Michael Burrows and Craig Kelly with Bek Chapman play the songs of Mermaid Avenue (Wilco / Billy Bragg)

It was an idea that never should have worked: British folk-rocker Billy Bragg collaborating with alt-country upstarts Wilco to put music to the unreleased lyrics of Woody Guthrie. It wouldn’t have surprised anyone if it had diminished the reputation of all involved.
Instead, the 1998 release of Mermaid Avenue was a revelation, proof that Guthrie was far more than the populist, fascist-bashing folkie that he was often perceived to be – he was also capable of startlingly personal songwriting that was far ahead of its time.