Townes Van Zandt - Rear View Mirror (1993)

In 1990, Townes Van Zandt was working on a three-CD retrospective for which he was re-recording much of his repertoire. That album never appeared, but in 1993, the tiny Austin-based Sundown label released Rear View Mirror, a 17-track album running nearly 58 minutes and containing newly recorded versions of Van Zandt songs dating back to 1968. Though a cover note claims "unique instrumentation," that seems to consist of only of an occasional second guitar and a fiddle. (Sparse applause indicates the recording had been made in a club.) Many of Van Zandt's best-known songs are included — "Pancho & Lefty," "If I Needed You," "To Live Is to Fly," "Tecumseh Valley," and others — and while this is not the best set of recordings of those songs, the tendency of Van Zandt's albums to go out of print might mean this is the only one you would find in your nearest record bin, in which case the album is highly recommended. ~ William Ruhlmann

Tracklist:
1-1 Townes Van Zandt - Pancho and Lefty [4:01]
1-2 Townes Van Zandt - If I Needed You [2:42]
1-3 Townes Van Zandt - For the Sake of the Song [4:39]
1-4 Townes Van Zandt - Our Mother the Mountain [2:59]
1-5 Townes Van Zandt - To Live Is to Fly [4:09]
1-6 Townes Van Zandt - Lungs [2:37]
1-7 Townes Van Zandt - Flyin' Shoes [3:32]
1-8 Townes Van Zandt - No Place to Fall [3:11]
1-9 Townes Van Zandt - Dollar Bill Blues [2:24]
1-10 Townes Van Zandt - White Freight Liner Blues [4:18]
1-11 Townes Van Zandt - Tecumseh Valley [4:42]
1-12 Townes Van Zandt - Don't You Take It Too Bad [3:35]
1-13 Townes Van Zandt - Tower Song [3:06]
1-14 Townes Van Zandt - Rex's Blues [2:23]
1-15 Townes Van Zandt - Brother Flower [2:44]
1-16 Townes Van Zandt - Waitin' 'Round to Die [3:12]
1-17 Townes Van Zandt - Colorado Girl [3:27]