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With their first album in 20 years, The Modern Sounds of the Knitters, the revered American band is bringing their traditional sound to a new generation of listeners.Taking a long, thoughtful draw on her corncob pipe, Exene says, “We figured that some people knew our music — from our Folkways and Vanguard albums, or those compilations the Smithsonian put out in the ‘90s, or maybe even from some of our early 78s. We decided to call our new one The Modern Sounds of the Knitters to show that our sound is always up-to-date, no matter how far back it reaches.”
The Knitters’ sound stretches back quite a ways, and it wasn’t always the electrified style heard on the group’s new Zoë/Rounder album. “When we played for Ralph Peer in Bristol, Tennessee back in ’27,” Alvin recalls with a nostalgic chuckle, “there wasn’t what you’d call ‘electric’ music. It was just us, Jimmie Rodgers, and the Carter Family with our acoustic guitars, singing into one microphone. Too bad our master from that session fell off the back of a Model A. Our career might have gotten started sooner.”
The latter album, released by Slash Records in 1985 — which featured folk-styled versions of the Knitters’ punk music, as well as new renditions of songs like the famed title track, which they first recorded for Victor Records in 1932 — brought their original style to a new generation of listeners reared on the punk rock of the day.
In all, The Modern Sounds of the Knitters is a satisfying look back at the breadth of the Knitters’ catalog. “We’re mighty pleased,” Exene says. “We think the new record delivers the authentic Knitters style, and we hope everybody likes it as much as we do.”
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