Lost/Forgotten Album #1(9)87

[Jon]

Even though Warren Zevon is well-known, he has not been featured much (if at all) on this here site. That changes now!

I also believe someone mentioned awhile back that they wanted to check out Warren's catalogue. They have that chance now!

"Sentimental Hygiene" was a top 100 album and spawned a #9 single ("Sentimental Hygiene") on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart and a #18 single ("Leave My Monkey Alone") on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart. This was his first album since "The Envoy" which was released in 1982. 

As with previous albums, there's a long list of guest artists (courtesy of Scott's favorite site, Wikipedia):

Bill Berry – drums
Peter Buck – guitar
Jorge Calderón – bass guitar, vocals
Mike Campbell – guitar on "Reconsider Me"
Darius – sitar on "Bad Karma"
Bob Dylan – harmonica on "The Factory"
Amp Fiddler – keyboards on "Leave My Monkey Alone"
Flea – bass guitar on "Leave My Monkey Alone"
Don Henley – vocals, harmony on "Trouble Waiting to Happen"
DeWayne "Blackbyrd" McKnight – guitar on "Leave My Monkey Alone"
Craig Krampf – drums on "Reconsider Me"
Tony Levin – bass guitar on "Reconsider Me"
David Lindley – saxophone, violin, lap steel guitar
Stan Lynch – vocals, harmony on "Bad Karma"
Mike Mills – bass guitar
Rick Richards – guitar on "Even a Dog Can Shake Hands"
Brian Setzer – lead guitar on "Trouble Waiting to Happen"
Leland Sklar – bass guitar on "The Heartache"
Michael Stipe – vocals, harmony on "Bad Karma"
Waddy Wachtel – acoustic guitar, vocals
Jennifer Warnes – vocals, harmony on "The Heartache"
Jai Winding – keyboards on "Reconsider Me"
Neil Young – lead guitar on "Sentimental Hygiene"

So, is this the best starting point if you've never really listened to Warren Zevon? Between this album and "Excitable Boy", I think so. You really can't go wrong with a Warren Zevon album (yes, even "Transverse City")!

Sentimental Hygiene

1. Sentimental Hygiene
2. Boom Boom Mancini
3. The Factory
4. Trouble Waiting To Happen
5. Reconsider Me
6. Detox Mansion
7. Bad Karma
8. Even A Dog Can Shake Hands
9. The Heartache
10. Leave My Monkey Alone
11. Nocturne (Instrumental)--BONUS TRACK
12. Leave My Monkey Alone (Spanish)--BONUS TRACK

Availability: Remastered version with the bonus tracks is less than $10. A worthy purchase! Get it now! 

 

  

[RJhog (Admin)]

Heading to lunch, but listened to the first two tracks so far, the first track is really good.  Love the sound and I dig his voice as well.  The second track is a step below, but it's still cool.  Cool guitar.  Does Zevon play guitar?  

[Jon]

He does, but the first song was Neil Young on lead geetar and the second was Warren.

[RJhog (Admin)]

Don't really care for track three, but Trouble Waiting To Happen get's it back on track.  By the way, Jon will hate this statement, but that sounds like a Bruce Springsteen song.

Reconsider Me is cool.  He adjusted his vocal quite nicely for this track.  Sounds again like a Springsteen track.

The rest of the album holds serve pretty well.  Nothing is outstanding, but it all is very listenable.  Probably the best of those tracks would be Bad Karma.  

He obviously writes a lot of somewhat strange lyrics, but it's entertaining.  The song The Heartache shows he can write on a more serious note, and it's a nice little track.  Leave My Monkey Alone is pretty catchy too.

The two bonus tracks add nothing.

Enjoyed this one Jon.  

[Mike Mills]

RJ thinks the best track is the one where the Flailing Guy contributes backing vocals. Hmmm.....

Pretty cool, Brain Setzer plays lead on Trouble Waiting To Happen. 

[Jon]

[TageRyche]

RJ, you should check out songs like "The Hula Hula Boys" or "Mr. Bad Example", the man knew how to craft witty and offbeat lyrics like no other.

[Mike Mills]

I see I was credited for bass guitar. To be honest, I don't even recall working with Warren Zevon, I'm going to have to give this a listen & see if it refreshes a memory of my contribution.

[Jon]

I don't like your group. They bore me and the singer flails around, guess that's what you guys call dancing.

[Mike Mills]

We're just Shiny Happy People.

[Jon]

Please, stay broken up. PLEASE!!!!!!

[Mike Pell]

Remember what Zevon said when he knew his time was short men, "Enjoy every sandwich!"

[Jon]

Words to live by!