Dusting off country legends and placing them in front of a studio microphone has become a popular sport among influential young’uns.
Glen Campbell’s biggest hits were subtle, Jimmy Webb-penned daydreams that stretched lazily over layers of symphonic pop. That mood is exactly what producers Julian Raymond and Howard Willing attempt to re-create as they guide the 72-year-old Campbell through cover versions of songs by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, U2, and Green Day.
There are positively thrilling glimpses of Campbell’s immense talent for interpreting country-pop as he charms his way through the Foo Fighters’ “Times Like These.” But on parts of “Meet Glen Campbell,” Raymond and Willing appear to be under the impression that they are producing a comeback for Roy Orbison. The album’s opener, a cover of Travis’ “Sing,” should have been left as a simple, scaled-back arrangement.
