760
(1 vote, average 5.00 out of 5)
Written by Gregg Shapiro
Apr 22, 2010
Jakob Dylan
Jakob Dylan
Did Jakob Dylan have any choice about becoming a musician like his father Bob? Was it written in his DNA?
Success didn’t come immediately for Jakob and his band The Wallflowers, but they didn’t have to wait long. T-Bone Burnett produced their second album, 1996’s “Bringing Down The Horse,” providing them with their first hits, including “One Headlight” and “6th Avenue Heartache.” Even though the three albums that followed were decent, they didn’t provide hits on the same level.
Jakob Dylan’s first solo album, “Seeing Things,” was a more stripped-down effort, closer in spirit and energy to his father’s work. But it’s with his second album “Women + Country” (Columbia), on which he reunites with Burnett, that he truly comes into his own. Living up to the album’s title twang, Dylan is joined by powerhouse vocalists Neko Case and Kelly Hogan, insurgent country divas of the highest order. They sweeten songs such as “Nothing But The Whole Wide World,” “Down On Your Own Shield” and “Holy Rollers For Love.”
Additionally, Dylan tries on some new musical hats, including the gritty Tom-Waits-in-New-Orleans of “Lend A Hand” and the Leonard Cohen ring of “Everybody’s Hurting.”
Justin Townes Earle
Even more than Jakob Dylan, Justin Townes Earle sounds remarkably like his father Steve on “Midnight at The Movies,” the title tune to his new Bloodshot Records release. Like his father, Justin has a knack for capturing a mood and tapping the emotional nerve on that song, as well as on “Mama’s Eyes,” “Someday I’ll Be Forgiven For This” and “Here We Go Again.” He can also cut loose, as he does “Black Eyed Suzy,” “Halfway To Jackson” and “Walk Out.” And his read of The Replacements’ “Can’t Hardly Wait” digs up the song’s country roots. Earle’s 2008 disc “The Good Life” (Bloodshot) is also strongly recommended.
Pearl Aday
Pearl Aday (daughter of Marvin, a.k.a. Meat Loaf) screams that she’s a “rock child” with such conviction on the song of the same name that we have little choice but to take her at her word. The wife of Scott Ian of Anthrax, Aday mines the metal on the album “Little White Immaculate Fox” (Megaforce) by her band Pearl. Inheriting a powerful voice from her father, Aday can play it cool (“Mama,” “My Heart Isn’t In It”) or bring it to a boil (“Love Pyre,” “Whore”) at a moment’s notice. A cover of Tina Turner’s “Nutbush City Limits” allows Pearl to exhibit her good taste.
Deborah Bonham
Sisters are still doing it for themselves. Take Deborah Bonham, sister of the late John Bonham (of Led Zepplin), for example. “Duchess” (Atco), Bonham’s domestic debut, comes from the blue-rock realm favored by her brother. Bonham sounds like Lulu on a rock-and-roll bender.
Sloan Wainwright and Jen Chapin
Singer/songwriter Sloan Wainwright is the kid sister of Loudon Wainwright III. She is also the aunt of Rufus and Martha Wainwright.
On “Rediscovery” (Derby Disc Music), she turns her attention and gorgeous voice to the songs of others, performing 10 cover tunes. Among the highlights are her renditions of Nick Drake’s “Time of No Reply,” Neil Young’s “After the Goldrush,” George Harrison’s “All Things Must Pass,” Dylan’s “Every Grain of Sand,” John Lennon’s “Love” and a mind-blowing reading of Marvin Gaye’s “Mercy Me (The Ecology).”
Another impressive set of covers are rendered by Jen Chapin (daughter of Harry) & Rosetta Trio on “Light of Mine” (jenchapin.com). The CD/DVD package features Chapin’s breathtaking interpretations of Radiohead’s “Backdrifts,” Springsteen’s “American Skin (41 Shots),” Bowie’s “Starman,” Sly & the Family Stone’s “Everybody Is A Star,” Joni’s “Sunny Sunday” and Stevie Wonder’s “You Haven’t Done Nothin’,” along with a couple of Chapin originals.
Martha Wainwright
Not as immediately accessible as her dazzling self-titled 2008 full-length debut disc, “I Know You’re Married But I’ve Got Feelings Too” (Zöe) by Martha Wainwright (sister of Rufus, niece of Sloan and daughter of Loudon and Kate McGarrigle) nevertheless has its charms. Said charms can be found in the songs “You Cheated Me,” “Comin’ Tonight,” “Hearts Club Band,” “The George Song,” “See Emily Play” and a lively cover of Eurythmics’ “Love Is A Stranger.”
Julian Lennon and Dhani Harrison
Julian Lennon was the first of the Beatles’ offspring to release an album. “Valotte,” released in 1984, was a critical and commercial success (“Too Late For Goodbyes” was a hit single and he earned a Grammy nomination).
But Lennon’s subsequent albums were not as well received. “The Secret Value of Daydreaming” from 1986, “Mr. Jordan” (on which he sounds like he’s channeling David Bowie) from 1989 and “Help Yourself” from 1991 are all newly reissued on Noble Rot. Of the three, “Help Yourself” is the sound of Lennon finally becoming his own artist, without forgetting his roots (listen to “Saltwater”).
When George Harrison’s son Dhani isn’t working on projects related to the Beatles or his father, he finds time to make his own music with his band thenewno2. The group’s album “You Are Here” (thenewno2.com) has a Radiohea- meets-Bowie sound that is at once foreign and familiar.
Natalie Cole, Lala Hathaway and Simone
Natalie Cole went multi-platinum and struck Grammy gold when (ghoulishly) singing a duet with her deceased father and revisiting his songbook on her “Unforgettable” disc. It provided Cole with the greatest comeback of her career.
Almost 20 years later, she must have been hoping for a second lightning strike with “Still Unforgettable” (DMI/Atco), but there’s nothing particularly memorable here, although “Coffee Time,” “But Beautiful,” “Lollipops and Roses” and “Something’s Gotta Give” are pleasant enough.
Lala Hathaway had some big shoes to fill when it came to her late father, soul genius Donny. With “Self Portrait” (Stax), she may have finally succeeded. Her songs may not have the same timeless quality as her father’s, but tracks such as “On Your Own,” “Learning to Swim,” “1 Mile” and “What Goes Around” have a certain staying power.
Simone (a.k.a. Lisa Celeste Stroud), the daughter of Nina Simone, can sing! Seriously, she has the kind of voice that gives you goose-bumps. With “Simone on Simone” (Koch), she pays homage to her mother without losing herself in the material (a commendable feat) and gets personal on the original “Child In Me.”
