Last year, for my 44th birthday, I received an incredible gift: my wife Leah and good friend Ben Chasny, with help from another good friend Cory Rayborn, secretly and stealthily compiled an album of covers of some of my songs performed by many of my friends and heroes (it is a great distinction of my life that these two categories so frequently overlap). For months leading up to my birthday, Leah, Ben, Cory, and the artists on the compilation managed to assemble this immense tribute without my knowing. The only thing more impressive than their ability to keep this a secret from me—I communicate, in some form or another, with some of these people almost every day!—is the beautiful album that resulted from all that hard work and sneaking around.

My pals at Aquarium Drunkard graciously agreed to host the collection, and my buddy Darryl Norsen created the accompanying art.

Needless to say, I was very moved by both the gesture and all of the incredible music. Talk about your labors of love! It’s by far the most beautiful and meaningful gift I have ever received.

Today, on my 45th birthday, I thought it would be cool to commemorate yet another trip around the sun by making the compilation available here for a free download (with no option to pay).

The original notes by Cory as well as the album’s credits, via aquariumdrunkard.com, are below.

I hope you enjoy it.

Thank you Leah, Ben, Cory, and all of the participants. You really made my year, and I love you all.

xx
JT

Lagniappe SuperSession :: Birthday Blues | 33 Artists Interpret The Music Of James Toth

So, just how do you celebrate a great friend who has also helped provide so much joy through his art? When, beyond friendship, that person also happens to be one of the best living songwriters out there full stop? The answer to that question is to open your email one morning to find a scheming email from the subject’s spouse, Leah Toth, and one of your mutual good friends, Ben Chasny. They had the fantastic idea of celebrating the full and broad catalog of James Toth by asking a lot of our friends to turn in covers. How could I turn this assignment down? Impossible. As things frequently do, the project snowballed quickly into what you have before you here. Folks couldn’t respond “yes” quick enough, proving our concept regarding the simple power of Toth. Even better was that period when messages rolled in daily with folks’ finished works. Track after track, these reinterpretations laid bare the amazing framework that undergirds the massive James Toth catalog. They also demonstrate how much connection listeners come to from James’ lyrics, especially when they possess folks who are typically known as instrumental artists to contribute vocals to their takes. This collection is such a delight. Circling back to the start, a collection like this is how you can celebrate one of the best songwriters and buddies out there. Happy birthday, James! | Cory Rayborn

1. Meg Baird – “The Mountain”
2. Donovan Quinn – “Portrait in the Clouds”
3. Nick Mitchell Maiato – “Sunset Dust”
4. Woods – “Sundrum Ladies”
5. The World War IV – “The Pushers”
6. Cy Dune – “Leave Your Perch & Eagle Claw (Bird Fly West Young Suite)”
7. Zachary Cale – “I Wanna Make a Difference”
8. Powers/Rolin Duo – “Mallow T’Ward the River”
9. Eli Winter – “Perch Modifier”
10. William Fowler Collins – “Jhonn Balance”
11. Amelia Courthouse & DM Seidel – “Los Angeles Manna”
12. Jerry David DeCicca – “You Say That I Don’t Love Anything”
13. Wet Tuna – “Wand Arise”
14. Kelly Suzanne Smith – “This Life Of Ours”
15. Marisa Anderson – “Supermoon”
16. Ethan Miller – “Hotel Bar”
17. M. Geddes Gengras – “Mexican Coke”
18. Hush Arbors – “Days This Long”
19. Mount – “What Has The Night To do With Sleep”
20. Thurston Moore – “Rideshare Infiltrates (For Jim Shaw)
21. Nathan Bowles – “Dead End Days With Caesar”
22. Coupler – “Clipper Ship”
23. Daniel Bachman – “The Bleeder”
24. Hans Chew – “Mardi Gras”
25. Elisa Ambrogio – “Death Seat”
26. Dana Buoy – “Vengeance pt. 2”
27. Riggings – “No Bed For Beatle Wand”
28. Catherine Irwin – “We Must Also Love the Thieves”
29. Six Organs Of Admittance – “Bobby”
30. Langhorne Slim – “Seraphim Radar Rallies”
31. Ryley Walker – “Shaving Cold”
32. William Tyler – “Dogpaddlin’ Home to Live With My Lord”
33. Lee Ranaldo – “Wired to the Sky”