05/02/07
GO MEDIA
DAROL ANGER & MIKE MARSHALL/Woodshop: These two NAC old pals and pros fire it up once again for one of the greatest back porch music sessions you are going to find this year. Flexing their chops, bringing in eclectic song mixes and putting in all the touches that make their sets such treats, the Gator and his pal are on point at each organic stop along the way. Loaded with a joie de vivre that would have run out a long time ago in lesser hands, this is an instrumental music fans delight.
(Adventure Music)
UNIVERSAL MUSIC ENTERPRISES
ELVIS COSTELLO/Almost Blue; Armed Forces; Blood & Chocolate; Get Happy; Goodbye Cruel World; Imperial Bedroom; King of America; My Aim is True; Punch the Clock; Rock & Roll Music; Best of; This Years Model; Trust: Just by size alone, it’s tempting to call this the most important reissue series of the year. You get the first eleven Elvis Costello albums and two specially created, themed best of collections. For my money, I was betting on Graham Parker to be the angry young man of choice but Costello gleefully broke the rules, so much so that limiting paying songwriters to ten songs an album is known as “The Costello Rule”. He style hopped like there were no boundaries careening from pub rock to country to punk to sassing ex-girl friends whose sense of charity is boundless to where ever and whatever. After UME went through all this trouble, it’s a little vexing that Costello would say there’s no compelling reason to buy these reissues. Hell, I’d be helping bang the drum since “My Aim is True” is also due for a deluxe edition later this year. These sets comprise a lot of break throughs and landmarks of the modern era, but just the same, since this material stretches back 30 years, the two best ofs might be a good place to start if you are young enough to wonder what the hub bub is all about, bub. 30 years ago, huh? So, when God takes one Elvis out the door, he brings another in through the window? A special note to geeks is that this release also marks the first time this material is available for download.
DVD SUPPLEMENT
UNIVERSAL MUSIC ENTERPRISES
TODD SNIDER/The Devil You Know: Last year’s Snider album of the same name was such a surprise hit that you get to take it to the next level. With the biggest seller of his career under his belt, this collection is expanded with staples like “Alright Guy” to round it up and make you want to buy the same thing again. Nicely done in killer app format, this is fine for your laptop since you don’t have to play it with the visuals and you don’t miss a thing. Not everyone can pull off being an aging amiable goof ball and someone like Owen Wilson better take lessons from Snider before it’s too late. Fun stuff.
(New Door)
Volume 30/Number 183
May 2, 2007
MIDWEST RECORD
830 W. Route 22 #144
Lake Zurich, IL., 60047
CHRIS SPECTOR, Editor and Publisher
(c)2007 Midwest Record