Continental Drifters

One of my favorite nineties bands has been busy with the back catalog lately, and it's great news for fans. The band made four studio records between 1994 and 2001. The eponymous debut 1994, Vermillion 1998, Better Day 2001, and the German market release Listen, Listen 2001, a tribute to Richard Thompson and Sandy Denny. In 2003, they released Nineteen Ninety-Three, recorded in the title year before Vickie Peterson and Susan Cowsill joined. 

In 2015 came Drifted: In The Beginning and Beyond, a two CD set that re-released the Nineteen Ninety-Three material, the entirety of Listen, Listen (both of which were out of print), and a slew of demos, rarities, live tracks, and one-offs done for tribute records. The earliest recordings (1993) are good but are not quite as exciting as their main releases. The Listen, Listen material is essential listening. The rest of the various material is solid and nice to have collected. The set is a must for fans of this excellent band. 

Continental Drifters Live at the 2023 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival 2023 documents a recent reunion set that samples most of the catalog and the band sounds great. The recording is good, but maybe not great, probably from the soundboard. They're having lots of fun and it is a hot set.

And now in 2024 comes White Noise & Lightening The Best of the Continental Drifters. It's a well-curated single CD (or vinyl LP) that shows off most of their ample talents and top notch songcraft. In the annals of wonderful bands woefully neglected, Continental Drifters are near the top of the list. If you've never heard them, the recent Best Of is the place to start. If you loved the band and didn't catch the Drifted release, it is well worth your time and money.