6 John Prine

Souvenirs

OH BOY/ULFTONE 2000, £11

You say: “Souvenirs collects the best, dusts them off, and puts a new spin on the old classics…” @HatrickPatrick3, via Twitter

To reclaim rights from an old label or attract a young crowd, an ageing songwriter records mellow versions of early staples – sound familiar? Albums made under such pretexts are often critically dismissed but popularly embraced; Souvenirs, originally intended for German release, is no exception. Outlined by pastel acoustic traces, these 15 cuts reinforce the profundity of Prine’s early words. This take on the devastating break-up hymn Blue Umbrella is definitive, while Donald And Lydia winks with a sense of play just right for a tragicomedy about masturbation. And in a time when a pandemic has sequestered ailing elders, Hello In There is timely advice from someone empathetic enough to express someone else’s sadness.