Flaming Lips tend to come at you in two varieties. The joyful, ebullient optimistic paisley Pop or thought-provoking, ballad-like deep and meaningful psychedelia. The real feat of "American Head" is how they avoid pessimism in the middle of all that we are living through. Their 16th album is rife with drug references, but rarely sounds druggy. This is just the backdrop of disillusionment for Coyne and Co. In fact, their acknowledgment of it never glorifies it. "American Head" sounds closest to the misunderstood "At War With The Mystics," the album that follows their two modern masterworks ("The Soft Bulletin" and "Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots.") "Mother, Please Don't Be Sad" and "You Are My Religion" would be standard issue Flaming Lips if it were not for the hints of bold instrumentation. "Mother" uses a flugelhorn to enhance a certain Bacharach-ian quality, while "Religion" deals in simple lyricism that enhances a spiritual connection without the overreach.
"American Head" even in its biggest moments ("Flowers on Neptune 6") and its silliest moments ("Dinosaurs on the Mountain") stays true to form and becomes another potentially memorable album for this era.
Flaming Lips
American Head
[LP/CD](Warner)
Artemis
[LP/CD](Blue Note)
This female Jazz supergroup is the first of its kind. Led by Renee Rosnes, Artemis is a septet ready to burst from the head of Zeus and take over modern Jazz. For their first record, you can hear them developing their interplay. "Goddess of the Hunt" points out their two most skillful instrumentalists in tenor sax player Melissa Aldana whose thrilling runs are neatly countered by the warmth of clarinetist Anat Cohen. Their songs are tightly arranged and need to be unspooled over a few listens. However, with the enchanting vocals of Cecile McLorin Salvant on board, "If It's Magic" could just be that crossover song Jazz has been looking for.
The Dillards
Old Road New Again [CD]
(Pinecastle)
With the Rodney in the lead, The Dillards return to take back their Bluegrass crown and receive long-overdue credit for helping put Country Rock on the map. With their Ozark harmonies intact, "Old Road New Again" is a standard Bluegrass record just like the ones The Dillards (also known as The Darlin' Boys from their appearances on "Andy Griffith") were originally famous for.
Somewhere in the mid-Sixties, they electrified Bluegrass ("Ebo Walker" in 1965) and made a handful of singles ("Nobody Knows" first cut in 1965) and records that serve as the foundation of Country Rock. "Old Road New Again" takes a huge leap in songwriting to sound like the modern bookend to their 1968 classic (and a necessity "Wheatstraw Blues.")
While nowhere near as groundbreaking in use of Pop instrumentation, "Old Road" brings in some real star power including Bernie Leadon, Ricky Skaggs, and Don Henley.
REISSUES THIS WEEK
Richard and Linda Thompson
I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight (1974) and Pour Down Like Silver (1975)
If there were ever two voices, two people, and two albums so completely different from anything of its time - it would be Richard and Linda Thompson. Richard, the guitar hero of Fairport Convention found his voice with a world-class singer in his wife Linda. The result would be less Folk and more Folk-Rock than most of the self-indulgent Seventies Me-generation faves. "Bright Lights" is filled with mournful songs that border on sad until short choruses or bridges shine through like shafts of sunlight. Side One is five classic tracks in a row from the wisp of hope on the slinky "When I Get To The Border" right through to the late-night lament "Down Where The Drunkards Roll." Yes, it is veddy British. However, it is hard not to find the Friday night joy of the rollicking title cut nor the abject sadness of "The Great Valerio" with just music and a few words.
Clearly, the wordiness was a note. So, for the follow up "Pour Down Like Silver," Richard and Linda create a spartan backdrop for spiritual and romantic meditation. Where Richard's solos sang like another voice on "Bright Lights," "Silver" is Thompson speaking his barest emotion through his guitar. The astonishing eight-minutes of "Night Comes In," should be among those moments guitar players fuss and feud over. Elsewhere, these songs are brave in their content ("For Shame of Doing Wrong") and reflect a lot of dark nights of the soul.
As you follow their journey into night, Thompson saves the best for last unveiling the beautiful "Dimming Of The Day" (later covered by Bonnie Raitt and countless others) as his closing statement.
Mik Davis is the record store manager at T-Bones Records & Café in Hattiesburg.
