Published on Mar 24, 1997
It’s time for another episode of “Mr. Thelen Changes His Mind,”
that ever popular program where your favorite reviewer (me) takes
his foot out of his mouth long enough to admit his first impression
of an album was incorrect.
Today’s teacher: Scott Floman, who not only questioned my sanity
for finding weakness in an album by Sugar but also brought back to
my attention The Jayhawks, and their Def American debut
Hollywood Town Hall fron 1992. My first impression: decent,
but boring. So, off it went to the hidden depths of the now-famous
Pierce Memorial Archives (good seats still available for our
Academy Awards party) – that is, until Mr. Floman suggested it for
review.
So, off to the archives I went with a flashlight and a stick –
there it is, just next to my collection of Vanilla Fudge records –
and dusted off the CD for today’s review.
One opinion of The Jayhawks hasn’t changed – they are a decent
band, but I withdraw my original decree of boring. They produce a
sound which reminds me of Matthew Sweet, only with a country twang
to the tunes. The melodies and vocal harmonies of
Hollywood Town Hall make this a quick, but satisfying
listen.
Ah, the vocal harmonies. Guitarists Mark Olson and Gary Louris
blend together perfectly. While this is true of dozens of groups,
it is the songwriting behind the vocals that make the match
special. “Nevada, California” is a perfect example of this mesh.
Another example is “Crowded In The Wings,” with Olson’s harmonica
adding a whole new layer to the melody.
Sometimes the power comes in the subtleties of the performances.
Bassist Marc Perlman and drummer Ken Callahan stay in the
background most of the album, but the solid backbeat they provide
for most of the music on this album is just as important.
The one song which continually sticks out in my mind is “Take Me
With You (When You Go),” though I can’t explain why. Even when I
first listened to this CD five years ago, that song stuck out as
the highlight.
One of the most powerful cuts on the album is “Two Angels,”
which paints a vivid lyrical picture of dreariness that makes the
listener pay attention. The brief “Martin’s Song” and “Clouds” also
tell interesting stories backed with solid msuical
accompaniment.
I can’t think of a single poor performance on
Hollywood Town Hall – the excellence is uniform throughout
the album. However, the only weakness in the mix is the formula
gets a little tired near the end of the album. Sometimes you’re
waiting for the band to break out of the power-country they are
playing and go gonzo a la the Eagles, but they don’t allow this to
happen. Too bad – it would have been interesting to hear what they
could have done.
So, I am yet again taught a lesson by a member of the
readership. Scott, you were right – this was an album that is worth
checking out. (Interesting to note that The Jayhawks have a new
album coming out next month – I thought I had heard the band broke
up. I’ll be waiting outside the door of Best Buy to grab this one
when it comes out.)