This second 2014 column presents a lot of stuff I received in the latter part of last year; but the first release reviewed is one I paid for that was released last November. Following that are audio and video releases from the late Roy Orbison, George Thorogood & The Destroyers and Paul Simon. Enjoy!
‘Foreverly’ Billie Joe and Norah Jones (Reprise Records, HHHHH)
This album was recorded in eight days by two folks from definitely different musical worlds: Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong (vocals, guitars, and pump organ) and jazzy singer/songwriter Norah Jones (vocals, guitars, six-string banjo, chimes, pump organ and piano) after B.J. had listened to The Everly Brothers’ 1958 album “Songs Our Daddy Taught Us.”
The idea of remaking this landmark “Americana” (before the word was invented) album with a female vocalist as part of the closest harmonic mixture along with a tasteful small ensemble (drummer/percussionist Dan Reiser, bassist Tim Luntzel, violin/mandolin/harmonica player Charlie Burnham and pedal steel man Jonny Lam) ends up sounding wonderful, and now that COPD has ended Phil Everly’s time on Earth, is even more appropriate. I hope they decide to cover more Everly songs in the future.
My favorites include the super-catchy “Long Time Gone,” the heart-rending “Lightning Express” and another “Mother” song, “I’m Here to Get My Baby Out Of Jail.”
This is a cool album and a stirring tribute to The Everly Brothers, both Don and Phil.
‘The Last Concert-25th Anniversary Edition,’ Roy Orbison (Legacy Music, HHHH)
‘Black And White Night,’ Roy Orbison (Legacy Music, HHHH)
These two December releases pay tribute to one of the best and most distinctive voices in music, that of Roy Orbison. The DVD portion of “The Last Concert” features an interview with Tony Weber taped right after the show featured on the CD, plus some video footage from two other locations in 1981 and 1986. The CD features the concert itself, recorded in Ohio on Dec. 4, 1988, two days before Orbison had a massive heart attack and died.
Roy was in the middle of career resurgence at the time as a charter member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In addition, he headed up the “Blue Velvet” soundtrack with “In Dreams,” the commercially successful Traveling Wilburys and a new album produced by his brother Wilbury, Jeff Lynne.
Many readers have seen Orbison’s “Black and White Night,” which was originally taped for Cinemax on black and white film and has been shown on PBS. It shows Roy with friends, including Bruce Springsteen, Elvis Costello, Bonnie Raitt and most of Elvis’ TCB band (guitarist James Burton, drummer Ronnie Tutt and more) performing his biggest hits. The mix emphasizes Roy’s tremendous, unique vocal range on “Only the Lonely,” “Blue Bayou,” “Running Scared,” “Crying” and many more songs, but the backing vocals and music seem oddly hushed. However, these two packages are a great memorial to rock ‘n’ roll’s most singular voice.
‘Live at Montreux 2013,’ George Thorogood & The Destroyers (Eagle Rock Entertainment, HHHH)
This November 2013 DVD/Blu-ray/CD release presents hardcore blues-rocking guitarist/vocalist George Thorogood and his band (longtime drummer Jeff Simon, bassist Bill Blough, guitarist Jim Suhler and sax man Buddy Leach) playing a power-packed Montreux concert last July. Most of George’s standout songs are here “Bad to the Bone,” “I Drink Alone,” “One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer,” “Who Do You Love?,” “Move It On Over” and more. George Thorogood & The Destroyers will perform at IP’s Studio A on March 15.
His vocal inflection is sort of strange on some of the songs, but Mick Jagger’s has been strange for years on some of The Stones’ older tunes. In other words, George Thorogood and his band have been mining the same stripped-down blues-rock vein for years, and the formula is still strong, if slightly novelty-esque.
‘Over The Bridge Of Time: A Paul Simon Retrospective,’ (Legacy Recordings, HHHH 1/2)
This October 2013 release coincided with “Paul Simon: The Complete Albums Collection,” that diehard fans will still want. However, for folks like me, the combination of five of Simon & Garfunkel’s best tunes with the best Simon’s post-S&G recordings features nearly everything I want to listen to from him.
My favorites include “The Sound of Silence,” “America,” “Cecelia,” “The Boxer” and “Bridge Over Troubled Water” from S&G, plus “Mother and Child Reunion,” “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover,” “Still Crazy After All These Years,” “Slip Slidin’ Away” and “Late in the Evening” from Paul Simon’s solo albums. Yes, there are some tunes from both the solo and duo years that are missing; but comparatively few.
In other words, Paul Simon fans with unlimited bucks can snag the big box; the rest of us can make out with this one.
Ricky Flake, a former punk rocker and current music fan, lives in Biloxi. Reach him at rickyflake@bellsouth.net.