Releasing only 5 albums in 22 years isn't exactly what you would call flooding the market, but this is Karl Wallinger, his band World Party, and his fan-frustrating work habits.
In 2000, Wallinger released the excellent "Dumbing Up," and finally got his act together to tour the US. Man, I couldn't wait. Then, the lazy bastard cancelled the tour. He suffered an aneurysm that shut him down completely. He lost his ability to sing and play guitar and had to learn it all again from scratch. (Talk about lame excuses)
2006, Wallinger is back, alive and healthy, singing and playing. He re-releases "Dumbing Up" with a slightly tweaked track list and tries again, this time making it to NYC on two separate occasions. I saw both shows and the man looked and sounded great.
2009, a new World Party album is near completion and tour dates have been announced, with 2 nights at my new favorite venue, NYC's City Winery. I buy tickets for both performances. (Man, I can't wait.) 2 weeks later, the shows are cancelled. Karl's health must be fine. The West Coast shows are still happening. Bastard. What gives, Karly?
"Best In Show," is a nice place to start, if you want to familiarize yourself with World Party's most famous songs. "Goodbye Jumbo" is considered the classic. And "Bang" seems to be the one I go back to most.
But for now, I give you "When You Come Back To Me." This is a tune that was written for the soundtrack of "Reality Bites," and to me it's Wallinger at his most brilliant. It's a Rutles-inspired tribute to David Bowie, basically "Young Americans" sideways, sort of.
Enjoy
WHEN YOU COME BACK TO ME
3 comments:
Sal, you're alright!! Thanks for the update.
When I started listening to the download I thought you'd made a mistake in the link and I had downloaded a Bowie cut. Hope Karl is paying Bowie his royalties.
I love Wallinger and World Party. Only seen them once, in S.F. after he returned from his health time out and after SXSW. They were great! I worry that he's going to be another Arthur Lee or Marshall Crenshaw - tremendous music that somehow got missed. I check in every few months hoping to see that he's recording or touring, but nothing.
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