BEST OF ELSEWHERE 2008: Loudon Wainwright: Strange Weirdos (Universal)

 |   |  1 min read

Loudon Wainwright III: Grey in LA
BEST OF ELSEWHERE 2008:  Loudon Wainwright: Strange Weirdos (Universal)

Longtime cynic, straight-shooter and occasionally misanthropic singer-songwriter Wainwright shows no sign of losing his touch even though he is now in his 60s.

His subjects will always provide plenty of material: they are life in general, himself, his family, and sometimes astute socio-political observation.

He is a sensitive singer-songwriter -- if that also means being sensitive to every dyspeptic, angry, unworthy emotion. He documents them all with rare courage.

This album however comes from another place: he was commission to write songs for the Judd Apatow comedy Knocked Up and so -- with Joe Henry (see Best of Elsewhere 2007), input from friends like Richard Thompson, and a pretty open chequebook -- he wrote and recorded dozens of songs, only a few of which (some in instrumental form) made the final cut.

But these songs were too good to let go and so this album, subtitled "Music from and inspired by the film Knocked Up".

So here are gorgeously melodic and observational images of LA (Valley Morning, Grey in LA) a typically downbeat Lullaby (which opens "Shut up and go to bed . . ."), a swipe at reluctantly aging baby boomers such as himself (Doin' the Math), a cheerfully upbeat take on Peter Blegvad's Daughter, Henry's haunting consideration of the fragility of life and love in You Can't Fail Me Now, and much more.

From spare arrangements through to upbeat rockers pierced by Thompson's mercurial guitar and some barrelhouse piano, these 14 songs are as musically diverse as they are in their subjects, although the overall theme is families, parenthood, children and so on.

In his long career this Wainwright -- father of Rufus and Martha among others -- has rarely put a foot wrong, and he shows no sign of doing that now. Another disarming and charming outing, with the usual darkness in the margins.

 

There is an interview with Loudon Wainwright about this album under Absolute Elsewhere here 

Share It

Your Comments

post a comment

More from this section   Music at Elsewhere articles index

King Krule: 6 Feet Beneath the Moon (XL)

King Krule: 6 Feet Beneath the Moon (XL)

While it's interesting to hear people banging on about "the 27 club" -- the coincidence of so famous musicians dying or killing themselves at that age -- it might be more rewarding to... > Read more

Lucy Dacus: Forever is a Feeling (digital outlets)

Lucy Dacus: Forever is a Feeling (digital outlets)

When bands break up it's interesting to observe which members go on to the most success: in 1970 would anyone have put their money on George Harrison over McCartney and Lennon? The Stones never... > Read more

Elsewhere at Elsewhere

Buddy Guy: Living Proof (Silvertone)

Buddy Guy: Living Proof (Silvertone)

The great Guy has been one of blues' most enduring and endearing characters: he upstaged the Stones in his cameo slot on their Shine A Light doco, and way back influenced Hendrix. He's been... > Read more

FRANK ZAPPA RESURRECTED (2016): The floorboards creak and out come the freaks

FRANK ZAPPA RESURRECTED (2016): The floorboards creak and out come the freaks

The importance and impact of some musicians far outstrips the sales of their albums or concert tickets. The late Frank Zappa – who died in '93 at just 52 – was one of those.... > Read more