Warren Zevon - The Wind
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Free Music Notes for The Wind
Free Music Review: Heaven's Door Is Wide Open For Warren Zevon
Hit: 5 Stars
Warren Zevon has always been a bit of a paradox. On the one hand, you had the wry, witty master of the sardonic lyric and/or viewpoint. On the other, you had a real softie (I mean, c'mon, only a true romantic could record a better version of his own "Reconsider Me" than either the Pretenders or Stevie Nicks!). That's why THE WIND is such an amazing piece of work...it's the perfect amalgamation of these two sides. The result? Zevon's most completely realized, thoroughly pleasing release since his 1976 debut. I just wish I had reviewed this disc before Zevon left us....some might think a large part of all this praise is due to his passing. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Opening THE WIND is the gently rocking "Dirty Life And Times." As with much of the rest of the disc, one could just take this song at face value, as a clever little Zevon ditty, but repeated listens prove it to be much, much more. Lyrics such as "Some days I feel like my shadow's casting me/Some days the sun don't shine/Sometimes I wonder what tomorrow's gonna bring/When I think about my dirty life and times" hint at a darker truth. The same could be said about "Disorder In The House." Zevon could be talking about his own situation in this rave-up rocker, or he could be talking about the US....or the world. Whatever the case, it's heartfelt and raw, and the fact that it's evident on the lead vocal that Zevon's lung capacity was greatly reduced only helps to make it even more so. Special note of merit to Bruce Springsteen for his killer guitar licks and giddy harmony vocals! Next we have one of the disc's two centerpieces, a cover of Dylan's "Knockin' On Heaven's Door." Often, when a song is frequently covered, we forget just how good it is. It takes a version like this, or Randy Crawford's jazzier take with Clapton and Sanborn in the late 80's, to remind us. With Zevon's weary vocal laid over Tommy Shaw's delicate acoustic guitar, Randy Mitchell's stinging slide and Brad Davis' tasteful lead, there's an aching quality to the song that is at the same time both breath-taking and gut-wrenching. By the time we get to the end of the song and Zevon is singing "Open up/Open up/Open up/Open up/Open up for me" the chills (and maybe even a tear or two) have set in....and it may be a long time before they leave. "Numb As A Statue" is a mystery song...is it about a man cut off from his emotions? A man in shock over the death sentence he's just been handed? Someone adled by painkillers long after such a sentence? No matter the root of the song, Zevon delivers it in a classic, full-bodied vocal, pounding his piano like there's no tomorrow. "She's Too Good For Me" is a sparse, sweet ballad, graced with the angelic backing vocals of Don Henley and Timothy B. Schmit. With lyrics such as "I could hold my head up high and say that I left first/Or I can hang my head and cry/Tell me which is worse" and "I want her to be happy/I want her to be free/I want her to be everything she couldn't be with me" it is clear, once and for all, that Zevon was much more than the goofball who sang about werewolves, cages made of bones and lawyers, guns and money! "Prison Grove" features the heavenly chorus of Springsteen, Jackson Browne, Billy Bob Thornton, T-Bone Burnett and Jordan Zevon, while "El Amor De Mi Vida" is a touching "Lost true love" song. "The Rest Of The Night" could be written off as a Frat Boy kegger song, but that would be greatly short-changing a deeper piece of work. It's Zevon's statement about how bad he wanted to finish this disc, no matter how awful he felt ("Me tired? Well boohoo!"), set to a gutsy rock beat. I made the mistake earlier of saying there were two key songs on THE WIND...oops! There's three! "Please Stay" is simply mesmerizing. Picture this....Zevon's sparse keyboard backing his tender vocal....now toss in Gil Bernal's mournful sax and Emmylou Harris' gorgeous backing vocals....the result? Sheer pop perfection! It's been a long time since a song has haunted me the way this one does. "Rub Me Raw" is gloriously goofy, a totally classic Zevon composition! With it's growling lead vocal and Joe Walsh's snarling slide guitar, the track provides a shot of humor and sass just when it's needed. Closing out the disc is the touching "Keep Me In Your Heart." This acoustic ballad was recorded at home, months after the rest of the disc was in the can and Zevon was too sick to go back into the studio. With it's minimal instrumentation, tired-but-strong vocal and wistful lyrics ("Shadows are falling and I'm running out of breath/Keep me in your heart for awhile/If I leave you it doesn't mean I love you any less"), this is a man at peace with his fate, yet at the same time hoping he made a lasting impression, one that will be fondly looked upon from time to time and thought kindly of ("Sometimes when you're doing simple things around the house/Maybe you'll think of me and smile/You know I'm tied to you like the buttons on your blouse/Keep me in your heart for awhile"). Such actions go without saying....with THE WIND Warren Zevon has crafted the most complete, heartfelt album of his career, securing and strengthening a legacy he, his children and grandchildren can be proud of for years to come.Free Music Review: Ashes to Ashes -- All to the Wind
Hit: 5 Stars
You know someone is unique when the guy finds out he has a terminal illness and he, not Leno or Letterman (no, certainly not Letterman), is the one who sees gallows humor in the predicament.On the Letterman Show, Warren Zevon, with a wry, paradoxical smile and laugh, said that his fear of doctors was "one of those phobias that didn't pay off." Also on that night, Zevon, who has told us so much through his songs, gave us a precious nugget he discovered, something he knows that David Letterman and other people whose life expectancy doesn't number in months or days, or in Warren's case, as he's already supposed to be sleeping while dead, negative numbers: we better learn to enjoy each sandwich.
Zevon, surpassing the limitations prescribed by his doctors, has lived to see the birth of his twin grandchildren and the release of his wonderful latest album, the understandably melancholy, yet at times strangely upbeat, _The Wind_. I feel privileged to bear witness to the Mutineer's final journey, as it, like his last two studio albums, holds its own with Zevon's greatest albums (Warren's best album for my money is "Life'll Kill Ya," written and recorded way before the cancer diagnosis).
Anyway, Zevon starts out with one of his great turns of phrase: "Some days I feel like my shadow's casting me, Some days the sun don't shine." I love that image of a shadow casting a person -- it evokes a darkness, a state of nothingness, death, and yet, the lyrics are carefully crafted: only on some
days does Zevon, and I'm going to presume that there's plenty of self-reference going on on this album, feel that his shadow is casting him and that the sun is not shining. Even in the face of certain death, the implication remains that there are days when the sun shines -- when Warren still casts his own
shadow. Later in the song we're reminded that Warren's "winding down [his] dirty life and times," and the lump hits the throat. Oh, is this a painful record. And it was so painful, on so many levels (the VH-1 special is essential viewing), for Warren. But like all great works of music, it somehow raises the spirit -- of both the listener and the singer-songwriter.
Next is "Disorder in the House," an outrageous, confused rocker, that describes both Warren's state-of-mind, and, on a broader scale, the state-of-mind of his country: "The floodgates are open, We've let the demons loose, The big guns have spoken, and we've fallen for the ruse." Bruce Sprinsgteen lends sharp
vocals and killer guitar to Disorder.
The third song is "Knockin'." There's nothing I can say about this song, this rendition, and all it means, that could do it justice. So I won't try.
"Numb as a Statue" proves that, no matter what, Zevon's not going to lose that biting, intelligent, sarcastic sense of humor: "I don't care if it's superficial, You don't have to dig down deep, Just bring enough for the ritual, get here before I fall asleep."
What follows is a song that I immediately place among Warren's greatest, and without hesitation I find it to be the best thing on "The Wind": "She's Too Good For Me." This one brought tears to my eyes, but, strangely enough, not in the way "Dirty Life and Times" or, my God, the last song did, but on a level
associated purely with the song itself -- I can envision the situation as removed from Warren Zevon's life and disease; it works on many levels. It's a work of pure beauty.
"Prison Grove" strikes me as in some ways Zevon's "I Shall Be Released." Both songs are ostensibly about escaping prisons, but ultimately the songs are universal and we're all in prisons that we will all one day inevitably escape: "Some folks have to die too hard, Some folks have to cry too hard, Take one last look at the prison yard, Goodbye Prison Grove."
There are also two great blues numbers on _The Wind_, "Please Stay" and "Rub Me Raw," that reminded me a bit of Dylan's blues on "Love and Theft." At this point, I think Zevon's blues have a basis that might even be comparable on an emotional level to the blues's original impetus: racism. Nobody is going to
question this white man singing the blues.
The album's final song is "Keep Me in Your Heart." It's opening pays homage to Dylan's _Time Out of Mind_: "Shadows are falling and I'm running out of breath." This song absolutely destroys me, tears flow free, beyond mere watery eyes. If the
message "Keep me in your heart for awhile" is directed to Warren Zevon's fans, and not just his family and friends, Warren, you're going to be in my heart for a lot longer than a while. I only hope that I can be as strong and courageous as Warren Zevon, "Mr. 'Bad' Example", if the situation calls for it.
Rest in Peace, Warren. And thank you for all you've given us.
Free Music Review: Godspeed Warren, thank you for everything
Hit: 5 Stars
"Enjoy every sandwich." Those are the famous words he spoke on David Letterman after finding out about his cancer. Simple yet profounding with a small sense of irony to them. He looked at his illness with a sense of humor which others may not. He mentioned his fear of doctors not paying off and that not going in 20 years may have been a mistake. Only Warren Zevon could be so dark humored and loveable.
Warren Zevon was never a man to care what the critics thought of him and his music. Over the years he was largely ignored by the mainstream music populas and labeled a "one-hit wonder" with his song "Werewolves of London," but Warren had so much more to offer. He was no one trick pony by any means and his highly creative music and satirical wit proved that without a doubt. The music and lyrics on The Wind are of course influenced by his illness but at the same time this is the same Warren we have all loved over the years. His passion for music has certainly not diminished and his wit is still perfectly in tact.
The songs on here are mostly slower paced with introspective lyrics about life and death but they are all so sincere in their delivery. Warren knows he doesn't have much time left but in normal Zevon fashion, he gives death the finger and goes on to create this masterpiece. Yes, this is a masterpiece. My favorite will always be "Life'll Kill Ya" but what we have here is a work of genius in its purist and most sincere form possible. Unlike some others who may have chosen to write straight forward lyrics about their own death, Warren chooses to word them in a way that lets you know that yes, he doesn't have much time but he is going to go out with a bang and not insult our intelligence. Really this album has lots of different stuff on it, from beautiful and touching ballads to upbeat raw rockers. We are also treated to a version of Bob Dylan's "Knockin' On Heaven's Door." I can't help but think that Warren chose to do this song because of the ironic theme, in his case, expressed, because that is just what Warren Zevon was all about. Godbless you Warren...
To end this review I want to touch on the last song "Keep Me In Your Heart." This is an ode to his fans, friends and family. This is the most beautiful and touching song I have ever heard before and is just so heartfelt that it really drives you to tears. I have been a fan of Warren's for a long long time now and when I first heard this song I broke down because the reality of the situation struck me. I knew he was on his way out but it this was when the real shock set in. I didn't know him on a personally level but I feel like I knew him through his music and all that he gave us over the years. I know I'm not the only one who felt, and still does feel this way. The lyrics to this song really hit you in the gut and you can really feel his pain. It is a simple piece with just acoustic guitar, piano, vocals and hints of percussion. It just works. I can't describe how good this is. You just have to hear it for yourself.
VH1 produced a touching documentary on the recording of this album and I recommend giving that a watch as it is truly beautiful. There was also a tribute to him at the Grammy awards that year which was also a very fitting tribute to his legacy and brilliance.
I feel Warren was a man that no words can describe his sincerety, his ability to provide us with great music and witty lyrics. But most of all, no words can describe his humanity and just how great of a person he really was. Maybe it's a good thing that the mainstream public ignored him. Us, his loyal fans, know his genius and maybe it is best left that way. Sadly, in the end, not even lawyers, guns and money could get him "out of this" and we are now left with a huge void in not only the music world, but in the hearts of us fans who loved him so much. I'll sleep when I'm dead indeed. Sleep now Warren. You have earned it my friend. God bless you and one day we'll play golf in the afternoon...
Free Music Review: Thanks For All The Great Songs, Warren
Hit: 5 Stars
Judging by the people who helped with or appeared on this album, Warren Zevon is truly blessed with a lot of famous friends. As Warren himself said, David Letterman was the best friend his music had. Bob Dylan has taken to doing some Zevon covers in concert lately. Warren returned the favor by recording a Dylan song on this album. A partial list of those who appear on this album with Warren are: his mentor Jackson Browne, his longtime songwriting partner Jorge Calderon, Ry Cooder, Emmylou Harris, Don Henley, David Lindley, Tom Petty, Timothy B. Schmit, Tommy Shaw, Bruce Springsteen, Billy Bob Thornton, Joe Walsh and Dwight Yoakam.DIRTY LIFE AND TIMES - When the opening line of the first song on the album is, "Some days I feel like my shadow's casting me," you can't help but be reminded of Warren's terminal illness. I can assure you that this is NOT a depressing album. With tasty guitar licks from Ry Cooder and backing vocals from Billy Bob Thornton and Dwight Yoakam, this song has a strong country music flavor to it.
DISORDER IN THE HOUSE - Lyrically, this song is very reminiscent of "I Was In the House When The House Burned Down." This song is a real rocker, with Bruce Springsteen providing scorching guitar licks. His guitar solos sound like Jimi Hendrix, with Bruce holding nothing back. In addition, his vocal contributions amount to a duet between Bruce and Warren, rather than Warren singing lead with Bruce in the background.
KNOCKIN' ON HEAVEN'S DOOR - Warren turns in a heartfelt vocal on this classic Dylan song. May you be in heaven an hour before the devil knows you're dead, Warren.
NUMB AS A STATUE - This is another rocker, in which Warren pleads to beg, borrow or steal some feelings so he can feel something too. Leave it to Warren to equate being on painkillers with being emotionally withdrawn.
SHE'S TOO GOOD FOR ME - Warren is at his self-deprecating best in this moving ballad. Half of the Eagles, Don Henley and Timothy B. Schmit, provide harmonious background vocals.
PRISON GROVE - This is the most ominous sounding song on the album. The prisoner is sentenced to death, and you know for sure that the governor is not going to call with a last minute stay of execution.
EL AMOR DE MI VIDA - The love of my life is Warren's tender love song to his lady, with Jorge Calderon providing background vocals in Spanish. The saddest aspect of this song is the weakness in Warren's voice. Unlike the rest of the songs, you can almost feel him struggling for breath to sing this.
THE REST OF THE NIGHT - Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow...well, you know. Helping the listener party hearty are Tom Petty and Mike Campbell. You could almost say that this song was performed by Warren Zevon and the Heartbreakers!
PLEASE STAY - Warren pleads with his lover to stay with him, with Emmylou Harris providing sympathetic backing vocals. The lyrics in this song gave the album its title. "Will you stay with me to the end, when there's nothing left but you and me and the wind?"
RUB ME RAW - This is Warren's great blues song, with Joe Walsh providing scorching slide guitar. If anyone has a right to sing the blues, it's Warren Zevon. However, this song is filled with Warren's dark humor, and is also guaranteed to get your feet tapping.
KEEP ME IN YOUR HEART - This is Warren's fond farewell to his fans, friends and loved ones. Keeping with Warren's wishes, I will not end this with something sappy or maudlin. I will say that the memory of Warren Zevon's songs will stay with me for the rest of my life.
Free Music Review: Shadows fell.
Hit: 5 Stars
From the first line - "Sometimes I feel my shadow's casting me" - to the last - "Keep me in your heart for awhile" - Warren Zevon confronted his destiny face to face on The Wind. His last two albums - Life'll Kill Ya and My Ride's Here (the "ride" is a hearse) - showed us that our hero was back at his cranky and tender best when dealing with love lost and mortality. This time, it's for real, and as you listen you know it. The Wind is a grand goodbye in its own scale and place. So, the subject matter should be no surprise - death, thinking about death, making some peace, and saying goodbye on your own terms. But The Wind is not a sad or morbid album. "Dirty Life And Times" and "Numb As A Statue" are great guitar-driven rock songs. "Disorder In The House" explodes out of the speakers. The album is loaded with songs with otherwise near-clichés that become as relevant as life and death: "The Rest Of The Night" would just be a mindless party song, but "we never may get this chance again" became a literal truth.
There are three effective pleadings to lovers who have left or are thinking about it - "She's Too Good For Me," "El Amor De Mi Vida," and "Please Stay." "Please Stay" are "two words I thought I'd never learn to say" and has the sweet voice of Emmy Lou Harris (OK, one mention) and some smooth late-night jazzy sax action that hasn't shown up on of his discs before and makes for a truly ethereal moment.
Two songs are among the strongest he's ever written musically and lyrically and deal with death head on. "Prison Grove," about a convict with a death sentence and no hope of a call from the governor, contains "knick knack, paddy whack - they say you'll hear your own bones crack - when they bust you back to bible black - then you'll find your love" then a background chorus moans darkly in the background. The dirty blues crunch of "Rub Me Raw" summarizes the end, finding Warren "shaking all over - I'm a shattering mass - but I'm gonna sit up straight - I'm going to take it with class." And he does.
The most poignant moments on the disc are when Warren is singing "open up for me" during the closing of his perfect cover of "Knocking On Heaven's Door" and the opening of "Keep Me In Your Heart" - "Shadows are falling and I'm running out of breath...if I leave you it doesn't mean I love you any less" - and it's very appropriate that this was the last song he recorded. If you're not crying or at least fighting tears, you aren't human.
You can get mad that Warren only got this attention at the end because of the circumstances, and maybe I was briefly. But I'm glad that he got to finish the album; that he let VH1 film some studio time so we could see; that David Letterman was such a good friend to his music over the years; and that Warren got to see the album released and get such a good response. Warren deserves no less.
Goodbye, Warren. Thanks for "Desperadoes Under The Eaves," "Genius," "Accidentally Like A Martyr," and "Empty-Handed Heart." Thanks for that great show in Providence on the Sentimental Hygiene tour. You are missed. I'm enjoying the sandwiches.
[Post Grammy comment - well, two Grammy awards for Best Hard Rock Performance with Bruuuuce and for Best Contemporary Folk Album. Jordan Zevon gave a very classy acceptance speech. The way how the awards show tributed WZ was very nice and touching.]