Bill Kirchen: Word to the Wise (Proper/Southbound)

 |   |  <1 min read

Bil Kirchen: Time Will Tell the Story
Bill Kirchen: Word to the Wise (Proper/Southbound)

It really doesn't matter if you don't already know of guitarist/singer Kirchen, judge him by the friends he keeps.

Here are his longtime friend Nick Lowe (on the wonderfully overhauled Merle Haggard number Shelly's Winter Love, with Paul Carrack); Elvis Costello on Kirchen's outstanding Man in The Bottom of the Well; Commander Cody playing piano on the funny I Don't Work That Cheap (Bill was in the original CC and His Lost Planet Airmen line-up); Dan Hicks on the title track; Maria Muldaur on Ain't Got Time for the Blues; Chris Connell on heartfelt version of Roger Miller's often sentimentally interpreted Husbands and Wives . . .

Between times it is just Bill and his air-tight band . . . and that razor sharp guitar playing. 

Kircher is a legend in some circles and utterly unknown in most households -- but for sheer fun (with a rockabilly, country-rock spin), incisive guitar playing and smart songs, this is hard to beat.

And frankly, if he's okay by Nick Lowe . . . 

Share It

Your Comments

post a comment

More from this section   Music at Elsewhere articles index

Po' Girl: Home To You (Shock)

Po' Girl: Home To You (Shock)

The previously posted Po' Girl album Vagabond Lullabies was actually a few years old and only given belated release in this country. But it was too good to ignore, and allowed me to set you up for... > Read more

Drive-By Truckers: The Big To-Do (Pias)

Drive-By Truckers: The Big To-Do (Pias)

The Truckers inspire great loyalty, but fans may be tested by this outing which was knocked off quickly and suffers for it. Certainly it rocks like Pearl Jam with Neil Young or Tom... > Read more

Elsewhere at Elsewhere

Steve Tibbetts: Hellbound Train; An Anthology (ECM/digital outlets)

Steve Tibbetts: Hellbound Train; An Anthology (ECM/digital outlets)

Although not as well known as Marc Ribot and Bill Frisell, guitarist Steve Tibbetts has had a long career as an experimental and exploratory guitarist. Part of the reason for his low profile is... > Read more

THE FAMOUS ELSEWHERE QUESTIONNAIRE . . . Yuko Miyoshi of Memory Foam

THE FAMOUS ELSEWHERE QUESTIONNAIRE . . . Yuko Miyoshi of Memory Foam

The debut album Steel Magnolias by the Auckland five-piece Memory Foam very quickly landed in our Favourite Five Recent Releases for the sheer energy and post-punk/No Wave fury of the band's... > Read more