Category Archives: 2008 music reviews

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Jakob Dylan – Seeing Things

Poor Jakob Dylan. While his lineage no doubt gave him a leg up in the music business, it has also prevented him from ever really being appreciated on his own merits. And that’s a shame, because he is a truly great artist.

I’m not sure if Dylan’s first solo outing, Seeing Things, marks the end of The Wallflowers. I hope not, because the band has put out several very strong rock albums that are quite different from this stripped down affair featuring mostly just Dylan and his guitar. To reference an artist they’re often compared to, The Wallflowers’ albums are to Bruce Springsteen’s Born in the U.S.A. what Seeing Things is to Springsteen’s Nebraska.

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Aimee Mann – @#%&*! Smilers

A year or so ago, Amy, Dana and I played one of our elimination games to determine the best female singer-songwriter. The final matchup paired Joni Mitchell (carried there by Amy and Dana’s joint support) against Aimee Mann. Mann was a surprise finalist, not as high-profile as many of the women she bested and I was thrilled to give her my vote (though, sadly, she lost).

For my money, the pinnacle of songwriting and performing talent among the fairer sex is represented by Lucinda Williams, Fiona Apple and Aimee Mann. Tift Merritt has recently made a strong surge into that group as well, and her music is a nice complement to the variety of styles represented by that trio.

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Mudcrutch – Mudcrutch

Amid all this talk of “fusion,” here’s an album that goes entirely in the other direction. Mudcrutch was Tom Petty’s band before he formed the Heartbreakers and hit it big. They put out a couple albums that are pretty much lost now, and this self-titled album serves as their 38-year reunion. It’s a cool concept, though not quite as cool as it could be, considering 4/5 of Mudcrutch went on to join the Heartbreakers anyway. So basically, this album is a chance for one old friend to play with the band again.

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Santogold – Santogold

Speaking of fusion, perhaps no album I’ve listened to recently is a better example than Santogold’s self-titled release. The solo debut of singer Santi White, Santogold is kaledoscopic in its influences. Several songs owe a huge debt to M.I.A., with exotic soundscapes layered over rolling drumbeats and White’s rapped vocals nearly indistinguishable from her celebrated counterpart. But the rest of the album is more interesting by far, evoking everything from Depeche Mode to No Doubt, Bob Marley to Beck.

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Robyn – Robyn

Continuing the theme of one-named women from foreign lands, we jump from Duffy to Robyn. Robyn is a Swedish pop star who wrestled with record execs who weren’t happy with her new direction, bought out her contract and started her own label. This self-titled album was released in Sweden a year or so ago but reached U.S. shores just last month. Her story reminds me a bit of Aimee Mann, who was entangled in record comapny meddling after early success with ‘Til Tuesday only to launch her own label and self-release her more ambitious solo work. Robyn isn’t in Mann’s league, but she’s crafted a very good album.

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