Classic Rock Bottom

New Music Corner #185 (Wilko Johnson & Roger Daltrey, Stevie Nicks)

Its another New Music weekend. I've got something very interesting for you... (Click an album cover to listen)

First up ...

Wilko Johnson & Roger Daltrey
Going Back Home
April 2014

  1. Going Back Home
  2. I Keep It To Myself
  3. Keep On Loving You
  4. Sneaking Suspicion
  5. Keep It Out Of Sight

Heres some of the Allmusic write-up, and its quite interesting...

Early in 2013, Wilko Johnson received the news that he had terminal pancreatic cancer and had maybe ten months to live. Instead of whiling away his final days, Johnson set out on a final tour and, finding himself still standing at the end of it, received an invitation from Who singer Roger Daltrey to go into the studio and record an album of whatever songs the guitarist wanted. Wilko had a few new originals, plus the idea to cover Bob Dylan's "Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window," but he mainly stuck to the Dr. Feelgood songbook: the hard R&B and rock & roll songs he wrote and recorded in the '70s that continued to resonate decades later. Supported by his touring band, Johnson entered the studio with Daltrey and knocked out Going Back Home in a week, just like the Feelgoods and the Who did back in the old days. ... Daltrey doesn't bother reaching for the high notes and Johnson's playing isn't as manic as it was during the Feelgoods -- but that's what makes Going Back Home special: neither are bothering to hide their age, nor are they desperately attempting to recapture their youth, they're reconnecting to their roots and seizing the present. Johnson penned the handful of originals not long after receiving his terminal diagnosis, but there isn't a shred of self-pity or sadness here. He's making noise while he still can, and Daltrey matches Wilko's abandon, sounding liberated to be singing songs that aren't racked with Pete Townshend's self-doubt. Roger's lower register is gruff, wearing the scars and weight of his years, while Wilko's guitar slices, pushing and accelerating the beat with alternating precision and recklessness. ... It's tough stuff but it's also enthusiastic, infectious fun, a record of three-minute songs that blazes by in just over a half-hour. That velocity is crucial to the creation of Going Back Home; it was made with the realization that the clock was about to run out, that Wilko Johnson might not live to see its release.

I read, just the other day, that Johnson was cancer free now! Good news indeed...


Next Up, the vaults have been opened up and Stevie Nicks wants you to hear what's been hiding in them for years and years.

Stevie Nicks
24 Karat Gold
September 2014

  1. Starshine
  2. The Dealer
  3. 24 Karat Gold
  4. I Don't Care
  5. Carousel

With the subtitle "Songs from the Vault," you'd be forgiven if you thought 24 Karat Gold was an archival collection of unreleased material and, in a way, you'd be right. 24 Karat Gold does indeed unearth songs Nicks wrote during her heyday -- the earliest dates from 1969, the latest from 1995, with most coming from her late-'70s/early-'80s peak; the ringer is a cover of Vanessa Carlton's 2011 tune "Carousel," which could easily be mistaken for Stevie -- but these aren't the original demos, they're new versions recorded with producer Dave Stewart. Running away from his ornate track record -- his production for Stevie's 2011 record In Your Dreams was typically florid -- Stewart pays respect to Nicks' original songs and period style by keeping things relatively simple while drafting in sympathetic supporting players including guitarists Waddy Wachtel and Davey Johnstone and Heartbreakers Benmont Tench and Mike Campbell. It's certainly not an exacting re-creation of Sound City but Stewart adheres to the slick, hazy feel of supremely well-appointed professional studios, so 24 Karat Gold has a tactile allure. Sonically, it's bewitching -- the best-sounding record she's made since 1983's The Wild Heart but, substance-wise, it's her best since that album, too.

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Replies to This Discussion

Roger Wilko And Out--Thumbs Up

This was a pleasant listen. Simple, straightforward rock. Yeah, Roger does sound gruff, but it's actually quite cool. Don't know if this warrants a purchase, but I do like it.

It gets better with each listen...  Its hard core bluesy geetar which I like but its typically a tough sell for me, this one is unique!

Witchy Woman--Thumbs Up

I got this well before Scott did and really like it. She sounds fantastic and the beauty about this album is that she still rocks out. The one thing about that review is "sympathetic supporting players", it makes it feel like nobody else wanted to play with Stevie and they did it out of pity. Too bad this week's NMC was ruined by a silly spelling error. This would have been good, but that glaring mistake just takes many points away.

So, both albums Thumbs Up. The post, Thumbs Down. 

Must'uv been otto-curect!

Wilco Johnson/Roger Daltey - 4.5 out of 6

I like this album. I've "had" it since April, and I've heard it quite a few times now. It will probably end up on my Top 10.
It's an album, that makes me happy. Daltrey sounds his age.

Stevie Nicks - don't know, don't Care

I started listening to the album, when it was released, but I got bored pretty fast, and I put on some AC/DC instead.

Johnson/Daltrey (Thumbs Completely Horizontal)

Going Back Home - Not bad.  It's a throwback to some old blues style rock.  A lot of harmonica.  Is Daltrey playing that?  This almost has a bar room boogie feel to it.  

I Keep It To Myself - More harmonica.  I've never been a big fan of it.  I can take it here and there, but not for every song on an album.  Hope this isn't a sign of things to come.

Keep On Loving You - Finally, an REO cover.  Nope, not really, but, finally, some nice, sloppy lead guitar.  Nice little beat and feel on this song.  Daltrey sounds good here.  Funky little bit of bass at the end too.

Sneaking Suspicion - This song doesn't do much for me.  Well, musically it's actually okay.  But that's it.

Keep It Out Of Sight - Well, glad to see the harmonica went away.  Replaced here by some nice, retro keyboards.  I like this song.  Best one featured.  

So, don't hate it, don't love it.  It has a general old school sound (which isn't surprising), yet it does mix it up with harmonica, guitar and keyboard solos.  A decent listen but not purchase worthy for me.

Stevie (Thumbs Reaching For The Sky)

Starshine - This is a nice, upbeat track.  Good way to start of an album.  Stevie sounds good and I like the song except for the vocal at the very end.  But it doesn't at all ruin the track.

The Dealer - Another fairly upbeat song.  I like this one too.  

24 Karat Gold - This song has a wicked/cool start.  It sounds so much like the classic Stevie.  I'm really surprised this one never got recorded for release (until now).  The guitar sounds very good.  The only drawback at all for this song is the "chain, chain" in the background.  I don't like that, but I do like all the other backing vocals on the track.

I Don't Care -  I don't care what anybody says, this is heavy.  Very heavy for Stevie, but still with that acoustic touch as well.  Man, she really sounds good on this song.  The chorus makes me think of that song Angry Eyes for some reason.

Carousel - So this is a cover of Vanessa Carlton?  Never heard it.  It's not terrible, but it's easily the weakest song here.

I already own this.  I bought it two weeks ago but have yet to spin it.  I plan on doing so this week.  The one thing I noticed based on a couple of reviews I've read is that it is quite long.  So, based on that, Jon should like it and Scott should not like it.  Just sayin'.

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