After 45 Years in Music, Peerless Singer-Songwriter Jimmy Webb Remains in Second Solo Album—Co-Founder,fi Ne Form

ISSUE #30 MMUSICMAG.COM REVIEWS HOLE JNobody’sIMMY WEBB Daughter [Universal] Still Within the Sound of My Voice [Entertainment One] The first album released under the Hole moniker since 1998’s Celebrity Skin is really frontwoman Courtney Love’sAfter 45 years in music, peerless singer-songwriter Jimmy Webb remains in second solo album—co-founder,fi ne form. On this follow-up to 2010’s Just Across the River, he once again songwriter and lead guitarist Eric Erlandson isn’t involved,assembles a roster of A-list guests to rerecord a set of his songs. Keith Urban nor is any other previous Hole member. So it’s Love andappears three on “Where’s the Playground, Suzie,” and Kris Kristofferson’s weathered ringers on 11 new songs—10 of which Love wrotevocals with add a welcome touch of desperation to the plea “Honey Come Back.” collaborators like Billy Corgan,Jerry Douglas’ Linda Perry extended and new Dobro solo on “MacArthur Park” adds a rootsy kick, and guitarist Micko Larkin. (Perry gets full credit on one tune, “Letter to God.”) of all the special guests, Lyle Lovett shines brightest on a country-pop version Much of the riveting intensity of the group’s 1990s heyday appears to haveof left“Sleeping along with in herthe formerDaytime,” Daniel Jackson which benefi ts from Lovett and Webb’s interplay bandmates, but there are fl ashes here of the snarling Too often, though, the slower songs trip her up. While once fury Love deployed to suchand devastating an infectious effect backbanjo in the intro. day. Whilethey were the showcasesconcept forof harrowing revisiting displays old songs of naked with emotion, She spits out her vocals guestswith vengeful from disdain various on “Skinny genres Little is a recentLove sounds phenomenon, more dispassionate it can these feel tired.days. The Webb’s production Bitch,” overdriven guitars roiling atop an elastic bassline that doesn’t help—the songs have an airless, sanded-down feel that speeds up as the song collaborationraces toward a climatic with Joe pile-up Cocker at the ondoesn’t “The Moon’sfi t with her avisceral Harsh persona. Mistress” Courtney adds Love’s nothing tumultuous end. She shifts tempos and attitude on the more contemplative history suggests that she has a compelling story to tell, and “Pacifi c Coast Highway,”to taking the stockfrequently as layers covered of acoustic original, and perhaps and for she as does. enjoyable It’s just notas thisthe one album she’s is,telling it’s on hardly Nobody’s electric guitars chug along behind her. Daughter. –Eric R. Danton essential. –Juli Thanki

COURT YARD HOUNDS A side project of new offering suggested that its creator was a few strides closer to Dixie Chicks’ Martie crafting something truly monumental in both musical and social terms. Court Yard Hounds Maguire and Emily This cold and private set isn’t it, although that’s probably due more to [Columbia] Robison, Court Yard personal circumstances than anything related to talent. Wainwright Hounds delivers wrote All Days Are Nights while his mother, Kate McGarrigle, was much-anticipated dying of cancer, and there is a quiet, complex sadness even in its insight—both musical and personal—into the sisters who have less autobiographical material. There’s nothing here except piano for so long ceded center stage to Chicks singer Natalie Maines. and vocal, and Wainwright doesn’t project his words in the way Though steeped in familiar instrumentation, the album offers little we’ve come to expect from him. Instead of serenading the person of the barn-burning brashness that made the Chicks famous (save in the farthest corner of a packed theater, he’s singing to himself in perhaps the gutsy “Ain’t No Son”). Instead, its delicate folk-pop an otherwise empty room. –David Styburski prettiness perfectly suits Robison’s more-than-capable voice and the jumble of emotions, sunny and melancholy, that emerge in a song Ozomatli’s music has been called a collision cycle inspired by her 2008 divorce. Maguire’s weeping fi ddle and OZOMATLI of styles, a cultural mash-up, and a 20-car seamless harmonies are welcome as always, and her one turn on pileup of genres. It’s also some of the most lead vocals (“Gracefully”) is so warmly affecting that listeners may joyfully energetic music you’ll ever hear. On ‘Afterwish she stepped 45 to the years mic more often. in Court music, Yard Hounds ably peerless its fi fth album, the L.A.-based band stirs its demonstrates that, whether with their fellow Dixie Chick or without, blend of salsa, ska, samba, funk, and hip-hop these ladies’ talent runs deep. –Katie Dodd in ways few groups could conceive. Imagine Fire Away tossing the English Beat, Herb Alpert and the singer-songwriterFor a dozen Jimmy years, the [MercerWebb Street/Downtown] Tijuana Brass, Caetano Veloso, and Sly and RUFUS arrangements on Rufus the Family Stone into a magical blender and Wainwright’s albums got you get some sense of Ozomatli’s eclectic approach. High points WAINWRIGHT busier and his sometimes on their latest, Fire Away, include “Are You Ready?,” a horn-and- remains innaughty, fi ne occasionally form.’ percussion-driven blast of salsa-fl avored ska; “Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah,” All Days Are Nights: Songs for Lulu angry declarations of gay an exultant Latin pop anthem fi tted with shrieking sax; and “Gay Vatos [Decca] pride got louder. Each in Love,” a rockabilly-tinged tune with a soaring chorus. Even when

70 MAY 2010 ISSUE #30 M MUSIC & MUSICIANS MAGAZINE

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