Posted by DwDunphy on 07-28-2004 at22:31:
Well, this one should go up in a day or two...
...but I shall give you all a preview.
From
www.musictap.net:
Lost Dogs
Mutt (Fools Of The World / Lo-Fidelity)
Four Stars
Produced by Steve Hindalong & The Lost Dogs
Rush
Feedback (Anthem / Atlantic-Elektra)
Three and a half Stars
Produced by David Leonard and Rush
Randy Newman
The Randy Newman Songbook Volume 1 (Nonesuch)
Three stars
Produced by Mitchell Froom
Three discs by three very different sets of artists, all sharing a single, unifying thread: The backward glance at a long and impressive career. Some work better than others but all of the releases have their merits.
The Lost Dogs may be the least known of the bunch, even though they’ve been around more than a decade and each member’s “main” band has been on at least twice as long. Terry Taylor (Daniel Amos), Mike Roe (The Seventy Sevens) and Derri Daugherty (The Choir) produce a unique sound together, not quite rock/pop but not quite country. Call it Americana and split the difference. Their sound is driven by a much envied vocal harmony and an intimate understanding of the acoustic guitar and their songs wander the fields of hope, loss, faith, doubt and the common bond all people share, like it or not.
On “Mutt”, the group decides to adapt songs from their collective pasts and revue them in this new, more homespun sound and the results, more often than not, are astounding. The highlights range from Taylor’s prominent address on the 77’s “The Lust, The Flesh, The Eyes and The Pride Of Life”, with his voice recalling that of a southern troubadour, an earthy arrangement of The Choir’s contribution to the side project At The Foot Of The Cross, “Beautiful Scandalous Night”, a full-on rockabilly revamp of the 77’s new-wave rocker “It’s So Sad” and a crowning rendition of the D.A. concert favorite, the Southern-hymn-tinged “Ain’t Gonna Fight It”. Oddly, the one that takes the prize is the sole new track on the set, an ode to the ‘empty nest syndrome’, “I’m Setting You Free (But I’m Not Letting You Go)”.
All the performers elevate the contributions to new levels by pulling back, and the soulful sound and pace do not turn the tunes into parodies; a distinct possibility of happening in a project such as this. Fans of Johnny Cash’s spare “American Recordings”, Pinetop Seven, Richard Buckner and Jim White would do well to give this mutt a home in their collection.
www.lo-fidelity.com
With the intent of looking back in fondness, the members of legendary power trio Rush culled together some of the songs that inspired them to make music. The result, a sprightly E.P. called “Feedback”, hits more than it misses, but not by fault of performance.
Guitarist Alex Lifeson gets to stomp in the footprints of heroes like Eric Clapton (covering Cream’s cover of Robert Johnson’s blues landmark “Crossroads”), Pete Townshend (The Who’s “The Seeker”) and Jimmy Page & Jeff Beck (via The Yardbirds covers, “Heart Full Of Soul” and “Shapes Of Things”). One has to assume that drummer Neil Peart got his kicks from the Who cover as well, throwing himself into the hallowed cyclone of Keith Moon.
The positives, and this eight cut tidbit has plenty of them, are that with such a stylistic diversity amongst these tracks from the 1960s, most sound like Rush. The signature sound the band’s fans have come to recognize instantly has not been sacrificed for the sake of the tribute. Also, the band sounds energetic and happy to be where they are, unlike the “cold water, little toe” undercurrent of the previous studio album “Vapor Trails”. They no longer have to prove they’ve survived. They can simply play the music that they love, and it comes through nicely.
Also positive is Geddy Lee’s voice on “Heart Full Of Soul”, a contender for single status if ever there was one. Although the subject matter is much more direct and less cryptic than usual Rush fare, Lee’s voice really shines through with Graham Gouldman’s lyrics, and the stuff transcends the 60s – 04 divide with confidence and grace. Not as fortunate is the cover of The Buffalo Springfield’s “For What It’s Worth”. I’m afraid that no one is going to be able to make the lyrics contemporary even if the subject matter is dangerously topical. Of course, when Stephen Stills wrote them, they were direct and conversational, but for the sixties vernacular. Now it sounds less like a dusting for a classic and more like a new version of an old song.
The band knew this was a friendly aside and, in that spirit, confined their walk down memory to this snazzy e.p. complete with faux, miniature vinyl gatefold packaging. Still, this eight song offering is longer than some regular releases now topping the Billboard charts, so the bargain price for it (generally between eight and eleven bucks, s.r.p.) is yet another treat. Rush fans; come out of hiding. It’s o.k. They’re not here to freak you out, just to thank you for the lovely ride.
www.rush.com
___________________________________________________________________________
__
The third disc in our backward glancing triptych is “The Randy Newman Songbook Vol. 1”. On it, the acerbic writer strips everything down to the basics – his voice, his words and his piano. When it works, it shows why Newman is held in such regard. The sexy “You Can Leave Your Hat On”, more recognized by the Joe Cocker cover, “God’s Song (That’s Why I Love Mankind)”, the black comedy and sarcastic irony of the racially charged “Rednecks” all have no place to hide, spilling out cold like fuel splashing from an overflowing gas tank. With an errant spark, the whole thing’s going to go up in flames and you have to believe that’s just the way Newman likes it.
Also represented is his most recent passion, film scoring. There are three tracks representing his movie work: the themes from “Avalon” and “Ragtime” (his first score, by the way) and “When She Loved Me” from “Toy Story 2”. That third track is the big problem, though. The original transforms from melancholy piano piece to poignant tear-jerker because of the lyrics (sung on the soundtrack by Sarah McLachlan) and this version is piano-only. Why the choice was made, I don’t know. The lyrics could easily have switched context had Newman sung them, but we’re left with only half of the puzzle here. A disappointment, to be sure.
The other negative is the stark, spare approach Newman and producer Mitchell Froom take here. Powerful in doses, a full disc of what t.v. show ‘Family Guy’ mordantly pointed out, “Newman, sitting there, singing ‘bout what he sees”, eventually gets tiresome. Had they chosen to sprinkle the music occasionally with additional musicians, a single setting with “The Randy Newman Songbook Vol. 1” might have yielded a different response. He plays well, sings in his own inimitable style and you can’t fault his musicianship, but the constantly focused approach wears me down. Still, in pieces, you can’t give this stuff a thumbs down vote. The world is in some sick way, a better place for having Newman’s “Political Science” in it, and how could you fault that?
www.nonesuch.com
In conclusion, depending on your tastes and fortitude, none of these discs are “bad”. Most of the material is time-tested and will survive long after this review has bit the digital dust. None of the performers have lasted this long on sheer luck. Do yourself a favor and try one or all of them out.
The Lost Dogs – Mutt
1. If You Want To
2. The Lust, The Flesh, The Eyes and The Pride Of Life
3. Like A Cloud
4. Grace Is The Smell Of Rain
5. Sunshine Down
6. To Cover You
7. It’s So Sad
8. Ain’t Gonna Fight It
9. Beautiful Scandalous Night
10. I’m Setting You Free (But I’m Not Letting You Go)
Rush – Feedback
1. Summertime Blues
2. Heart Full Of Soul
3. For What It’s Worth
4. The Seeker
5. Mr. Soul
6. Seven And Seven Is
7. Shapes Of Things
8. Crossroads
The Randy Newman Songbook Vol. 1
1. It’s Lonely At The Top
2. God’s Song (That’s Why I Love Mankind)
3. Louisiana 1927
4. Let Me Go
5. Rednecks
6. Avalon
7. Living Without You
8. I Think It’s Going To Rain Today
9. You Can Leave Your Hat On
10. It’s Money That I Love
11. Marie
12. When She Loved Me
13. Sail Away
14. The World Isn’t Fair
15. Political Science
16. The Great Nations Of Europe
17. In Germany Before The War
18. Ragtime
