BR5-frickin'-49 - see artist discography

Billy Bragg & Wilco "Mermaid Avenue" (Elektra, 1998)
A thoroughly fascinating album, and a unique creative endeavor - British leftie folk-popster Billy Bragg pioneered this project, enlisting the aid of Jeff Tweedy and Wilco to bring to life some of the hundreds of unfinished or unrecorded songs left behind by the great Woody Guthrie. "Mermaid Avenue" refers to the address of Guthrie's longtime residence, where many of these lyrics were composed... What's amazing about this album is how clearly Guthrie's personality comes through -- these aren't his hits; nothing's recognizable here other than Guthrie's sense of humor, his playfulness and ability to engage his listeners. The other big surprise is how ably these young'uns tackle the challenge. From Billy Bragg, I expect nothing but brilliance, sincerity and reverance for the work of the master -- what's most heartening, though, is that Wilco -- a band I absolutely loathe -- shine on these albums. Part of it may be the novelty of hearing Jeff Tweedy subsume his immense, messianic ego in the service of another man's art. Regardless, the band show their chops on here, adding an easy-going grace to the songs -- they strike just the right tone of affability and whimsy to match these oddball ditties. Natalie Merchant also sings on a couple of tunes and is quite appealling in a duet with Bragg. Highly recommended!

Billy Bragg & Wilco "Mermaid Avenue, v.2" (Elektra, 2000)
If anything, this second album in this series of "lost" works by the great folk hero, Woody Guthrie, is even better than the first. The most amazing thing is how it makes Wilco -- a band I loathe -- sound absolutely great. On two tracks, they prove themselves to be one of the chopsiest bands around: "Airline To Heaven," which opens the album, is one of the most irresistable songs I've heard in ages, featuring a gleefully mindless steel riff that will echo in your head for hours; on "Secret Of The Sea", Wilco perfectly captures Guthrie's oddball mysticism and wrap it into an appropriately Byrds-y vibe, thereby completing the great Guthrie/Dylan/Byrds/everybody-else folk-rock circle. As for Billy, he tackles the stern, straight leftie-political stuff, matching Guthrie castoffs such as "All You Fascists" with a humorlessness of his own. (Pity he didn't also take on some of the warmer, more whimsical material -- I always prefer Bragg when he cracks a smile...) Natalie Merchant returns for another children's ditty, and acoustic blues avatar Corey Harris joins the crew with a nice Josh White-style civil rights anthem, "Against The Law"... Nothing to complain about here -- a fab follow-up to the first Mermaid album!

David Bromberg -- see artist discography

The Brothers Cosmoline "Songs Of Work And Freedom" (Slew Foot, 2003)
No one actually named "Cosmoline" in the band, but certainly a nice bunch of talented pickers... Smooth singer-songwriter-ish alt-country with reverb-laced guitars (JJ Cale would be proud) and spare, subtle use of the pedal steel. Overall, a very listenable record, with a sweet power-poppish, Dave Edmunds undercurrent. Nice!

Jackson Browne "Running On Empty" (Elektra, 1977)
A not-so-guilty pleasure. Yeah, I know... it's long been fashionable to mock and deride Jackson Browne as a wimp, a cheeseball, or a '70s dino-rocker... But the fact is that this album remains one of the best country-rock records ever made, and when measured up against most of the alt.country acts of the '80s and '90s, this is indeed a superior product. A concept album about driving the long, lonesome highway and touring in a rock'n'roll band, this disc is packed with winning songs. It had several hits: the title track, "You Love The Thunder," his version of the doo-wop oldie, "Stay," given a modern, sardonic twist in the context of the weird, mutually parasitic relationship between rock stars and their fans. There are also a slew of great, non-hit country tunes, like "Nothin' But Time," "Shaky Town," and "The Road" that stack up quite well against anything the cowpunk and insurgent-altie crowd has come up with. Browne's road songs are as self-involved and navel-gazey as other songs of the genre, but he seems to have a self-awareness, and a willingness to explore the ickiness of situation that is lacking in many similar compositions. The sexism of the opening verse "Rosie" -- a song about a groupie -- is tempered by a deft humanization of the objectified girl, and by Browne's remarkable willingness to portray himself and his fame in an unfavorable light, either as honest autobiography, or as an Almost Famous-style character sketch. At any rate, I think this is a fine album, well worth checking out and listening to without the hipster blinders on: you might be surprised by how good it really is.

Jackson Browne "Saturate Before Using" (Asylum, 1972)
Jackson Browne "For Everyman" (Asylum, 1973)
Jackson Browne "Late For The Sky" (Asylum, 1974)
I will concede, however, that these earlier albums are, by and large somewhat lugubrious and overinflated -- there are songs on them that I like, but many more that are, frankly, way overwritten and insufferable. Key to the development of the singer-songwriter/adult pop genre, but less fun from a country perspective. Of the three, I'd recommend For Everyman the most, just 'cuz the songs are catchier and more overtly "pop."

Junior Brown -- see artist discography

Maggie Brown "Maggie Brown" (Riverwide, 2004)
A cool, catchy mix of roots-country and bluesy rock... There are obvious debts to early Bonnie Raitt, as well as a Sheryl Crow-meets-The Black Crowes guitar rock vibe, and a little hint of Norah Jones crooning on the soft side... These comparisons are inevitable but a little unfair, since Brown is also a fine, soulful singer in her own right, though more to the point, she crafts some mighty good songs, catchy stuff that sticks to your ribs. The doleful, country-drenched "Full Moon Over Dallas" echoes in my mind; folks who are into the whole adult-roots tip should like this self-released gem... a lot! (Available through MaggieBrown.net.)

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Hick Music Index

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