BEST OF 2010 - #2 - MAVIS STAPLES "YOU ARE NOT ALONE"

I love this album. When Mavis Staples was planning a follow-up to her Ry Cooder produced We'll Never Go Back, it must have been a bit daunting. But she hooked up with Jeff Tweedy of Wilco, and the resulting album, You Are Not Alone, is one of the highlights of both of their careers.

The title track, written by Tweedy, is the best thing he's ever done, in my opinion.  It's my favorite song of 2010, and one of my favorite songs of all time.

I wrote about this album a few months ago. I like it even more now than I did then.  I think the album had a great marketing hook - indie rocker produces gospel legend (and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer as a member of The Staple Singers, thank you very much). But I think this album transcends any of that - and I don't think Tweedy wanted to just be part of a contrived project. This actually adds a significant chapter to the legacy of a truly legendary artist. And by the way, it also adds to one of contemporary music's best writers.  What else do I need to say about this album?  It's a classic.