Recent Music

Here are some quick impressions of the music I’ve purchased in the last two months:

• It’s Not Big, It’s Large (2007) – Lyle Lovett – You cannot go wrong with Lyle – for my money, he is the one of best songwriters of his generation. This album does not disappoint.
• Songs of Mass Destruction (2007) – Annie Lennox – I bought this for Laurie and I haven’t listened to it much. What I have heard, I like. After more than 25 years in the business, she still has one of the best voice’s out there — deep, rich and soulful.
• Magic (2007) – Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band – This is a very good album, but not among Bruce’s best — this will not knock Darkness out of my ‘Top Ten Albums’ playlist. However, if you’re even a casual Springsteen fan, this is well worth the money.
• Revival (2007) – John Fogerty – For me this is the album of the year so far. The title says it all — Fogerty has finally accepted what everyone else has known for years: CCR is one of the greatest American pop bands ever, and he is one of the finest pop songwriters ever. Don’t miss this one.
• With the Beatles (1963) & Please Please Me (1963) – The Beatles – These first two albums are a bit raw, but they demonstrate that these aren’t just four guys from Liverpool — the elements of the great music to come are all in place.
• Deadicated (1992) – Various Artists – I lost track of my copy of this Grateful Dead tribute album over the years, and it is out of print. So I tracked down a used copy just to hear the Los Lobos cover of ‘Bertha’. There are also great Dead covers by Lyle Lovett (‘Friend of the Devil’), Elvis Costello (‘Ship of Fools’) and Warren Zevon (‘Casey Jones’).
• Live at the Apollo (1962) – James Brown – This lives up to its reputation as one of the greatest live albums ever. This JB at his funkiest, and it is the cornerstone of the next two decades of funk and soul.
• In the Wee Small Hours (1955) – Frank Sinatra – An essential classic. Frank proved that an LP could be more than just a collection of songs.
• Raising Sand (2007) – Robert Plant & Alison Krauss – What do you get when you cross an aging English hard rock god with the princess of contemporary American bluegrass? The answer is a captivating, and darn fine album. Krauss is famous for her fiddle, but her voice is the star of this collection — it is absolutely haunting. Plant is subdued and delicate, never overwhelming his partner. The mixture is just intoxicating.
• Chrome Dreams II (2007) – Neil Young – I have only had a chance to listen to a few tracks, but I like what I hear so far. You should take that with a grain of sand, since I like just about everything Neil does.  Update (11/7/07):  I have listened to Neil’s latest consistently for the last couple of weeks, and it is terrific — it is no After the Goldrush or Rust Never Sleeps, but it is a fine, fine album.