Wanda Jackson teams up with Joan Jett for what might very well be her last collection of newly recorded music. It's a quick blast, clocking in at around 25 minutes, but there really isn't a bad minute to be found. Jackson sounds terrific at 83 and the band never over plays. The slinky reworking of Jett's Runaways' hit "You Drive Me Wild" is a highlight.
A few weeks before Los Lobos' recent covers album "Native Sons" was released, some PR clips were floating about the web with Louie Perez talking about the record and how the band's approach was to create note for note copies of the songs they used to play when they were an up and coming bar band in East L.A.. I thought, meh, another COVID lockdown covers album.
WRONG!
"Native Sons" is a blissful, soulful, ass-kicking collection of songs with nary a clam in the bunch. I should have known better than to doubt one of the greatest bands in the history of music.
Prior to this new record, I don't believe I have ever heard a note of Halsey's music. But I am a Trent Reznor devotee and so with him on board, I took the ride on "If I Can't Have Love, I Want Power."
The good news is I didn't mind it, and occasionally, I liked it a lot. But mostly, it feels like I should be listening to someone my own age. The aggressive Reznor production is a nice touch but it's just not good enough to rise above the boilerplate pop lyrics and singsong melodies.
Maybe it's because I expected to hate everything about this record, but "Modern Love" really hit the spot. I was unfamiliar with almost all of the artists and they were given the task of reimagining one of my favorite catalogues in all of music. It's got "AVOID" written all over it.
But no.
It's mostly wonderful with left field takes on some of Bowie's best and deepest, like a very John Barry/James Bondian take on "Lady Grinning Soul" from Kit Sebastian and a trip-hoppy, Massive Attack attack on "Golden Years" from Lea Sen. You'll hear Bowie as exotica, Tropicalia, funk and jazz and it all feels right. Seek this one out. It's a wonderful surprise and incredibly sincere. Kudos to Drew McFadden and Peter Adarkwah for producing and curating this terrific set.
6 comments:
The Wanda is fun and I will check out the Halsey / Sebastian / Khrungbin
I am so with you on the Los Lobos.
These covers are wonderful and they sent me back to revisit and in many cases discover the originals.
¡Maravilloso!
I love Los Lobos. Great studio albums and an incredible live band. Because it's a covers album, I have put off buying the new release. It looks like I need to pick up a copy
agree on the los Lobos album...its really wonderful...though wish they had included Tomorrow Never Knows, which they did a killer version from a few years ago,
Ha ha ha... "But mostly, it feels like I should be listening to someone my own age." is the funniest and truest short review of a record I've seen recently.
I can easily resist Halsey overall, partly for that reason I suppose - but I find this cut, with Lindsey B's brilliance on it, hard to resist:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvoN7E_VBlY
I recently saw Lindsey Buckingham here in Atlanta - 2nd big show since the pandemic - and it just floored me. I've seen him solo 5 times since 1993, and each of those 5 is pretty much kinda in my Top 10 shows by anyone.
Look what EC's been up to!
https://www.pastemagazine.com/music/eric-clapton/eric-clapton-anti-vax-donation/?utm_source=PMNTNL&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=211011
Wanda sounds great
Loretta Lynn with Jack White was a good effort a few yeras back too
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