Billy Bragg & Wilco - Mermaid Avenue Vol. II
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Free Music Notes for Mermaid Avenue Vol. II
Free Music Review: Not just another wilco record
Hit: 5 Stars
previous reviewers have suggested that wilco's new studio savy has influenced this record. That is wrong. This is more a Bragg record than a wilco record.....with a strange dylanesque vibe. i find it thrilling to listen to an artists version of woody's words. Imagine yourself with the responsibility of putting music to some Bruce Springsteen lyrics, or try this....read some ....say....Robbie Robertson lyrics to a song you've never heard and try putting a tune to it. I love this stuffFree Music Review: Surprisingly Good
Hit: 5 Stars
Mermaid Avenue Vol. II is patchier but no less enjoyable than its predecessor. Tweedy's claim that the album is "less folky" is fairly accurate, as most of the album's highpoints are more rooted in Rock 'N Roll than folk, such as "Airline To heaven" with its tantalizing drum rhythms and chorus, the rollicking and downright fun "Feed of Man" with its joyous guitar licks, or "Blood of the Lamb," an eerie mix of thumping drums and bells that would not sound out of place on Bob Dylan's recent "Time Out of Mind." These sounds do not appear on vol. I, Tweedy is correct, and the result is stunningly good. The diversity of this album is even more startling than on Mermaid Avenue I. Not only does every song sound different from previous tracks, each song belongs to a different genre. Beyond the album's Rock tunes are some delightfully dirty blues tracks like "All You Fascists" and "Meanest man," which would fit perfectly on the next Tom Waits record. Bragg even touches on some jazzy drum shuffling and vocals on the very slick "Stetson Kennedy."
However, Wilco & Billy Bragg do not entirely ignore the folk roots that pervaded vol. I; "I was Born" is straight from the vein of vol. I's "Ingrid Bergman," and most will recognize "Eisler on the Go" lurking beneath the surface of the gorgeous acoustic ballad, "Black Wind Blowing."
Yes, this album does stretch the listener's attention span a bit more, the music is indeed more challenging, but delicately so. It is difficult to imagine that this talented group could deliver an album of as much meat as vol. I, but they have, proving that the union of Wilco and Billy Bragg just might be one of the most outstanding musical projects in modern rock history. But let's not forget that these Mermaid Avenue albums are only made possible by the brilliant songwriting legacy of one named Woody Guthrie.
Free Music Review: A Sequel that Works
Hit: 5 Stars
This followup to Volume 1 finds Bragg and Wilco continuing to do their best work (Bragg, especially) with the help of Woody Guthrie's great lyrics. Wilco have the best moments: the combo of "Secret of the Sea" (which is the albums best pop moment) and "Remember the Mountain Bed" are their peaks. While Bragg doesn't get anything as classic as the first volume's "Way Over Yonder in the Minor Key", he nevertheless gets off 2 great ones with "Hot Rod Hotel" and "Black Wind Blowing". As they were on MA1, Natalie Merchant and Corey Harris are back. Merchant's contribution is on the melancholy "I Was Born" (w/Bragg on acoustic guitar). It's a must hear. Corey Harris' "Aginst Th' Law" is a jaunty blues piece pitted against a politically charged Woody lyric. If the initial discovery of volume 1 is lost at first listen, give the record a couple of more spins (and then play it back to back with volume 1) and you'll then find that this is indeed a worthy sequel. Buy 'em both.Free Music Review: A Fine Companion Piece
Hit: 4 Stars
I'm very happy to see Wilco and Billy Bragg back in action together, producing a fine follow-up to one of the best albums in recent years. Fans of the first project will appreciate this more than others, so I'd encourage fans to spread the word about this high-quality performance. Bravo.Free Music Review: A superb second
Hit: 5 Stars
I have been anticipating for this release for a very long time. I was rather concerned though because I had heard that this realease would be quite a bit different from the original, which I loved. I did go out and but this album on the first morning it was availible. When i heard the first song I knew that this realease would be an excelent follow-up. I was somewhat disapointed that the songs "Bugeye Jim" and "My Thirty-Thousand." I have heard both of thease, and they are great songs! This record contains immense variety from the Loud and rough "All you Facists" and "Meanest Man" to the soft and beatiful "Remember the Mountain Bed" and "Someday Some Morning Sometime" and the strange "Hot Rod Hotel." Wilco's pop music that was found on "Summer Teeth" Is also somewhat evident here. I encourage you to buy this release. You will not regret a minute of it