Various Artists

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More About

• John Fahey
• Sufjan Stevens
• Peter Case

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Traditionalist, experimentalist, American primitivist, and overall legend John Fahey influenced a wide swath of musicians, and not just acoustic guitarists. But here he's remembered by a rabble of Americana all-stars, and their contributions follow the usual disjointed pattern of a tribute album: Some artists elucidate buried facets of Fahey's music (Sufjan Stevens uses a chorus to restore the vocals to a hymn); others take a favorite song and play it straight (Pelt, with its hokey arrangement of "Sunflower River Blues"); and still others just get cute (M. Ward's electric ragtime misfire). I Am the Resurrection contains no duds, but it also has few revelations. It's a pleasing listen with more love than ideas, and when Peter Case gives the most loyal performance of the set -- a straight run-through of "When the Catfish Is in Bloom" -- he confirms that this is a eulogy, not an autopsy.