Bluegrass ingenue Sarah Jarosz releases her second album, Follow Me Down, in a couple of weeks. Remarkably young – she turns 20 later this month – she performs with a maturity well beyond her years. Her new LP includes a couple of covers, most notably Radiohead’s “The Tourist,” on which she partners with the Punch Brothers.
Together, they deliver a stunning interpretation of the song. Using acoustic guitar, banjo and cello, they create a stripped-down version that loses none of the power or atmosphere of the original. Jarosz’s vocal, ably backed up with the Punch Brothers’ harmonies, has echoes of Gillian Welch at her best – fragile, yet noble. Listen to the track below and imagine what her version of Bob Dylan’s “Ring Them Bells” will sound like!
Sarah Jarosz – The Tourist (Radiohead cover)
Check out more Sarah Jarosz on her website.
The complete album, including Ring Them Bells, is available for streaming from NPR until the official release date (May 17).
http://www.npr.org/2011/05/02/135770158/first-listen-sarah-jarosz-follow-me-down