Hitchcock remains vital and active . Shufflemania doesn ’ t seem to be anywhere near the end of the line , and it ’ s not a stop to be skipped . ( robynhitchcock . com )
– Jeff Elbel 8
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CORY BRANAN When I Go I Ghost
( Blue Élan )
There ’ s plenty to ponder in the reflections and tall tales within the picturesque work of this singer-songwriter , but Cory Branan immediately establishes his new work as gut-level and gripping . “ When in Rome , When in Memphis ” launches Branan ’ s sixth album with a country-punk blast that echoes of the Replacements and Uncle Tupelo . The song casts Branan as a wandering free spirit who ’ s nonetheless trapped by buried memories . “ Another bender won ’ t bend no bars apart . Be still , my incarcerated heart ,” he sings . The swinging “ O Charlene ” boasts a few more traditional trappings , including Spencer Cullum ’ s weeping pedal steel to color the story of what might be the first song ’ s same character , further down a lonely road and reaching out to an old flame . The brooding “ Angels in the Details ” rides Eric Slick ’ s slinky groove alongside Jarrad K ’ s soulful and pulsing electric piano . Branan ’ s restless protagonist struggles to find inner peace after building a hard exterior . “ Sometimes someone sees inside ,” Branan confesses . “ It makes it that much worse .” The singer engages in musical sleight of hand during “ That Look I Lost .” The song ’ s Motown groove and Memphis-styled horns spark body-moving bliss , but they ’ re the spoonful of sugar to make a confessional tale of regret go down . “ When I Leave Here ” boasts a hard-rocking riff and cathartic chorus following the pent-up tension of a seething verse . Branan ’ s character may have been done wrong by a faithless lover , but he ’ ll leave his mark on the heart . So will friend and guest Jason Isbell , who contributes a wicked guitar lead . Isbell contributes distinctive harmony vocals to several songs as well . “ I can ’ t believe I found her . It ’ s like I picked the pocket of God ,” sings Branan while relating a drug runner ’ s bitter memories and not-so-veiled threats during the cinematic crime noir tale “ Pocket of God .” “ Room 101 ” revisits the territory in another
example of Branan ’ s use of celebratory sonics to disguise seedy stories . The trend continues with defeated snark and resignation during “ One Happy New Year .” Even the title is a head-fake for a song that unspools with a breezy mood reminiscent of the Gin Blossom ’ s “ Hey Jealousy .” “ Can ’ t we have just one happy new year ?” sings Branan with slim hope . Garrison Starr duets with Branan on the sublime mid-tempo rootspop anthem “ Waterfront ,” wherein Anthony DaCosta ’ s slide guitar echoes Mike Campbell on Tom Petty and the Heartbreaker ’ s “ Into the Great Wide Open .” The song describes a beleaguered couple who haven ’ t quite given up on each other , traveling west together with the notion that a change of venue might bring renewal . “ Come On If You Wanna Come ” features an easygoing chime and jangle reminiscent of the Byrds and early R . E . M ., while Branan extends a hand to someone stuck in the dumps . “ I been down , I know where you ’ re coming from ,” sings Branan with encouragement . The album closes with “ Of Two Minds ,” featuring the warm drone of Appalachian strings and Slick ’ s understated but arresting rhythm . Branan ’ s star-crossed and threadbare character swears , “ I ’ m gonna quit while I ’ m behind ,” but it ’ s just another vain attempt at bluffing oneself . For LP lovers , the album is available on ectoplasmic green vinyl . ( corybranan . com )
– Jeff Elbel
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ELTON JOHN Honky Château 50th Anniversary ( UMe )
Elton John ’ s fifth album launched a spectacular run by the English singer and pianist , becoming the first of seven consecutive number-one albums in the US . Honky Château is best remembered for the spacedout rock ballad “ Rocket Man ( I Think it ’ s Going to Be a Long , Long Time ).” Bernie Taupin ’ s lyric about a working stiff on his way to Mars was inspired by Ray Bradbury ’ s The Illustrated Man . Its slide guitar and theme echoed David Bowie ’ s cinematic “ Space Oddity ” from 1969 ; both were produced by Gus Dudgeon . With Davey Johnstone ’ s plucky banjo , the horn-spiked New Orleans funk of “ Honky Cat ” nods to Dr . John and Allen Toussaint . John ’ s debt to Leon Russell can be heard in the saloonstyle piano of the amorous “ Mellow .” The song is also highlighted by Jean-Luc Ponty ’ s
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