Irv Rosen Poop 02


What I Listened To In 2002

Well, I am getting jaded. Sick of almost all alt.anything. Can’t stomach most singer songwriters. Went out of my way to listen to other types of stuff – except for some of the old reliables.

George Harrison – Brainwashed
Comfortable listening at its best. Well, the two best are gone but this one resonates with George’s knowledge of what was to come. Missed.

Mary Lee’s Corvette – Blood on the Tracks
Live, song-for-song recreation of the original. Much more passionate than the original. Speaking of the original:

Bob Dylan – Live 1975 – The Rolling Thunder Review
Not prepared to like this. Did not like it at first. Worst era Dylan. Has really grown me. Loose and sloppy but the better for it.

UB40 – Present the Fathers of Reggae
In which the copycats invite some of their inspirations to do interpretations of UB40 songs.

Steve Earle – Jerusalem
Mr. Consistency. What a streak since going straight.

2 choices for the quality of the singing (even if the songs are erratic):
Sam Moore – The Lost Soul Album – Plenty Good Lovin’
Solomon Burke – Don’t Give Up on Me
Sam’s 1970 solo debut (were there any to follow?) is great traditional sweet soul singing. Solomon’s set is powerful soul – with a little too much help from his friends.

The Masters of Sacred Steel – None but the Righteous
After the surprise success of Robert Randolph comes this anthology of church music dominated by the pedal steel guitar. Never heard of anyone on this album but they are all definitely heaven-bound.

Orishas – Emigrante
Puerto Rican hip hop. Can’t tell you much about this – the liner notes are in Spanish. It is probably better no knowing the lyrics.

Kelly Willis – Easy
Easy it is. Easy and tasteful

The Gourds – Cow Fish Fowl or Pig
I do not understand the plot but I like the twang

Peter Wolf – Sleepless
12X1. Homage to the Stones. Good old fashioned rock record.

Mekons – OOOH!
Return to form. A typical boozy sounding set from a truly original band. No one else sounds like the Mekons.

Roots daily double:
Dave Alvin and the Guilty Men – Out in California
The Blasters – Trouble Bound
2 live greatest hits collections with the Dave Alvin connection. Can’t go wrong.

Orchestra Baobab – Specialist in All Styles
The Senegalese dance band from the 70’s and 80’s reunites for a pulsing set.

Aimee Mann – Lost in Space
Slow to like. Still admire her artistic/business sense.

The Bottle Let Me Down – Songs for Bumpy Wagon Rides
It is probably not easy to compile an album that can appeal to both kids and adults without patronizing either group. But this works.

And then there were:
Kasey Chambers – Barricades and Brickwalls
Dixie Chicks – Home (almost forgot about this until the National Anthem at the Super Bowl)
Johnny Cash at Madison Square Garden
John Lee Hooker – The Real Folk Blues/More Real Folk Blues
Hillbilly Boogie – 4 discs. 104 songs each with the word “boogie” in the name

Until 2003

Irv Rosen
Philadelphia