Grapefruit Moon: The Songs of Tom Waits - Southside Johnny Album Review

Southside Johnny

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Album Review

One great meets another - Southside Johnny - Tom Waits.

Seems like enigmatic Tom Waits is the guy to check - out these days. Scarlett Johansson, John Hammond and Holly Cole have all been at it; rifling through ol' gravel necks' songbook. This exhilarating 12 tracker of covers makes fascinating listening, with guest vocals from the legendary Waits himself.

SJ originally intended a standards album covering Frank Sinatra and Billie Holliday, but he turned to a long standing idea of super-charging Waits' songs with a big brassy sound, a pet sound of big band music which he'd admired since hearing STAX / VOLT artists and Count Basie in particular. To achieve this aim, he used Asbury Jukes' trombonist Richie 'LaBamba' Rosenberg as arranger - orchestrator- conductor for four 'live' studio recording sessions between June 2005 and December 2006 using 35 musicians. Early demos had been sent for Waits' approval, which he enthusiastically endorsed by guesting on Walk Away. The result is magnificent, with rip-roaring blasts like the punchy Down, Down, Down as the rhythm section has a ball. Things go decidedly Brat Pack for the lush swinging Walk Away with Waits' unmistakable contribution giving added gravitas, and he loves every minute adapting his singing style to this new interpretation. A similar mood ensues on the brass heavy Please Call Me Baby, and thrusting Bond-like All The Time In The World (complete with rock-blues guitar licks). A New Coat Of Paint is awesome, with, once again, the brass boys letting rip. Juxtaposing the big sound, there are some exquisite tender moments found on the chill-out Shiver Me Timbers, though for me anyway, the best of all are the slow Tango-fused Tango Till...and cool closer Temptation (with SJ pussy-catting his snarl wonderfully) rubber stamping a brilliant concept, much like Bruce Springsteen' Seeger Sessions.

File under: Hot.

Elly Roberts