New Releases By Tom Rule

New Releases

By Tom Rule

      So many records... so little time. A lot of great music has hit the streets lately. Elvis Costello has teamed up with his former band, The Attractions and his ol' buddy Nick Lowe. This is the best album by Elvis in years! "Brutal Youth" (Warner) gets four and a half stars.

      The Sundogs have released "To the Bone" (Rounder). It's a rockin'/ Cajun/ Zydeco ditty that is great driving music. That is, if you like doing 90 with the windows rolled down, the tape deck blaring, and a tank full of gas. Not recommended listening while passing through Ohio.

      I have been listening to Sam Phillips' "Martinis & Bikinis" (Virgin) way too much. The album is addictive. Produced by T-Bone Bumett (Sam's husband), who has the knack of making everything he touches (Counting C r o w s ) sound like gold (and sell platinum), it sounds incredible! Especially when it's mixed in your CD player or you hear it on the radio. The quality is so different, sounds so clean and bright, your ears jump up and take notice. In a recent interview on the Ann Delisi Show (WDET), Sam was asked about songwriting. When the subject of writer's block came up, Sam said she puts her left shoe on her right foot and her right shoe on her left foot. It seems to work--she wrote or co-wrote all 13 songs except the John Lennon song "Gimme Some Truth." Highly recommended listening!

      Billy Pilgrim's self-titled second album (Atlantic) is a stunning disc. Andrew Hyra and Kristian Bush are hot songwriters. They can be described as Foster & Lloyd vs. Indigo Girls with Loudon Wainwright coaching from the sidelines. Songs that stick out are "lnsomniac," "Halfway Home," and "Hula Hoop," which has the great line, "She always tells me exactly what she needs/I'm her favorite book and she loves to read." It's acoustic and refreshing, sounds great, less filling. Filled with wit and rhyme, upbeat and hook-laden, guaranteed to please.

      Another item of interest is a single on the Sub Pop label of, believe it or not, grunge rockers Mudhoney teamed up with countryfolk hipster Jimmie Dale Gilmore. They each cover each others' songs and also do their own versions. Then they team up on "Buckskin Stallion Blues." It is fun to hear how these songs are done by artists with such different styles. How did this happen, this odd pairing? I don't know, but maybe someone at some big record label will pick up on the idea and release this type of record instead of all those (mostly boring) tribute albums. 

Sam Phillips 

MARTINIS & BIKINIS 

Virgin

billy pilgrim 

THE ATLANTIC GROUP