Songs in A&E
(Sanctuary)
I guess I should accept that Jay Spaceman won’t hit another peak as hard as Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space’s “Come Together.” Spaceman’s latest Spiritualized missive is a death trip, recorded after a life-threatening bout with pneumonia. Instead of songs about Jesus or drugs, most are about death or hanging onto life. It’s lulling, compelling and sometimes beautiful. A sense of dread and stoicism pervades; if you ever wondered what junkies sound like contemplating mortality, this is it.
—Adam Bulger
With All Due Respect
(429 Records)
Right Coast—The Dropkick Murphys; Left Coast—The Young Dubliners. Both are the offspring of The Pogues and U2. Call this blend of neo-punk, electrified reels and power chords “shamrock,” with emphasis on the second syllable. Okay, so only two of The Young Dubliners are actually Irish, and shopworn songs like “Foggy Dew,” “Rocky Road to Dublin,” and “Follow Me Up to Carlow” won’t win “due respect” from critics. But Keith Roberts’ gruff, powerful voice is engaging, and the band’s sweaty energy allows us to forego poignant lyrics and sweet melodies. This isn’t the homage to Irish classics The Young Dubliners intended, but it does kick serious butt. On July 23, the Young Dubliners appear at the Iron Horse Music Hall.
—Rob Weir
Silence
(Justin Time)
A year before his death, the great pianist and bandleader Mal Waldron made this 2001 recording with saxophonist David Murray. Waldron, known for his work with Billie Holiday, also had a remarkable history of working with sax giants. Murray switches between the robust and woody bass clarinet and his heaving tenor sax while Waldron provides sparse chords, skittering runs and powerful percussive clusters. It’s Maldron’s last known recording—a fitting testament to his understated, elegant genius.
—John Adamian
Pacific Ocean Blue
(Columbia/Legacy)
A long-lost Rosetta stone for Beach Boys fans, Dennis Wilson’s solo masterpiece is now on CD. Wilson mixed boozy soul, gospel harmonies, bar band psychedelia, orchestral flourishes and electro-funk into strangely affecting and shape-shifting compositions. On tunes like “River Song” and “Dreamer,” his raw vocals are perfectly juxtaposed against an expansive production. Pacific Ocean Blue sits comfortably alongside other neglected 1970s opuses like Big Star’s Third/Sister Lovers and Shuggie Otis’ Inspiration Information. This deluxe edition also includes tracks from his abandoned second effort. These may only hint at greatness, but they deliver enough intrigue to make them worthwhile. An utterly essential offering.
—Jeff Jackson
