Jakob Dylan (and Neil Young) (written by David Crosby; originally by the Byrds, 1966)