Various Artists - Harlan County USA: Songs Of The Coal Miner's Struggle (2006)

The release of this compilation suggests that the coal miner's plight hasn't improved appreciably since the 1976 release of Barbara Kopple's 1976 documentary, Harlan County, USA. Few industries have inspired such impassioned folk music, as most of these 22 cuts depend more on the power and conviction of the musical testament than any polish in the performance. Almost a third of the selections feature activist Hazel Dickens, whose contributions to the soundtrack established her as the musical conscience of Kopple's film. Among the other highlights, the pinched harmonies of the Old Time String Band featuring Tracy Schwarz convey the faith of trapped miners in the heaven that awaits, while "Dark as a Dungeon" by Merle Travis remains one of the classics of the coal-mining songbook. A number of unvarnished, a cappella performances capture the essence of work that breaks your back, blackens your lungs, and ultimately takes your life. Many of the others are story songs of union heroes, management villains, mines closed, and lives lost. None of it is easy listening, for this is not an easy way to make a living. --Don McLeese