Trax
By Bliss 02/01/2007
PATTY GRIFFIN, Children Running Through (ATO): On arguably the most complete, cohesive release (in stores Tuesday) of her five-studio-album career, the powerfully expressive Griffin balances lonesome, folky ruminations with horn-graced R&B grooves swelling with passion. “Children” reverberates with the warmth and immediacy of 2002’s “1000 Kisses” while revisiting gospel-y strains from 2004’s “Impossible Dream.” Telling details flesh out the kind of poignant portraits (“Trapeze,” the piano-centered “Burgundy Shoes”) that are her calling card. What thrills is the free conviction she brings to Dylan-esque strummers like “No Bad News” and bluesy celebrations such as “Stay on the Ride,” in which her delivery and compositions shake with the fervor of classic soul. www.pattygriffin.com
RICKIE LEE JONES, Sermon on Exposition Boulevard (New West): While it’s tempting to read career laments into the opening salvo of the idiosyncratic Jones’ newest musical missive (in stores Tuesday), “Nobody Knows My Name” launches a song cycle whose titles (“Gethsemane,” “Lamp of the Body,” “Seventh Day,” “Road to Emmaus”) suggest spiritual awakenings. Jones, as usual, proves unpredictable. Gone are the shimmering guitars and vocal swoops that formed the sonic signature of her early work — though echoes ripple through “Elvis Cadillac.” Befitting more elemental intent, arrangements stay rooted in unfussy guitar-bass-drum setups that give Jones’ raw vocalizing plenty of space; flourishes of toy xylophone, dulcimer, subdued synth and oud accent melodies that drift and repeat. www.rickieleejones.com
ELENI MANDELL, Miracle of Five (Zedstone): Mandell fine-tunes her noir pop with “Miracle of Five” (in stores Tuesday), which smolders with the smoky beauty listeners have come to expect. Even more than “Afternoon” or “Country for True Lovers,” it whispers to a pulse from a bygone era. Brushed drums, restrained bass, vibes, mellotron, muted sax and clarinet underscore the throwback air of Mandell’s intimate moans and musings. “Salt Truck,” despite pretty viola dressings, is undone by rhythmic repetition that dispels the charm sustained since the opening “Moonglow, Lamp Low,” but the downright spooky “My Twin” solidifies Mandell’s status as the thoughtful femme fatale of late-night LA pop. www.elenimandell.com
BACKYARD TIRE FIRE, Vagabonds and Hooligans (O.I.E.): Rhythmic changeups, shifting POVs, working-man vocals, old-school analog sound and deftly layered lyrics make this Midwestern rock 12-pack (in stores Tuesday) punchy and frequently pleasurable. Frontman/songwriter Ed Anderson, brother/bassist Matt and drummer/co-founder Tim Kramp balance sly humor (the rollicking, wanna-be-a-rock-star “Tom Petty”) with politics (“Get Wise”) and tightly coiled character sketches like “The Wrong Hand” (“In the womb of a woman/ Grows the soul of a man/ Destined for trouble/ Dealt the wrong hand”). Should appeal to fans of Wilco and Okkervil River. www.backyardtirefire.com
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