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Written by Gregg Shapiro
Aug 12, 2011
Paul McCartney
Paul Simon
A pair of Pauls
Like his fellow Beatles, Paul McCartney sounds determined to create an individual sound on his intimate 1970 solo debut disc “McCartney” (MPL/Hear/Concord). Solid selections such as “Every Night,” “Maybe I’m Amazed,” “Junk” and “That Would Be Something” ground the disc, adding weight and room for the lighter tunes. The new, special two-CD edition includes a seven-track bonus disc with outtakes, live cuts and more.
McCartney arrived late to the synth/dance scene, although he did have something of disco hit with the 1979 Wings single “Goodnight Tonight.” But he sounds a bit out of step on “McCartney II” (MPL/Hear/Concord), which arrived a little more than 10 years after his solo debut. The single “Coming Up” is catchy, and “Waterfalls” washes beautifully over listeners. The instrumental “Frozen Jap” could almost serve as an influence for what came later, during the synth-powered early 1980s. A bonus disc includes live, full-length and edited versions.
Like McCartney, Paul Simon had his work cut out for him when he released his 1972 self-titled Columbia Records solo debut disc. It’s been newly reissued by Legacy in an expanded edition with four other titles. This bold post-Simon & Garfunkel recording allowed Simon to stretch and strut in different directions, laying the important groundwork for his future output. A masterpiece of maturity, the album delivered such accessible hits as “Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard,” “Mother and Child Reunion” and “Duncan.” But it also contained such deeper cuts as “Peace Like a River,” “Run That Body Down” and “Armistice Day.” Simon maintained this level of mastery over the course of his next two studio discs, striking a balance between being a hit-maker and a singer/songwriter of substance.
Dueling divas
The late Teena Marie was as beloved by followers of soul and R&B as she was by the gay men who shook their booties to “Behind the Groove,” from her reissued and expanded 1980 album “Lady T” (Hip-O Select/Motown). As comfortable belting out a ballad like “Aladdin’s Lamp” as she was dancing all night in “You’re All the Boogie I Need,” Teena Marie wasn’t just an interpreter of others’ songs. She was an accomplished songwriter in her own right.
In 1980, her most prolific year, she also released “Irons in the Fire” (Hip-O Select/Motown), which is also newly reissued and expanded to include five live cuts. “Irons in the Fire” not only featured the dramatic title cut and the lovely “Young Love,” but also the dance classic “I Need Your Lovin’,” making it one of the hottest albums of her career.
Piano-playing goddess Alicia Keys wasn’t born until a year after Teena Marie’s 1980 double whammy. But you can hear Teena Marie’s influence on the attractively packaged 10th anniversary collector’s edition of Keys’ 2001 major-label debut “Songs in A Minor” (J/Legacy). This includes the original album, as well as a second CD of mostly previously unreleased tracks. There’s also a DVD with music videos and a documentary about the making of the album. “Songs in A Minor” was a thrilling introduction to a very talented artist that earned Keys numerous Grammy Awards. It still sounds fresh today.
Where would Teena Marie and Alicia Keys be without the pioneering Ella Fitzgerald? The expanded reissue of “Easy Living” (Concord Original Jazz Classics/Pablo), Fitzgerald’s third collaboration with jazz guitarist Joe Pass, may be the weakest of their pairings. Fitzgerald’s voice was not at its best here, even for a set of jazz vocal renditions of standards. But Fitzgerald’s interpretive skills still shine through this somewhat disappointing effort.
More than just a novelty, harpist and folky soprano Carol Kleyn’s self-released 1976 album “Love Has Made Me Stronger” (Drag City) has been given a second chance to reach listeners in a CD reissue. Meant to appeal to Joanna Newsom’s followers, Kleyn is a bit of an acquired taste. Songs such as “Baby Come Close,” “Ode to the Monarch” and “Higher than High” have a pleasant and unexpectedly timeless quality.
Dueling dudes
With his 2001 debut album “Musicforthemorningafter” (Columbia/Legacy), Pete Yorn set the bar pretty high for himself. The proof is that none of the discs that followed matched its promise. The expanded 10th-anniversary edition features a re-mastered version of the original disc, including the hits “Strange Condition” and “Life on a Chain,” along with a second live disc, a demo and more.
Surf-pop stud Jack Johnson’s 2000 debut disc “Brushfire Fairytales” (Everloving) re-ceived the reissue treatment in an edition re-mastered by studio legend Bernie Grundman using the original analog tapes. The album, which includes the songs “Bubble Toes” and “Flake,” still sounds like the soundtrack for a late-night beach bonfire.
