Music review
Maturity and rock and roll seem like strange bedfellows, but Peter Wolf tucks them in together nicely on “Sleepless,” a disc of grown-up late night blues, soul confessionals, and the occasional blast of sassy R & B. Wolf is one of rock’s true survivors, carving out a career that started in the late 1960s with the J. Geils Band and peaked when the Boston-based blues and party band scored a No. 1 hit in the early 1980s with “Centerfold.” Geils fell apart in 1983 in an acrimonious breakup that pitted Wolf against the rest of the band. Since then he has released six solo albums of varying quality, including 1999’s unheralded gem, “Fool’s Parade.”
Always a tasteful connoisseur of classic soul, rock and R&B, Wolf suffuses the 12 songs on “Sleepless” with a bittersweet perspective that acknowledges life’s regrets without ever wallowing in pity. “I feel the passing of the years, bitter teardrops,” he sings on the lovely ballad “A Lot of Good Ones Gone.” “I see shadows everywhere, but I still do carry on.”
Wolf, who also is a painter, draws from a musical palette that includes Larry Campbell and Tony Garnier from Bob Dylan’s band, blues guitarist Duke Levine, and cameos from Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, and Steve Earle. The Richards cut, Sonny Boy Williamson’s “Too Close Together,” is especially tasty, a jump blues that features Richards’ boozy backing vocals, and a harmonica solo from Magic Dick, of the J. Geils Band.
“Sleepless” will no doubt fly under the radar of pop music, even though a smooth, hook-heavy song like “Hey Jordan” should be on the radio every day.
But Wolf said he didn’t record it to top the charts. The disc is a labor of love, one man’s chance to capture the moment, or moments, that occur well after midnight when shadows and memories bleed into each other until dawn.
“Night Works,” Layo & Bushwacka!
Layo & Bushwacka! mix superior production skills with the dance rhythms of breakbeat and house for a sound that often is subtle and textured, with brief interludes scattered among longer pieces. The centerpiece is one of the last tracks – “Love Story,” which already is turning up on other DJs’ compilations. It begins softly but gathers momentum as the drums kick in under the repeated keyboard pattern, and a sample of a Nina Simone vocal sears through the mix.
Using live and electronic instrumentation, the duo include a couple of club-friendly cuts in the house style. but they show their creative range on “We Met Last Night,” mixing wailing guitar and funky keyboards with an intricate drum pattern. Or on “Sleepy Language” where jazzy horns are blended with breakbeat rhythm and fuzzed-out bass line.
“Night Works” explores the expressive and funky qualities of breakbeat, and in so doing reveals more of its pleasures with repeated listens.
“Lord Willin’,” Clipse
On its debut release, Clipse strikes a note for a Virginia brand of hip-hop. Nothing about the disc stands out – this rap duo of brothers Malice (Gene Thornton) and Pusha T (Terrence Thornton) does everything well. Their rhymes are well thought-out and their flow is smooth and easily understood. Add to this a high level of production quality and dance tracks that will have the clubs blazing, and you have one of the most well balanced releases of the year.
From the start, it’s apparent Clipse was raised in the streets and in a world of hustling. The majority of the tracks, from “Virginia” to the club hit “Grinding,” deal with some aspect of this. But unlike many rappers, Clipse doesn’t glamorize the lifestyle so much as tell a story of where it comes from.
Their music is beyond any regional definition, with influences of East and West Coast, Mid-West, and Dirty South. Most of all, it’s funky and danceable. This is one of those rare discs without a throwaway track, and one that firmly places Clipse on the map in the hip-hop scene.
“Simply Traditional,” Leland Martin
Here is the real deal among the crop of pretenders to the Randy Travis throne of traditionalism. The sound is mellow, resonant, and genuine, with honest, sincere lyrics set to down-home melodies. The instrumental work is heavy on the dobro, fiddle, steel guitar, and bass, leaving no doubt that this is pure country all the way.
Some of the musicianship sounds downright fresh, even while it’s heavy on tradition, and background singers add lovely harmonies. The best part is that each one of the generous 15 songs here is better than just good. Some are stronger than others, to be sure, but there is not a hint of weakness among them.
“Freddie’s Heart,” a loping duet with Freddie Hart, is a beautiful ode to a dream. “If I Had Long Legs (Like Alan Jackson),” a fun homage to contemporary country singers, is a lively romp through some clever word play. It’s a joy to hear that deep roots can still yield a bumper crop.
(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, http://www.shns.com.)