Wilson Pickett – A Man and a Half—The Best of double-CD (Atlantic)
R.I.P. to one of the greatest soul singers of all time. I’m glad I saw him one final time, the last time he was in town a few years ago-a superb free afternoon show at Brooklyn’s Metro-Tech. Let the oldies stations toast him with “In the Midnight Hour” and “Mustang Sally,” great, great songs to be sure. Me, I’m pulling out the songs that have always found their way to my turntable, via this essential blowout 1992 double CD collection: the amusing-boasting “A Man and a Half,” the ultra-demanding “Ninety-Nine and a Half (Won’t Do”), and, just to show he could do it all, the self-deprecating “Three-Time Loser.” What a voice. What an innate ability and style. I guess I’ll have to see Solomon Burke the next time he plays; he might be the greatest living male soul singer now.
D.O.A. – War on 45 (Sudden Death Canada)
In a time of endless war, is there a timelier early ‘80s punk reissue than this? The original, pretty killer anti-war-themed mini-LP songs (about half of them covers, like “War,” “War in the East,” and “Class War”) are augmented on this new CD by many other songs from this Vancouver punk institution’s long and dedicated career-more covers like “Fortunate Son,” “Eve of Destruction,” and “Masters of War,” and more originals such as “World War III.” All of them are worth pondering in 2006. Will my country ever know peace for any protracted period? In our 399-year history (well, since Jamestown, 1607), we sure haven’t yet. And we sure won’t soon.
Tim Hardin – Hang on to a Dream: The Verve Recordings double-CD (Polydor)
Of course, some people’s war is with themselves, and the late Hardin might have been the ultimate troubled folkie in that sense. But such romanticism aside, this collection of his first four crucial LPs in one package quietly devastates you, over and over, with its haunting treatments of lost love and losing love. “How Can We Hang on to a Dream” always makes me want to break down in tears. Ditto “While You’re on Your Way,” “Reason to Believe,” “You Upset the Grace of Living When You Lie,” “It’s Hard to Believe in Love For Long,” and “If I Knew.” This always reminds me of breaking up with someone in 1995-all the deepest feelings come flooding back again-and always makes me glad that I haven’t gone through that again since. Luck, luck, luck.
Franz Ferdinand – Franz Ferdinand double-DVD (Domino)
Well! Five hours of footage for a first-LP tour seemed like terrible overkill. But I’ve watch disc one of this, shot in seven different concerts, transfixed. Franz Ferdinand got so hot, this totally captures the excitement surrounding their rise, and shows how well they were able to handle it since they’re 30, not 20, and reasonable men who clearly like each other’s company a lot. Anyone not impressed and moved by a virtual great lake of people pogoing and stomping to “Take Me Out” at Scotland’s massive T in the Park festival just doesn’t like this band, period.
Various Artists – The Harder They Come (Island)
A rather obvious reggae collection, I admit. But it’s a damn good one that not only introduced much of this country to the genre for the first time when it came out in 1972 (it’s the soundtrack to a hit reggae movie), but it’s held up so well on its own since, because the quality is so unerring. Jimmy Cliff, Desmond Dekker and The Maytals are just wonderful, and my wife and I always sing The Slickers’ “Johnny Too Bad” together (about our cat and her bad habits: “Mina, you’re too bad. Woahhh yeah!!!”).
Wilco – Kicking Television: Live in Chicago double-CD (Nonesuch)
Settles the case that this modern Wilco lineup has an interesting take on what it is to be a modern pop band with experimental leanings, and trying to straddle both of those dictates. If you loved Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, this amps that up considerably.
The Reducers –
Old Cons (Rave On)
Some people have rock ‘n’ roll dripping out of their bone marrow, and this amazingly still-going New London, CT R&B/punk foursome have been rockin’ sweaty joints in the Northeast for a quarter-century while staying true to their pub rock / Stiff Records roots. So why not compile live versions of their typically peppery, slam-bang covers that have spiced their sets onto one CD, proving their great knowledge as well as absorption?
Devo – Live 1980 DVD (Music Video Distributors)
The footage is too dark and grainy, and the sound quality is barely better than a bootleg. So why do I dig this new DVD of Devo in their prime? Because it’s Devo in their prime, that’s why! They could do no wrong-especially the second half of this 1980 set, where they break out the first LP oldies, from back when they were more punk/new wave instead of just new wave. Just watching their weird nerd robot choreography again, with the strange white uniforms, red electrical tape markings, and red flower pots on their head again reminds me they were as much weird theater as band. Wish there were more like them in that regard.
Gene Autry – The Ultimate Collection (Prism Leisure U.K.)
Whenever I want a quick smile I resort to the singing cowboy. “Deep in the Heart of Texas” is where I will be in May for my brother’s wedding, so I’m gearing up now, I guess. And if I have better versions in my collection of “Jingle Jangle Jingle,” “Tumbling Tumbleweeds,” and “Back in the Saddle Again” (this isn’t even Autry’s best version), this 26-song CD hits all the high notes.
Editors – Mercury Lounge, New York, January 20
OK, I like the lone LP a good deal, and I expected this British band to be good live. But I was unprepared for such a total knock-out: Twice as loud and thick as on record, five times as desperate in sound and energy, and with a hyper physicality on stage, like some kind of post-punk Clash. Not what I’d anticipated! Holy moly!!! Don’t miss this band if you have affection for their record at all. And even if you don’t!
