So we’re still in that “it’s the end of the year, and the music industry is about to go into annual hibernation until mid-January” phase...But, there are still some new records of note, and a couple to clean up on that I haven’t yet talked about…click for ‘em.
“WALK HARD: THE DEWEY COX STORY” SOUNDTRACK
It’s pretty rare that a comedy film comes with a soundtrack of any value. (Obviously, “The Blues Brothers” is an exception, as is “Animal House”…and even “So I Married An Axe Murderer” featured Toad The Wet Sprocket, Suede, Big Audio Dynamite, the killer Ned’s Atomic Dustbin cover of “Saturday Night”, and the various versions of “There She Goes” by The La’s.) But typically, we’re dealing with things like “Beverly Hills Cop”, sporting “Axel F” and “The Heat Is On”. I’ve cracked up several times over this record, and song styles are all over the map. You’ve got: singer/songwriter (“Beautiful Ride”), crooning (“A Life Without You”), country (“Darling”), disco (“Starman”), and a tune mimicking Bob Dylan (“Royal Jelly”)…not to mention a good bit of very un-P.C. tongue-in-cheek material (“Dear Mr. President”). This soundtrack not only has loads of fun (and funny) songs…they’re also actually performed by John C. Reilly..and who knew he’s got a good voice?
THE GO – “HOWL ON THE HAUNTED BEAT YOU RIDE”
From Detroit, The Go has made one of my absolute favorite albums of the autumn/winter. When you listen, you’ll feel like this record could have been written in 1969, but produced in 2007. There’s a good combination of garage and psychedelic…making me think of late Kinks, or Lou Reed, or late Beatles, or The Go’s Detroit Rock City forefathers, MC5. Good stuff. Oh, and back in the late ‘90’s, The Go had a guitar player named Jack White, who would soon leave to go form a band of his own.
“I’M NOT THERE” SOUNDTRACK
The idea of a biopic on Bob Dylan is exciting enough to me, but a solid soundtrack makes it all the better. But ok, let me be clear on one thing: Eddie Vedder’s horrid version of “All Along The Watchtower” does NOT count when I'm singing the praises of the soundtrack. Outside of that opening track, though, there are stellar versions of Dylan music from the likes of: Cat Power, Jeff Tweedy (of Wilco), Sufjan Stevens, Willie Nelson, The Black Keys, Sonic Youth, Glen Hansard (of The Frames), Iron & Wine w/ Calexico, and tons more. These artists provide their take on some Dylan classics, (“Just Like A Woman”, “Highway 61 Revisited”, “The Times They Are A Changin’”, and “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door”), but better yet, a good bit of the not-so-celebrated portion of Mr. Dylan’s repertoire is represented. A standout track for me is the aforementioned “Just Like A Woman”, featuring a collaboration that I would have previously thought strange: Calexico (and their slightly twangy Americana sound), teamed with the breathy voice of sultry French vocalist Charlotte Gainsbourg. Fabulous.
ALOHA – “LIGHT WORKS” EP
Aloha is a band that formed in Pittsburgh..and the members are now scattered about the eastern seaboard..though they spend enough time together to make their music. The results are catchy, pleasant indie-pop that is on the mellower side of things. I like the subtle vocals, and highly recommend their 2004 record, “Here Comes Everyone”. The lead-off track “Body Buzz” is a standout, and all their music so far is released on Champaign, IL’s very own Polyvinyl Records!
