Warren Zevon - The Wind
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Free Music Notes for The Wind
Free Music Review: A Bittersweet Bow to his Fans and Friends
Hit: 5 Stars
It is well nigh impossible to look at this CD without the emotional wallop of the circumstances. With the exceptions of Joey Ramone's "Don't Worry About Me" and Queen's Freddie Mercury ("Innuendo"), who were recording with full knowledge of their impending deaths, I can't recall any other albums recorded in the valley of the shadow. Warren Zevon has left us a parting letter that tickles us with his usual morbid humor (the first line is "Some days I feel like my shadow's casting me") and jerks our tear ducts in the end ("These wheels keep turning, but they're running out of steam"). Had this been released without the background story, everyone would be hailing "The Wind" as an incredible comeback. First and foremost is the star power. Springsteen blisters "Disorder In The House" with an amazing guitar solo, Joe Walsh grinds bluesy sand into "Rub Me Raw" and, as usual, Ry Cooder and David Lindley make anything they do worth hearing. (Lindley has long been an unsung hero on many WZ albums.) Emmylou Harris adds depth to "Please Stay" with a heartachingly clear background vocal, and it's hard not to choke up as Warren's voice cracks in front of Don Henley's and Timothy Schmidt's on the ironic "She's Too Good For Me."
Warren also came through with a couple of the best songs he's ever written. Being a long time fan, I realize that statement covers a lot of ground. "My Dirty Life and Times" would be a classic under any circumstance, and "Prison Grove" recreates a mood that all the best WZ albums captured for their story telling (see "The Envoy" or "Genius" for other strong examples).
In short, I can't think of a reason to NOT own this album. Get "The Wind" now, and be prepared to reach for the tissues.
Free Music Review: 4 1/2 stars for Zevon's grand finale
Hit: 5 Stars
Warren Zevon is, for the moment, still with us (as of this writing August 27, 2003). It seems that the looming spectre of death, like most of the adversity in his life, has inspired him to spit in its face and produce one of his best and most moving albums ever. On Wind Zevon races against time--the songs are a mix of earthy rockers and the vunerable ballads that he's done in the past. What makes this album different is the creative desire that drove him to create his final statement. Like George Harrison, Zevon faces many of the questions and difficulties we all face but with a grim determination to try and find some sort of answer to his life.
Guests include friends from the past including Bruce Springsteen, Don Henley, Tim Schmit, Joe Walsh, Emmylou Harris and the usual stable of Zevon collaborators. The album is, surprisingly, uniformly strong given the short time Zevon had to come up with the material. Finishing the trio of albums that began with Life's Too Short and My Ride's Here, Wind is a strong concluding act. I can't really think of any weak moments on the album including Zevon's cover of Dylan's Knockin' On Heaven's Door. While it lacks subtly, it's clear that at this stage Zevon doesn't care. He doesn't need to and you shouldn't either.
Wind is still laced with the irony and wit that Zevon is well known for but there's a sincerity that prevails over the entire album. That sincerity has always been part of Zevon's stock in trade but here it takes center stage. Wind isn't Zevon's best album but it's a fitting grand finale for a career that's concluded. Wind could just as easily been an embarrassment instead of an embarrassment of riches. Unlike many of his peers, Zevon's final work is still relevant.
Thanks Warren for sharing this with us, your fans. God bless you.
Free Music Review: Typical Zevon - which is to say, brilliant
Hit: 5 Stars
The temptation is to review this cd taking into account Mr. Zevon's circumstances (he has been diagnosed with mesothelioma - a terminal diagnosis but, as of this review, not yet fatal). I will try to avoid that temptation. Many reviewers find it ironic that Mr. Zevon is dying, given his tendency to include death references in so many of his songs. Either they do not understand the definition of irony or I don't. (We all know Alanis Morissette missed the mark.) There is plenty of irony in his work, but not in the fact that he is dying after having mentioned death. Along with irony, there is also humor, sentiment, honesty, great song craft, and a terrific guest cast.
Contributors include, but are not limited to, Bruce Springsteen, Emmylou Harris, Ry Cooder, David Lindley, Joe Walsh, Don Henley, Timothy B. Schmidt, Billy Bob Thornton (!) and Mr. Zevon's long-time friend and co-conspirator Jorge Calderon. The backing cast all contribute mightily to this project but never overwhelm the star. While his voice is at times a little weak and ragged it is still the smooth baritone one expects from a Warren Zevon recording.
Most of the songs were co-written with Jorge Calderon. The three exceptions are two that were penned by Mr. Zevon alone and a cover of the Bob Dylan classic, "Knockin' on Heaven's Door." That song could come across as maudlin but doesn't. It strikes me as a straight-ahead tribute to a legend and admirer, with a touch of Zevon macabre humor thrown in - listen for Mr. Zevon to implore heaven to "open up, open up for me" near the end.
This one ranks right up with Mr. Zevon's best, which is high praise indeed.
Oh, and if any of the Zevon family happens to read this, I am indeed, keeping him in my heart, although for much longer than a while.
Free Music Review: More Classic Zevon
Hit: 5 Stars
11 great songs to listen to forever. If this is Zevon's swan song then he will go out knowing he couldn't have done any better. Classic Stuff.Dirty Life and Times starts it off with a bit of a cowboy flair and the line "Who'll lay me out and ease my worried mind/While I'm winding down my dirty life and times", which was written prior to his terminal cancer diagnosis is positively eerie. Beautifully played and sung with backup vocals from Billy Bob Thornton and Dwight Yoakam. It is probably my favorite song on the album but their are plenty of others that are close enough to call favorites.
There are a number of guest appearances and my three favorite are 1) David Lindley's lap steel guitar on Numb as a Statue which is great and the song is very melodic, if a bit repetitive. 2) Bruce Springsteen's guitar and vocals on Disorder in the House. He has a great vocal aside after one line "I'll let Warren handle that one himself." And Warren handles it very well and then some. 3) Emmylou Harris' background vocals on Please Stay are beautiful.
A quartet of slow songs sound positively astounding and moving. She's Too Good For Me, El Amor De Mi Vida, Keep Me In Your Heart and Please Stay are all done brilliantly. And the party tune The Rest of the Night, while quite silly is still great fun and has a nice groove. The song that I like a lot more than I had anticipated is Prison Grove. It is a slow swampy sounding tune with some great backing vocals that works a lot better than I thought it would.
It is a shame that it has taken his illness to bring him the attention that his music has deserved for almost 30 years. He has recorded a string of great albums through the years and this one will sit proudly among them.
Free Music Review: A Bittersweet Bow to his Family and Friends
Hit: 5 Stars
It is well nigh impossible to look at this CD without the emotional wallop of the circumstances. With the exceptions of Joey Ramone's "Don't Worry About Me," George Harrison's "Brainwashed" and Queen's Freddie Mercury ("Innuendo"), who were recording with full knowledge of their impending deaths, I can't recall any other albums recorded in the valley of the shadow. Warren Zevon has left us a parting letter that tickles us with his usual morbid humor (the first line is "Some days I feel like my shadow's casting me") and jerks our tear ducts in the end ("These wheels keep turning, but they're running out of steam"). Had this been released without the background story, everyone would be hailing "The Wind" as an incredible comeback. First and foremost is the star power. Springsteen blisters "Disorder In The House" with an amazing guitar solo, Joe Walsh grinds bluesy sand into "Rub Me Raw" and, as usual, Ry Cooder and David Lindley make anything they do worth hearing. (Lindley has long been an unsung hero on many WZ albums.) Emmylou Harris adds depth to "Please Stay" with a heartachingly clear background vocal, and it's hard not to choke up as Warren's voice cracks in front of Don Henley's and Timothy Schmidt's on the ironic "She's Too Good For Me."
Warren also came through with a couple of the best songs he's ever written. Being a long time fan, I realize that statement covers a lot of ground. "My Dirty Life and Times" would be a classic under any circumstance, and "Prison Grove" recreates a mood that all the best WZ albums captured for their story telling (see "The Envoy" or "Genius" for other strong examples).
In short, I can't think of a reason to NOT own this album. Get "The Wind" now, and be prepared to reach for the tissues.