Warren Zevon, “Preludes: Rare and Unreleased Recordings”
POP/ROCK|New West, released today
It seems odd for anything to remain truly undiscovered these days, but occasionally it happens. “Preludes,” the first posthumous release from Warren Zevon, is a double-disc set of honest-to-God unheard music from this distinctive songwriter and a treasure trove for fans.
As the story goes, Zevon’s son discovered dozens of reel-to-reel tapes, acetates and test pressings in a San Fernando Valley storage space after his father’s death in 2003, eventually compiling six CDs. “Preludes” contains 16 of those songs, including demos and six unheard tracks. Zevon devotees won’t think twice about picking this up, but the release stands on its own for nonfans too.
Despite varying sound quality, the performances and songwriting demand repeat listens, especially when demos for “Werewolves of London” and others sound drastically different from released versions. There’s enough spiky rock overflowing in “Poor Poor Pitiful Me” to compete with Neil Young’s guitar trances, and heartbreaking tracks like “Desperados Under The Eaves” contain deft, cutting observations.
“Cigarettes make the sun come up, whiskey makes the sun go down, and in between you do a lot of standing around,” Zevon sings in “Empty Hearted Town,” a deceptively sarcastic line that speaks for “Preludes” as a whole. With a 44-page, photo-rich booklet and second CD of interviews, “Preludes” provides a portrait of an artist ready to find and lose himself many times over, to great musical results. |John Wenzel
REO Speedwagon, “Find Your Own Way Home”
ROCK|Mailboat, released April 24
Arena-rock champs REO Speedwagon formed nearly 40 years ago, a fact apparent on the band’s new record. Granted, “Find Your Own Way Home” mercifully moves away from the weak power ballads of its most recent work for a harder-rocking sound, but it also reveals a group out of touch with the past two decades of music, and one struggling to settle on a sound.
The band arguably has nothing to prove. Its stadium-sized anthems of the 1970s and early ’80s established it as undisputed arena-rock masters. But despite a few cranked-up guitars, the band’s first new album in 11 years feels like a fussed-over meal from a declining chef: rife with clichés and half-baked ideas, and using stale ingredients. On the surface it’s a bright, shiny package of pleasant melodies and solid playing, but even jaunty blues-rock numbers like “Run Away Baby” and “Born to Love You” sound like covers of a more inspired group.|John Wenzel
Other releases today:
Tori Amos, “American Doll Posse” (Epic) After nine albums of sharp, piano-based rock this singer-songwriter is in no danger of running out of ideas. “American Doll Posse,” a loose concept album replete with well-drawn characters, contains 23 of Amos’s best compositions to date.
Michael Bublé, “Call Me Irresponsible” (143/Reprise) This young crooner tackles standards and more modern covers (Willie Nelson’s “Always on My Mind,” Eric Clapton’s “Wonderful Tonight”) on his seventh release in four years.
