Paul Westerberg: "Suicaine Gratification" (Capitol)
A gloriously "uncool" album. Paul Westerberg, former front-man of The Replacements, admits to being nearly 40, and in mercilessly honest vignettes such as The Fugitive Kind (after the Tennessee Williams screenplay of the same name) he explores the sense of lethargy and even depression that can come with age. Especially for a rocker who revelled in writing youth anthems, lost a fellow band member to a drug overdose and nearly died himself - hence the title, which mixes words like satisfaction, cocaine, gratification and suicide. But the melodic beauty of mostly-piano-based songs like Born For Me, with Shawn Colvin on backing vocals, more than offsets the potentially depressing subject matter. There is also a deliciously under-stated emotionalism at work here, in Tears Rolling Up Our Sleeves. Westerberg's third album is easily his best.
By Joe Jackson
Glen Campbell: "The Capitol Years '65 '77 (Capitol)
Glen Campbell, another regurgitated rock "geriatric" to mock? Only if you reduce his career to tedious ditties like Rhinestone Cowboy and have no sense of pop history. This astounding 46-track CD restores his reputation in one shot, reminding us that his were the definitive versions of so many Jim Webb classics: By The Time I Get To Phoenix, Galveston, Wichita Linesman and the less-well-known, Adoration and About the Ocean. His guitar lines highlight just why Glen Campbell had originally been one of the most in-demand sessions musicians in LA, providing legendary solos on hits like Strangers In The Night and Viva Las Vegas. Of course there is dross here, but not much: Campbell always had a knack for selecting songs that explore timeless themes. A remarkable collection.
By Joe Jackson
Brian: "Bring Trouble" (Setanta)
Brian is the rather unassuming name under which Dubliner Ken Sweeney has chosen to craft his own upbeat blend of string-driven indie pop. Only dedicated followers of anti-fashion will remember Brian's 1992 debut, Understand, but this album should bring him to a wider audience, thanks to such radio-melting fare as Turn Your Lights On and On A Roll. Comparisons to The Lightning Seeds come quickly to mind, especially during the inauspicious opener, We Close 1-2; but during the late-night chill of the third track, This Kitchen 5 a.m., Sweeney's own identity begins to establish itself, and the album settles into the thoughtful, intelligent fare of Light Years, Getting Meaner and Right Through Tuesday. Bring plaudits.
By Kevin Courtney
