BOB MOULD
Sunshine Rock
(Merge)
Nobody does breakup songs or exis-
tential dread quite like Bob Mould.
Throughout his storied career, the former
Hüsker Du/Sugar frontman has excelled
at wrapping that angst and trepidation
into countless, melodic, three-minute
masterpieces. So, with the arrival of his
latest solo release Sunshine Rock, it’s
almost startling when he manages to let in
so much light. Given the current state of
affairs, Mould would seem to be the per-
fect torchbearer to delve deeper into the
darkness. Instead, a majority of the mate-
rial here radiates warmth and hope.
“Camp Sunshine” is the biggest surprise,
with whimsical lyrics about the nostalgic
innocence of childhood that strips away
Mould’s usual cacophony of distortion
and waves of feedback. Even his vocal
take feels vulnerably unguarded. Of
course, this is the man who always gravi-
tates to the power trio, resulting in a
soundscape where there’s nowhere for
passion and melodies to hide for long.
And occasionally the maudlin returns.
“Sin King” and “Lost Faith” are the
biggest offenders, specifically when the
former proclaims “life has changed
around this place/for reasons that I can’t
explain.” Still, something in his voice reas-
sures, hinting at pessimistic optimist
inside that continues to rage against the
machine.
– Curt Baran
7
PETE BERWICK
Island
P
(Self)
Pete Berwick won't be having a Neil
Young Trans moment where he throws an
electro-musical curveball at you. He's nur-
tured his lyrically and musically aggres-
sive cowpunk style going on four
decades, and it's a passionate formula that
24 illinoisentertainer.com march 2019
works for him and his fans. Island finds
Berwick a little more reflective, melodic
and poignant on his 6th album, certainly
more mature than his early albums like
Last Train Outta Nashville. Pairing up
again with Jason Botka at Skye Bleu
Studios, it's a partnership that works,
with Botka's complimentary stripped
down sheen highlighted by Berwick's
backing band The Mugshot Saints. "I'm
Getting Tired of This Place" take a subtle
simultaneous swipe at the broken music
business and #MeToo movement where
male artists are scared "pretenders," and
men can't be men. "Anyways," and "Just
Make It You And Me Tonight" adds some
deft alt-country female harmonies by
Jennifer Bokta, providing a perfect foil to
Berwick's male point of view. "Island's"
Dylan-esque vibe is a throwback to Desire-
era Zimmerman with more superb har-
monies from Botka. Island finds Pete
Berwick more reflective, showing even
weathered cowpunks can grow old grace-
fully.
– David Gedge
8
ALEX CHILTON
From Memphis To
New Orleans
Songs From Robin
Hood Lane
(Bar None)
By the 1980s, a broke (both monetarily
and spiritually) Alex Chilton — burned
by the DOA reception of his now lauded
as masterpiece Big Star recordings, and
burned out by trying to resuscitate his
musical life in the Max’s/CBGB punk axis
of New York — took up a friend’s sugges-
tion that he relocate from his long-time
Memphis base to New Orleans. Once
there, he buried himself in menial jobs
ranging from dishwasher to tree trimmer;
and then slowly, quietly took steps back
into music, via occasional cover band sit-
ins that would eventually lead him back
into the recording studio.
From Memphis to New Orleans chroni-
cles this renaissance, collecting the mid- to
late-‘80s recordings of both covers and
originals Chilton previously released in
various formats at the time. Mostly
recorded at the same Memphis-based
Ardent Studios that was Chilton’s home
base for both his Box Tops and Big Star
days, the collection fittingly opens with
his cover of fellow Memphian and Stax
standout Carla Thomas’ recording “B-A-
B-Y” (and also authored by Stax
artists/house writers David Porter and
Isaac Hayes); along with hometown nods
in covers of Charley Rich’s “Lonely
Weekend” and Ronny and the Daytonas’
“Little GTO.”
But Chilton’s originals shouldn’t be
overlooked, in particular, “No Sex”—
echoing his NYC punk and Panther Burns
rockabilly forays—the biographical
“broke/busted/disgusted” ethos of
“Underclass” and the barbed (if some-
what dated) social commentary of tele-
vangelists in “Guantanamerika.” Fast for-
warding to the ‘90s finds Chilton back in
he studio, only this time recording jazz-
edged standards of the ‘50s, with particu-
lar emphasis on covers of classics popular-
ized by trumpet player turned vocalist
Chet Baker – who Chilton first heard as a
child and revered throughout his life.
Taking its title from Chilton’s childhood
address, Songs from Robin Hood Lane col-
lects 12 of these sessions – four previously
unreleased – that undoubtedly reflects the
impact the record collection that his jazz
piano and saxophone playing father
Sidney had on him from his earliest days.
Bringing the music full-circle back home
on these sessions is the presence of bassist
Ron Miller, who played with Chilton’s
father, and who would later serve as pro-
ducer for half this collection (with Chilton
producing the other half.)
The takeaways from both these collec-
tions are, first, just how remarkably clean,
clear, crisp and easily Chilton’s tenor voice
comes through; and, second, how master-
ful Chilton’s (mostly) acoustic guitar fret-
work is. Chilton professed his love of
singing covers throughout his career.
Indeed, he loved going out on those “pack-
aged” tours that allowed him to stretch out
with other artists after doing his Box Tops
nods. Both these collections show just how
wonderfully he could indeed stretch out as
a musician.
--David C. Eldredge
7
MICHAEL McDERMOTT
Orphans
(Pauper Sky)
One thing we know for sure: Michael
McDermott will never run out of songs. He
is the quintessential troubadour, putting
pen to paper to woo his love, confess his
sins, battle his demons, and to generally
make sense of the world. While some of the
most beloved of his ilk – i.e., Dylan,
Springsteen, Earle – may have slowed
down on the writing/recording/touring,
McDermott shows no signs of losing
momentum (or inspiration). Coming just a
year after Out From Under (possibly his
most consequential record since 620 W.
Surf) and a couple of years since the emo-
tional Willow Springs, the aptly named
Orphans is a collection of songs that could
have graced either of the previous two LPs,
but for sake of length and prudence.
Prolificacy is his fans’ payoff, however;
save for a couple of bleaker ballads, this
batch of leftovers is sure to find a perma-
nent home in the McDermott fan’s collec-
tion.
He paints pictures of intimate moments
with delicate guitars, piano, pedal steel,
and harp on “The Last Thing I’ll Ever Do,”
“Sometimes When It Rains,” “Black Tree
Blue Sky,” and “Full Moon Goodbye”; and
he reminisces on the road and its places
through “Ne’er Do Well,” “Richmond,”
and "Los Angeles A Lifetime Ago.” The
uptempo rockers - opener “Tell-Tale
Heart,” the very Springsteen-esque “The
Wrong Side of Town,” and “Givin’ Up The
Ghost” (which, I’m guessing, is about his
falling in and out of faith) - are some of his
most memorable to date.
Appearing 3/15 at Hey Nonny, Arlington
Heights. Record Release Show.
8
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TYNAN
Shirley Jeanne
(Self)
Tynan mines a rock and R&B horn-
based tradition first blueprinted by
Chicago stalwarts The Buckinghams, Ides
of March and Chicago. Though plenty of
local bands have competently covered
these bands – sometimes to exhaustion,
Tynan aims high and expands on their
"Chicago sound" with a surprisingly
melodic and competent collection or origi-
nals. Performing 200 shows a year have
sharpened up Tynan's musicianship, and
their razor-sharp musical chops here are
impressive, especially on album starter
"The Same World" powered by Ted
Phillips' '80s throwback melodies and the
band's staccato horn breaks. "Shirley
Jeanne" is dedicated to band founder Tom
Tynan's mother, and his growling baritone
mixes the best of Huey Lewis and Muscle
Shoals, where drummer Ronnie Dicola and
vocalists Christina Kelley and Eli Schiavo
get a chance to add their musical muscle.
"A Beautiful Mess" mixes soulful Stax style
R&B with '60s psychedelics of the
Chambers Brothers. Tynan is a band that
makes a living covering classic bands, so
Shirley Jeanne closes out with perhaps
unnecessary but competent covers of Joe
Cocker's version of "The Letter" and
"Unchain My Heart," and a dynamic cover
of Chase's "Get It On" (the song was also
included on the Illinois Route 66 fundrais-
ing compilation.) Undoubtedly the covers
are included to please longtime fans, but
Tynan's collection of original music stands
on its own as one of the better local releas-
es you'll hear this year.
Appearing 3/30 at Tailgaters, Bolingbrook.
– David Gedge
8
NEIL DIAMOND
50th Anniversary
Collector's Edition
(Capitol)
This retrospective of Diamond’s career
collects fifty years of pop hits, worthy
album cuts, and a clutch of previously-
unreleased songs onto six CDs bound into
a coffee-table book. For anyone desiring a
well-curated collection accompanied by a
lively description (written by David
Fricke) of Diamond’s singular career as
both songwriter and performer, this set is
an ideal overview spanning 32 albums cul-
minating with 2014’s Melody Road.
The book’s unmistakable look is
resplendent in faux-diamond-studded
denim, celebrating “Forever in Blue Jeans”
– just one of many songs strewn through-
out the set that generations of casual and
fervent fans alike can sing verbatim. Early
hits include 1966’s stoic and horn-fueled
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