DARYL HALL- D
Daryl Hall sans John Oates has released his first solo record in 13 years. "D" was produced and co-written with Eurythmic Dave Stewart, who last worked with Hall on his 1986 solo album, "Three Hearts In The Happy Ending Machine." The result, I am sorry to say, is pretty bland. Hall has mentioned how he and Dave had been hanging around, whipping up tunes on the spot and having some fun at his studio in the Bahamas. And while that may be liberating after 18 contentious months filled with restraining orders and lawsuits, it doesn't make for a very exciting record, as the songs sound like they were made up on the spot. Some go on too long and a few sound like demos that may have worked better with a touch of Oates. There is nothing terrible here, but there is nothing overwhelming either.
RICHARD HAWLEY- IN THIS CITY THEY CALL YOU LOVE
Hawley's new record, on the other hand, is wonderful. He's always had a flair for the dramatic and I think I'd be disappointed with anything but. The record opens with an upbeat and ominous groove on "Two For The Heels," but then it doesn't take long for Hawley to settle into his big, sweeping orchestrations on tracks like "Heavy Rain" and the absolutely stunning, "Tis Night." There is also a terrific Roy Orbison homage in "I'll Never Get Over You." Good stuff, from Richard Hawley.
LINDA THOMPSON- PROXY MUSIC
In case you missed it, the one and only Linda Thompson has dysphonia and she can no longer sing. So she wrote some new songs and asked friends and family to sing them for her. The brilliantly titled "Proxy Music," with one of the most genius album covers to boot, could have easily been a hit and miss tribute album. That it plays like a coherent record has everything to do with the cast of vocalists including Linda's kids, Kami Thompson and Teddy Thompson, who also produced, Rufus and Martha Wainwright, The Unthanks and John Grant among others. Even with the changing of the leads, "Proxy Music" never comes across as a hodgepodge of styles. It's pretty damn miraculous, if you ask me. There isn't a bad track here.
13 comments:
I don't remember you talking about Richard Thompson's new album. It's really good
It is beyond me why anyone would have Dave Stewart produce their record. His work is always mundane at best. Take a look at his production work and you'll see that the ones he produces are the weaker ones in any artist's catalog. Eurythmics were OK and occasionally great, but his work with others is always disappointing. An excellent awful example is Joss Stones' LP1.
Proxy Music is a wonderful album but oh how I would love to hear Linda singing these songs. I was lucky enough to meet her back in the eighties when I wandered backstage after a Richard and Linda gig at a pub in West London (bands were so much more accessible back in those innocent days) and spent a happy time talking with the Thompsons, the Kirkpatricks, Pete Zorn and Dave Mattacks along with Ralph McTell and Dave Pegg, who just happened by. Linda was and is beautiful, intelligent, acerbic and unforgettable.
I felt the same way about the Dary Hall album. It wasn't awful but it seem to lack energy and there wasn't anything that made my ears perk up. With the possible exception of "Can't Say No To You" there wasn't any meat on the bones.
I know nothing of Richard Hawley other than "'Tis Night" is beautiful and I will be listening to the rest of the album.
@Keith,
I liked the new RT on first pass, but...and this is coming from a long time fan...so many of his records are interchangeable. He has a template, though I thought "13 Rivers" was his best in years. I just haven't felt like a second spin on "Ship To Shore" yet.
@Cleveland Jeff,
Daryl's 1986 album is fantastic, though I credit the songs not necssarily Dave Stewart's bombastic 80's production. I have Rudy Vallee records that sound less dated.
@Rob,
Of course hearing Linda sing these songs would have been the real treat. Great backstage story.
I agree with your review of Proxy. Better than I would have hoped it would be. The last song on on the album, "Those Damn Roches," about great family bands, reminded that I'd recently heard Terre Roche's new album. Now, she said that she hadn't intended to record an album, she'd just been writing a lot and wanted to get these songs down on tape, but none of them sound like finished songs. Just sketches of songs. Her voice has held up pretty well but there's not a cut I ever want to hear again. The fact that Linda Thompson can make a cohesive album where she just sings backup on one cut is a testimonial to the power of her writing.
Teddy T. et al are doing "Proxy" on stage at City Winery NYC on Sunday. A bit pricier than their usual cover but sounds like it might be worth it.
https://citywinery.com/new-york-city/events/linda-thompson-presents-proxy-music-teddy-thomps-cfupxt
@Sal Nunziato,
"I credit the songs not necssarily Dave Stewart's bombastic 80's production. I have Rudy Vallee records that sound less dated."
It sounds like we sort of actually agree.
Ha, when you said Richard I assumed Richard Thompson. I think 13 Rivers (one of his absolute best) and Ship to Shore are an amazing one-two punch from the old codger (he's 75!). I am always wary of praising Thompson out of the gate since I'm a fan. I usually give an album I really like a tentative three stars and then wait for it to grow on me (as I did with 13 Rivers). I feel pretty hopeful Ship To Shore will deepen for you.
Since Mock Tudor in 1999, he's had three great studio albums: Electric, 13 Rivers and Ship To Shore (plus the excellent live album 1000 Years of Popular Music). Mind you, he's only released seven studio albums of new material in the last 25 years since Mock Tudor, so 3 out of 7 is a hell of a batting average.
Oh and Daryl Hall's Three Hearts is my least favorite solo album precisely because of Dave Stewart's cluttered, busy production. To me it feels too much like Daryl Hall desperate to sound like anything BUT Hall & Oates. Haven't listened to "D" yet.
With a couple of exceptions, I love the Richard Hawley record. His songwriting reminds me a lot of Nick Lowe with a touch of Geraint Watkins although he doesn't sound like either. In addition to "'Tis Night" I absolutely loved "Prism in Jeans" and "Do I Really Need to Know". The rest of the album works really well except for "Deep Space", which seems out of place.
Hahaha. I was helping my brother on signing up for stuff online and accidentally left his name on blogger. The Richard Thompson stuff is from me, long time lurker michael giltz.
Oh goodness, that Proxy Music LP of Linda's songs sounds pretty darn incredible ... and that cover ! Wow!
I adore Richard Hawley ... I think he and Joe Henry are two of the most criminally underappreciated singer songwriters working. So I'm glad to know he has a new one. He's a genius.
And dang, Daryl's D gets a D (or so), sounds like ... that is a bummer because, like you I'm sure, I WANT to love it. And I really liked the first single they released. I need to hear the whole thing.
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