Stark, sincere, sentimental. On December 12th, Jake Xerxes Fussell sat alone, strumming and singing, slow and sweet as molasses. His sound is simultaneously evanescent and immutable, with shimmering guitar flourishes and a low melodic croon as old and beautiful as Appalachia. It is impossible to look away from the Georgia native as he serenades the audience with folksy ballads tinged with blues. Although I am several rows away from the stage, it feels like he’s singing right at me, letting me in on an old family secret, like he's telling me a great-uncle's peach jam recipe, or bequeathing me Grandma’s set of sterling silverware.
Fussell is an interpreter of old songs. He’s the son of a folklorist, who often accompanied his father on his quest to document traditional American vernacular across the Southeast. This background shaped his approach to music: Fussell finds archaic folk music, polishes it, and performs it, breathing new life into southern sound. It’s this unique blend of old and new, combined with his sheer talent as a guitarist and vocalist, that make listening to him –– whether recorded, live, or on his American folk music research show, Fall Line Radio –– an absolute pleasure.
This was my second time seeing Fussell, and it met every one of my high expectations. My friends and I had just finished a brutal finals week at UNC, and we were plumb tired. Spending an evening listening to Fussell perform was exactly what the doctor ordered.
(Jake Xerxes Fussell)
It went like this: Canadian country-rocker Jennifer Castle opened the show, mesmerizing the audience with her lovely harmonica and high lilt. Christmas trees clustered on each corner of the stage, singing silent backup. When Fussell got on stage, any movement in the audience ceased at once. A man of few words, Fussell got straight to playing, like the song just couldn’t wait a moment more to be heard. His opening song is a rumbling, forlorn cover of new wave musician Nick Lowe’s “I Love the Sound of Breaking Glass” from his 1978 release, “Jesus is Cool.”
His next song, “When I’m Called,” is a standout track from his newest album of the same name. According to legend, it was adapted from lines found in a discarded schoolbook on the green of some highway out in California. Closing my eyes while listening to it live, I could almost see the tumbleweeds skittering by. One of my favorites from Fussell’s 2015 self-titled album, “Raggy Levy,” is a swinging work song, adapted from the Georgia Sea Island Singers. His weighty baritone and keening holler make the quintessential southern song come to life. Injecting a bit of levity between the somber songs, Fussell encouraged the audience to join him in singing “Donkey Riding,” a traditional sea shanty.
My three favorite songs come in a triumvirate. “The River St. John’s” is hazy, dark, and wistful –– the old folk tune even had the guy sitting in front of me headbanging. Next was “Love Farewell,” the first Fussell song I ever heard, introduced to me by one of my best friends. This song is exactly what it says on the tin: a heartfelt goodbye, tinged with the hope of a new beginning. Fussell’s final song was his take on folk-blues guitarist Jimmy Lee Williams’ “Have You Ever Seen Peaches Growing on a Sweet Potato Vine?” Over and over, Fussell poses this impossible question, asking the listener to imagine if nature itself might be different. I haven’t yet, but after listening to Fussell’s new takes on Southern classics, I can’t rule out the possibility.
(Jake Xerxes Fussell)
Set List: Breaking Glass, Jubilee, When I’m Called, Close My Eyes, Raggy Levy, Gone to Hilo, Donkey Riding, Breast of Glass, The River St. John’s, Love Farewell, Have You Ever Seen Peaches on a Sweet Potato Vine?
