Musically speaking, this has been an OK year — not overly exciting, but some good stuff has made its way to vinyl, disc and digital. Some thoughts:
- Art Brut’s new album — Art Brut vs. Satan — is brilliant. As with its crazy punky debut, it is hilarious and loud and jet-fueled. “Bang, bang, rock and roll,” as the boys in the band sing. (I’m heading to Philadelphia to see them on Saturday!)
- Steve Earle, who I see tonight at McCarter Theatre here in Princeton, detours from his normal course with a great disc of cover songs, Townes, a tribute to the legendary songwriter Townes Van Zandt. Earle calls him a mentor and does him justice, offering performances of the legend’s songs that often outstrip Van Zandt’s generally inconsistent recording career.
- Bob Dylan’s newest album, Together Through Life, sounds like his three previous efforts, though lacks the lyrical punch and has an easier feel to it. It is another outstanding addition to his late-career comeback.
- Buddy and Julie Miller’s Written in Chalk flat out howls (and I mean that in a good way). I can’t really say much else.
- Green Day returns with another solid punk concept album, 21st Century Breakdown. It’s not as good as American Idiot, but it’s pretty good.
- Lily Allen’s self-titled rant is a lot of fun — like Kate Nash’s disc from a few years ago.
Other good stuff: Alice Russell, Camera Obscura, St. Vincent, Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band, Iron and Wine and Superchunk.
I’ll try to get something up either here or at The Central Jersey Beat after tonight’s Steve Earle show.
Hank Kalet 