Billy Bragg & Wilco - Mermaid Avenue Vol. II
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Free Music Notes for Mermaid Avenue Vol. II
Free Music Review: worthy, if slightly inferior, follow-up
Hit: 4 Stars
Volume II moves a little further away from the spirit of Woody Guthrie's music, but is still a damn fine follow-up to 1998's "Mermaid Avenue." Considering that these are basically out-takes from that album, Vol. II works surprisingly well and is only a little less successful. There's nothing here as jaw-droppingly gorgeous as "Way Over Yonder in the Minor Key," "Eisler on the Go," or "The Unwelcome Guest," or as neat as "California Stars" from the first one, but it's a consistent effort. Some songs seem to have drifted a bit too far from the way Woody Guthrie would have even dreamed of performing them (Bragg's "Meanest Man" just made me think of Guthrie's sensational "Mean Talking Blues" and suffers from the comparison) but it's still good music. If this helps anyone get more interested in Bragg, Wilco or, more importantly, Guthrie's great music, all the better. (Anyone looking to sample Guthrie's music for the first time should try The Asch Recordings, Vol. 1 and Vol. 3, on Smithsonian Folkways).Free Music Review: Another brilliant album from Bragg & Wilco
Hit: 5 Stars
I'll admit that I barely knew who Woody Guthrie was when a friend first threw MM:I on the CD player a couple years ago during breakfast.But after hearing MM:I, I was astonished by what a great lyricist Guthrie was. How far ahead of his time he was.
I went out and bought MM:I right away, and dabbled in the likes of Wilco and Son Volt soon thereafter.
With MM:II, Bragg & Wilco have continued the legacy with another great album.
I'm not going to get into all of the songs, but like others have said, I enjoyed many of the tunes especially the opening "Airline To Heaven".
I agree with many people that there are similar sounds in "Secret of the Sea" which is almost like a Tom Petty/Traveling Wilburys sound.
And "My Flying Saucer" had me scratching my head because the opening almost sounded like the Fleetwood Mac song "Second Hand News".
But the rest of it sound very original, and again stands out as one of the most intriguing and enjoyable CDs that I have picked up in some time.
Free Music Review: Another brilliant album from Bragg & Wilco
Hit: 5 Stars
I'll admit that I barely knew who Woody Guthrie was when a friend first threw MM:I on the CD player a couple years ago during breakfast.But after hearing MM:I, I was astonished by what a great lyricist Guthrie was. How far ahead of his time he was.
I went out and bought MM:I right away, and dabbled in the likes of Wilco and Son Volt soon thereafter.
With MM:II, Bragg & Wilco have continued the legacy with another great album.
I'm not going to get into all of the songs, but like others have said, I enjoyed many of the tunes especially the opening "Airline To Heaven".
I agree with many people that there are similar sounds in "Secret of the Sea" which is almost like a Tom Petty/Traveling Wilburys sound.
And "My Flying Saucer" had me scratching my head because the opening almost sounded like the Fleetwood Mac song "Second Hand News".
But the rest of it sound very original, and again stands out as one of the most intriguing and enjoyable CDs that I have picked up in some time.
Free Music Review: Buy it for the Poetry
Hit: 4 Stars
The most intriguing thing about this album is the sheer range of the artist -- and I'm speaking here of Woody Guthrie. The scope of subjects is ambitious -- from love to racism to workers' rights -- but the sincerity of the words never ebbs. Even if you are tepid on Wilco or Bragg, consider buying the album for the lyrics sheet -- practical poetry at its most human and accessible.Free Music Review: A kaleidescope of sound....
Hit: 5 Stars
Just stop perusing reviews right now and buy this album IMMEDIATELY! Don't even kid yourself into believing that you can live without this incredible follow-up to the brilliant first Mermaid Avenue. Perfect melodies, moody performances, gorgeously unslick production, and, once again, a hauntingly beautiful marriage of Wilco & Billy's tunes and Guthrie's words. True to the spirit of Woody, with an imminently loveable modern twist. You won't find a single song on this volume that you don't dig. Volume 2 is destined to go down right along with the original Mermaid Avenue as a shining moment in music history.
It's hard to pick favorites off of this collection, but you won't be able to resist pop gem "Secret of the Sea," the purple lullably "Airline to Heaven," toe-tapper "Aginst th' Law" (with vocals by Corey Harris & Bob Egan on resonator slide), the right-on rave-up "All You Facists," or the exquisitely intimate closing lovesong, "Someday Some Morning Sometime."
This CD contains a stunning diversity of tunes, more so than on the first Mermaid. You'll love it on the first listen, but even on the fifteenth time around, you'll discover new details. Simply put, it's nothing short of a masterpiece, perhaps even surpassing Mermaid One.
You're just cheating yourself out of some of the best music of the year if you don't add this richly textured record to your collection. Please, I'm begging you, buy Mermaid 2. Hell, buy a copy for everyone you know.
(As a footnote and just for the record, Wilco have proven once again on Mermaid 2 that they are the embodiment of all that is good in the modern musical world. Thank you, Wilco, for doing what you do.)