Mavis Staples, despite her well-earned status as a music legend, has long been amenable to new ideas — memorably working with Jeff Tweedy and the North Mississippi All-Stars on her most recent music. That open-minded sensibility worked in favor of neo-soulster Son Little, who has written two new songs — including this one — specifically for Staples.
Like Tweedy, who rose to earlier fame with Wilco, Little arrives as a known quantity to modern ears. Recording under his real name of Aaron Livingston, he’s previously voiced tracks for the Roots and RJD2. But he’d never worked with Mavis Staples before, and that meant the songs themselves would have to connect. As you can hear on the haunting “Your Good Fortune,” they most certainly did.
This will serve as the title track for a forthcoming four-song EP that was ultimately produced by Little, who likewise composed the very Staple Singers-ish throwback “Fight” for Staples. Your Good Fortune is rounded out by updates of two tracks that Mavis Staples fans will certainly be familiar with: Blind Lemon Jefferson’s “See That My Grave is Kept Clean” and “Wish I Had Answered,” composed by Staple Singers leader Roebuck “Pops” Staples. Mavis earlier interpreted “See That My Grave” as “Dying Man’s Plea.” The Staple Singers memorably recorded “Wish I Had Answer” back in 1967.
Your Good Fortune, due on April 21, 2015 via Anti-, continues what has become a very busy year for Mavis Staples. She has already joined with Jeff Tweedy again to complete final recordings by Pops Staples; was the subject of a new documentary titled Mavis!, which recently premiered at SXSW; and marked the 50th anniversary the Civil Rights-era freedom marches with the expanded reissue of Freedom Highway Complete.
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