The Walrus - Music With Big Fuckin' Teeth!

01/31/2008

Name Me Another Career Musician Who Has Recently Released An Awesome Album

After my last post, I got to thinking about other life long musicians who have recently released boring albums. 10 records came to mind from extraordinarily talented, albeit senescent artists.

1.Joni Mitchell, Shine, 2007
2.Paul Simon, Surprise, 2006,
3.Neil Young, Chrome Dreams II, 2007
4.Stevie Wonder, A Time to Love, 2005
5.Van Morrison, Pay the Devil, 2006
6.Lou Reed, Hudson River Wind Meditations, 2007
7.Bryan Ferry, Dylanesque, 2007
8.Aretha Franklin, Jewels in the Crown:Duets with the Queen, 2007
9.Prince, Planet Earth, 2007
10.The Rolling Stones, A Bigger Bang, 2007

Additionally, there were three recent releases that weren't a total miss. More like touch-and-go albums, I loved certain tracks but not the album as a whole.

Bob Dylan, Modern Times, 2006
Bruce Springsteen, Magic, 2007
Tom Waits, Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers, and Bastards, 2006

I know a lot of people will disagree with this statement, but that's fine. Only one album, recently released by a career musician, was complete from start to finish...Tom Petty's 2006, Highway Companion.

Tom Petty may not take many musical risks, but decade after decade his formula works. Highway Companion is yet another example of Petty's straight-ahead, unwearied approach to music. Take my word for it, and buy this record.