"Wilkerson" drops on Friday, but I've been playing this baby non-stop since it arrived. With more than a little help from power pop hero Bleu and Jellyfish alum, Roger Manning Jr., Danny Wilkerson serves one gem after another.
Before I get into this wonderful new release, let me get my power pop PR pet peeve off my chest.
Why does every power pop record released in the last 25 years need to carry the weight of sounding like "Big Star, Queen, Raspberries, The Beatles, Cheap Trick and Marshall Crenshaw?" Is it not possible for an artist to be influenced by these great artists and still sound original? The answer is yes!
Danny Wilkerson shows that it is very possible.
The opening trumpet on the very first song, "Everybody Loves To Love," will bring to mind your favorite Burt Bacharach/Dionne Warwick tune. But once that tune explodes, you will completely forget Bacharach, at least for the next five minutes and you will begin this joyful ride of hooks and harmonies and some of the most heartfelt writing I have heard in ages.
I won't pretend I don't hear a touch of Queen's trademark vocals adding some amazing color to a few tunes, but as a long time fan of Queen, nothing here sounds like anything from any Queen record I love. "Enough For Somebody" is a big blast of 60's AM radio. Think the pop smarts of Abba with balls, but this sounds nothing like anything from any Abba record. "You Still Owe Me A Kiss" has enough hooks to snag a flounder, but does it sound like anyone? Yes, it sounds like a lifetime love of music turned into 3 minutes of pop bliss by Danny Wilkerson. It's Danny Wilkerson.
Each side of the record has a centerpiece. Side One offers "Endless Haze," with nothing but strings behind Wilkerson's voice, as he faces the reality and the down side of the bottle. "When I pour, it rains." This track is simply gorgeous, with more than a touch of heartbreak.
Side Two's killer is "Carry The One, a song Paul McCartney would be proud of, and coming from me, your resident Paul defender, that is a compliment.
Please explore this incredible record. It's special, trust me.
Here's a link to purchase and to check out some clips.
Bravo, Danny Wilkerson.
9 comments:
I will check this out! And Sal, since you're talking "Best Of" already, have you heard the new Buffalo Tom? The title song, "All Be Gone," has been in constant rotation for me - recommended, and my fave song of 2018 so far.
Listened to the clips and watched the video for Let It Go Tonight and I'm sold. Ordered. Thanks for the tip.
Ordered - thanks for the heads up!
Randy
This sounds like it should be in my wheelhouse, too. I'll add it to my list.
I have a short list of "best of 2018" so far -- actually not *that* short -- but I need to see what I think about the albums come December. David Myhr's "Lucky Day" is at the top of the list so far, though. That's not going anywhere. And I have a real soft spot (unexpectedly) for Kacey Musgraves "Golden Hour".
Looking forward to this one.
So 'fess up, what are the five albums (three fore sure) that you've got on your shortlist for the best of the year?
I've listened to it on YouTube and the closest comparison I can come up with is Emitt Rhodes. "Too Much Of A Good Thing" sounds like something right off Rhodes' 1970 self-titled LP. And that is a good thing. The entire album has a nice, crisp sound with vocals right up front so you can understand the lyrics -- the way music is *supposed* to be IMO (who decided to bury and distort vocals behind tons of instruments anyway? -- most likely people who can't sing!). A great summer album.
My copy arrived yesterday and I had a chance to give it a full listen once so far. I'm liking it, several songs are killers and a couple others will have to grow on me. Thanks for the tip on this one.
Annoyingly, it was visible on Spotify and then disappeared with just a lone single available. The same happened with a Bob Dylan collection of live tracks released in Japan and (briefly) here. Argh. Why can't all music ever created be at my fingertips whenever I want?
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