Sam Bailey’s victory was the biggest foregone conclusion in the history of The X Factor, but even that predictability pales in comparison to her debut album, which simply presses the same button over and over again – the kind of overwrought belting that irons out any emotional wrinkles, but passes for great singing on TV talent shows. For his part, Daltrey matches Johnson every step of the way, fighting his corner just as fiercely as in his dayjob.ĭownload: Going Back Home I Keep It to Myself Some Kind Of Hero Sneaking Suspicion Save for the maudlin ballad “Turned 21”, it’s stuffed with brusque Wilko R&B cuts, with brilliantly condensed, biting fills chopped out in tracks like “Some Kind of Hero” and “Ice on the Motorway”, where the guitarist’s trademark slashing, staccato riffs evoke echoes of R&B pioneers Clarence Gatemouth Brown and Ike Turner. Recorded with his Blockhead rhythm section of drummer Dylan Howe and bassist Norman Watt-Roy, choice selections from the guitarist’s back catalogue are augmented by a lone cover, of Dylan’s “Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window?”. If Going Back Home turns out to be Wilko Johnson’s last album then it’s a great final curtain. Wilko Johnson & Roger Daltrey Going Back Home (Chess) As with the album generally, it’s a subtle balance of hot and cold, a work of fiery cool.ĭownload: Blowin’ in the Wind Who By Fire First We Take Manhattan 1000 Kisses Deep The best of the Cohen interpretations utilise the compassion in Jungr’s voice, particularly “Land of Plenty” and “1000 Kisses Deep”, the latter’s mélange of desire and despair beautifully captured in the quiet, intimate treatment. And the alliance of Clive Bell’s shakuhachi flute with Simon Wallace’s jazz piano arrangements opens up “Blowin’ in the Wind” and “Masters of War”: in the former, the yearning breath of woodwind subtly emphasises the wistful air of battered hope in Jungr’s inflections, while the latter becomes a coolly desolate declamation, rather than a vengeful diatribe. Cohen’s commemorative “Who By Fire” acquires a brooding menace in alluring guise, becoming a death-song delivered as by a stealthy serpent. It’s a masterclass in the value of interpretive liberty, with songs transformed in almost revelatory manner. Yeah, #metoo.Having established herself as one of the most imaginative of Dylan interpreters, Barb Jungr here extends her expertise to incorporate the Leonard Cohen catalogue, combining six songs from Dylan’s protest period with five of Cohen’s intriguing, compassionate reflections. Those who think that if you haven’t got anything useful to say, you probably shouldn’t. There are those who will wonder why he’s bothered. It’s utterly unessential stuff, unremarkable in every way. Meanwhile, an ill-advised cover of Stevie Wonder’s “You Haven’t Done Nothing” is just a bloated corpse of the original, all the life – and soul – sucked out of it by a spectacular lack of judgment and poor pacing. Take “Certified Rose”, in which Daltrey channels his inner pub singer to deliver unfathomably awful word choices: “I never want you to close/’Cos you’re the one I have chose/To be my certified rose.” That might sound like soul to some, but to these ears it’s Paul Shane with strep throat.ĭaltrey imbues Stephen Stills’ “How Far” with distinct echoes of The Who and familiar territory suits him better, but “Where Is a Man to Go?” is bloated by the sort of banal cliché and shopworn sentiment that clothes this collection. The opening Motown-esque shuffle of the title track offers some promise, but Daltrey’s voice sounds like it’s straining at the leash and desperate for a fight. The album is a collection of covers and Daltrey originals, which despite an ensemble of capable musicians, including Pete Townshend, seems to be almost completely devoid of the soul he's so keen to recreate. Not really, is the answer – the songs take care of that. His rejection of the zeitgeist also extends to his latest album, As Long As I Have You, of which he says, “This is a return to the very beginning… to a time when we were playing soul music to small crowds in church halls… now, I can sing soul with all the experience you need to sing it.” So, does his recent outburst cloud our judgment of this new offering? One rock musician who recently came under scrutiny is The Who frontman Roger Daltrey, after calling the #metoo phenomenon “obnoxious” and “salacious crap”, before adding, of his extra marital activity, “Come on, men are men,” and “there have been times when I’ve hurt her and that’s upset me.” Sending hugs, Rog, sending hugs.
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