Gene Clark – Gene Clark Sings For You (Omnivore Recordings)
Upon leaving the Byrds, Gene Clark was just another hippie muso struggling to get a record deal or, at a minimum, make some much-needed cash from his songs. Gene Clark Sings For You rescues the long-lost acetate of song demos recorded by the talented singer/songwriter in 1967; the uniformly high quality of these songs makes one wonder why Clark wasn’t signed to a label deal earlier. Featuring Clark’s honeyed vocals and skilled fretwork, songs like the lovely “On Her Own,” the Dylanesque “Past My Door,” and the folkish “One Way Road” would have made a strong foundation for a full-length album. Omnivore’s long-anticipated release of these recordings includes an acetate provided to the Rose Garden with five fine Clark-penned tunes, including the bluesy “Big City Girl” and the electric rocker “Doctor Doctor.” Providing another essential piece to the singer’s growing legacy, Gene Clark Sings For You is an important find. Grade: B+ BUY IT!
The first album from Texas wordsmith Kinky Friedman in over 40 years finds the country singer/songwriter in fine form, stiletto-sharp if seemingly subdued somewhat by age. Friedman’s voice and lyrics are weathered by a lifetime of experience, with rowdy country songs like “A Dog Named Freedom” and “Zoey” showcasing his intelligent wordplay even as they display hard-won wisdom. “Copper Love” is twangy folk tune while the somber “Jesus In Pajamas” is the sort of witty story-song with which Friedman earned his reputation. Sounding much like Guy Clark did at this stage of life; Friedman is accompanied by some fine musicians, talents like Texas Tornado Augie Meyers, guitarist Joe Cirotti, and his friend and longtime band member, pianist “Little Jewford” Shelby. Friedman’s masterful Circus of Life gazes lovingly upon the past, with songs haunted by years of regrets and emotions felt acutely by the talented, too-often underrated Pagliacci of Texas music. Grade: B BUY IT!
* If you're a Kinky Friedman fan and haven’t read Mary Lou Sullivan’s excellent Everything's Bigger In Texas: The Life and Times of Kinky Friedman well, bunkie, here’s your chance...
Singer/songwriter David Olney has been making music in Nashville for over 40 years, and the humble, talented scribe has bene exploring the depths of folk, rock, and country music just as long, breaking through genre barriers years before anybody coined the “Americana” term. This Side or the Other, Olney’s debut for Steve Dawson’s Black Hen label, proves to be a snug artistic fit, the like-minded Dawson producing and adding his considerable six-string skills to the songs. Backed by the cream of the Music City – folks like Justin Amaral, Fats Kaplin, and the legendary Charlie McCoy – Olney spins somber tales of romance and betrayal, loss and uncertainty above a gorgeous soundtrack. Olney’s poetic wordplay, intriguing story-songs, and world-weary vocals put him in a class by himself, the man’s talents transcending mediocrity to deliver the truly magnificent with This Side or the Other. RIYL Townes Van Zandt, Leonard Cohen, or James McMurtry. Grade: A BUY IT!
One of the great overlooked bands of the ‘90s, avowed Big Star acolytes the Posies took Alex Chilton’s ‘60s-bred power-pop sensibilities and blew the sound up large for the grunge decade. This approach left the band woefully out-of-date at the time, but their music became timeless as a result. Dear 23 is the first of Omnivore’s reissues that will restore the band’s amazing three-album major label catalog. The album’s British Invasion influences and charming songwriting – courtesy of the band’s Jonathan Auer and Ken Stringfellow – is ready-made for the tuneless 21st century, its original ten tracks wonderfully melodic, with the duo’s gorgeous vocal harmonies, and whip-smart, insightful lyrics. The two-disc Dear 23 reissue tacks on another 27 cool songs, mostly-unreleased obscurities, studio outtakes, and demo recordings sure to tickle the fancy of the hardcore fan while also revealing the band’s often-circuitous creative process. RIYL Jellyfish, Matthew Sweet and, yup, Big Star… Grade: B+ BUY IT!
Boz Scaggs began his career as a bona fide bluesman, and his 1970s-era hit LPs like Slow Dancer and Silk Degrees offered some of the best blue-eyed soul you’ll hear. As such, Out of the Blue is more of a return to form for the singer than anything less. Scaggs brought talents like guitarists Doyle Bramhall and Charlie Sexton into the studio to record this fine set of spirited originals and inspired cover songs. Scaggs croons his way through Bobby Bland’s R&B classics “I’ve Just Got To Forget You” and “The Feeling Is Gone” while originals like the jaunty honky-tonk blues of “Little Miss Night and Day” show that the singer has a lot of gas left in the tank. A curious cover of Neil Young’s “On the Beach” is transformed into a bluesy dirge that proves, almost 50 years after his classic debut album, Boz is still the boss. Grade: B BUY IT!
I’m a huge mark for anything connected with Bruce Springsteen, which initially led me to Southside Johnny Lyon in the mid-‘70s. The Springsteen/Southside connection runs deep and spans decades, so it’s no surprise that SJ and the Asbury Jukes would record a set of Springsteen songs. Live From E Street is a four-track vinyl EP featuring four Bruce originals recorded at a private party in Asbury Park. The obscure “Jack of All Trades” (from 2012’s Wrecking Ball) is somber and reflective but the rowdy “Cover Me” is provided an emotional edge by Lyon’s soulful vocals and the Jukes’ blasting horns. The menacing “Murder Incorporated” is an unabashed rocker with R&B undercurrent while the strutting “Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out” is a fine, funky jam. The 12” EP is pricey considering the sparse content, which could have fit on 7” or 10” wax at half the price, but the performances themselves are priceless. Grade: B+ BUY IT!
Previously on That Devil Music.com:
Short Rounds, July 2018: The Damnation of Adam Blessing, Elvin Bishop’s Big Fun Trio, Howlin’ Rain & the Rockers OST
Short Rounds, May 2018: Brinsley Schwarz, Eric Corne, Roger McGuinn & Shuggie Otis
Short Rounds, April 2018: Catfish, Jimmie Vaughan Trio, King Crimson & Memphis Rent Party
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