No Cluin, it is very easy to make assumptions.   I had to tease.

We are all very passionate about this music and this reaction is to be expected. "Accept No Substitutes" seems to be words many of us live by, but personally I like to see people experiment.   

Arlo singing with his Dad on "This Land Is Your Land" can only be described as "fun".   Is it a better recording than Woody's original take on the song? No.   Was the intent to improve upon it? No. You can say the same thing about Natalie and Nat, although I am guessing the Coles made a little more $$ than the Guthries.

Are these examples scandals? Hardly, at least in my book. The point is we STILL have the originals - it isn't as if the original has been destroyed never to be heard again.   When Ted Turner began colorizing movies a few decades ago, the originals were locked up as I remember.   This isn't the same situation with the Lomax recordings.

How will these Lomax recordings sound?   We will just have to wait until they are released, and then we can critique something with a basis for our judgement.