On June 16, Mississippi Records are releasing a reimagined version of Michael Hurley‘s Sweetkorn (originally released in 2002). It was in 2003, having just moved to Portland, Oregon, that Hurley was introduced to Mississippi Records founder Eric Isaacson.
In various interviews about the creation of Mississippi Records, Eric has described what he was going through at the time as a ‘spiritual crisis’ – he couldn’t find work and didn’t know what to do with his life. He ended up renting a space which he turned into a record store, initially selling his personal music collection. He went on to purchase other collections, some of which ended up as reissues on the label…he’s one of those people who seem to have a nose for finding rarities. Since launching Mississippi Records in 2003, the reissue label has won the hearts of many, not just for the rare music but also because they place love before gold when it comes to getting music out there. Over the years, Hurley and Mississippi Records have enjoyed a fruitful relationship which comes as no surprise when considering their background.
In 2013, Eric shared an amusing fact about Hurley’s music1 – when they first met he had only heard “Have Moicy”, which he wasn’t a fan of. Thankfully, Eric would later go on to discover Hurley’s First Songs (1964), which was recorded by the folklorist Frederic Ramsey Jr. and released on Folkways. Eric was captivated by that recording and went on to discover Hurley’s back catalogue, becoming an instant fan. They have since reissued a number of Hurley’s albums and singles, including First Songs.
The songs that made the final cut on this reimagined ‘Sweetkorn’ were remixed, placing Hurley’s gentle vocals centre stage. As you can hear on O My Stars below, it sounds beautiful, and there is also a totally new track included – Murderer’s Home Blues, recorded in 2021 at the Rope Room, Astoria, Oregon. Hurley has also created new artwork for this release (main image).
Mississippi Records:
Some of the most beautiful recordings of legendary American troubadour Michael Hurley’s entire catalog, remixed under Hurley’s supervision and available for the first time on vinyl. This newly imagined version brings Hurley’s voice and guitar to the forefront, turns up some elements, and turns down others. We’ve also omitted a couple songs from the O.G version and added a completely unheard tune from the session.
Pre-Order via: Mississippi Records | Bandcamp
1 Blue Navigator 11 (2013)