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What a neat concept! Beki Hemingway, now residing in Nashville, Tennessee, has a full collaborative project with Minneapolis, Minnesota's Jonathan Rundman. The project's title makes all the sense in the world (or at least in the United States of America): Tennesota, a play on the artists' states and the Americana music encompassing this project.

Take the name of this project to heart. If you're new to Beki Hemingway and have only heard Words for Loss for Words (2002) or Too Much Plenty (1999), you may be in for a surprise. Beki's early music (think This Train or rinse. repeat) and Jonathan Rundman's style and quality have always mirrored each other well. They've worked on each other's recordings and pressed a limited edition EP Christmas collaboration CD, Present. Read Brian A. Smith's December 23, 2001 review of Present which is a very good prelude to a description of Tennesota.

As Brian notes of the Christmas project, it's "in the acoustic country/rock/Americana vein, featuring banjo, mandolin, accordion, and steel guitar," and as soon as I popped in Tennesota and heard drums, acoustic guitar, melodica, and a heavy bass beat with Beki and Jonathan's strong harmonies all in perfect sync--I was all smiles and pleased to hear the earthy, down-home quality that I loved so much in the Present project. This quality that does indeed equal "Americana" flows beautifully from the first notes of "You Never Last Where You Land" through the end of "Consolation Prize." Reminiscent of Rundman's Field Recordings also, if you liked that one, you'll love Tennesota.

Here's how Tennesota was made. There are a couple of tunes where Beki and Jonathan worked together directly, but for the most part, the two sent recordings to each other, and the project was produced by Rundman and Randy Kerkman (Beki's musical collaborator-producer-husband). Kerkman did the majority of the mixing and adds a dandy tune, "Alone in a New City," as well as collaborating with Beki and Jonathan on "Consolation Prize."

The songs here are all very, very good with a couple of gems to note. I plan to use "Hometown" in a Sunday School class when we're discussing Jesus' return to Nazareth (from Luke 4--where he read Isaiah's words, rolled up the scroll and sat down, angering folks in his hometown). Fans of Beki who have heard concert renditions of "Mary's Song" are in for a treat with the studio recording. Jonathan always has unique lyrics that leave listeners scratching their heads, then saying "Oh, yeah! That makes sense!" For example, from "Forgiveness Waltz": "it's like a dance, it's like a wheel / less like math, less like a deal / more like a desert becoming a field / we can start over, we know forgiveness." Finally, I do not own a pickup truck, but I want to buy one and drive through some desert somewhere looking for a lonely old motel after hearing "Vacancy Sign" and "Consolation Prize." This project really does live up to its moniker term, "Tennesota," meaning "Americana."

My sole problem--more frustration than anything else--with Tennesota is that at just over 40 minutes, it's too short. I would have welcomed a live tune or two or three popped in here and there, at the artists' discretion to keep that good flow going.

Lyrics are available at the Salt Lady website, and links are provided directly from Jonathan and Beki's sites.

Olin Jenkins     July 13, 2004

Salt Lady Records mogul Jonathan Rundman and songstress Beki Hemingway have been performing together off and on for several years.  Both have been asked many times when they would do an album together.  Last year they recorded Present, an EP of original Christmas songs that was critically acclaimed, providing the springboard to a full project with both artists.

Then, Rundman relocated to Minnesota.  Beki and husband/guitarist/co-producer Randy Kerkman moved to Nashville.  Logistics suddenly presented a problem.  The artists agreed to write songs and mail them to each other, to see if there was a workable album to be had.  The result is Tennesota, an Americana-tinged album that may feature some of the best work by either artist.

Hemingway’s vocals have always ranged somewhere between Karin Bergquist, Julie Miller, and Emmylou Harris, with an indefinable quality that distinguishes them those any other artist.  Rundman is more in the Tom Petty/Paul Westerberg area.  On Tennesota, their voices mesh perfectly and seamlessly, making it difficult to pick out which songs are written by which artist.  Kerkman’s guitar work as good as it ever has been, and former VOL-er Chris Bland chips in bass on several tracks.

“Hometown” is a shining example of how the two singers work together.  Written by Hemingway, it provides a showcase for Rundman’s lead vocals.  “List of Things to Do” is an acoustic rocker a la 80’s one hit wonders Timbuk 3.  “Mary’s Song” details the mother of Jesus responding to God’s call. 

“You Never Last Where You Land” would have fit on Rundman’s own Public Library, yet it provides the ideal song to open this CD.  “Consolation Prize” is a hilarious, but poignant piece on people who desperately want to feel loved:

So if you want to dance with me
I will close my eyes
‘Cause you may be my consolation
But you’re no prize

Brian A. Smith
14 August 2004

Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Nashville, Tennesse, have long been hot beds of great music, and songwriters Beki Hemingway and Jonathan Rundman have combined the best of both legendary locations on  their collaborative album, Tennesota.

These stripped-town, acoustic tunes stroll easily down the narrow gravel road between country and folk. Regardless of which direction Hemingway or Rundman (often a sonic dead-ringer for Terry Scott Taylor) sidestep along the way, their vocals and songwriting styles lie tastefully side-by-side like truck stop burgers and fries.

Highlight tracks include “Hometown,” capturing the internal turmoil of Jesus ’ rejection in Nazareth, “No Regrets,” and ching-changy ode to the open road, “Forgiveness Walz,” a heart-breaking admission that grace is really tough to accept, and “Consolation Prize,” which features the unforgettable line, “You may be my consolation, but you’re no prize!”

Recommended if you like Nickel Creek, Jayhawks, Lost Dogs, Daniel Amos.

Greg Adams  8/25/2004