published: 5 /
10 /
2022
Label:
Proper Records
Format: CD
Satirical first album of original songs in eight years from Loudon Wainwright III, who recently turned 75, in which he reflects wryly on the ageing process
Review
Satirical New York musical raconteur Loudon Wainwright III turned 75 last year. He recently recalled, “When I began I had this romantic idea that I'd be dead by 25. That sounded cool back then - and dangerous! I'm so happy it didn't turn out that way!” However, Wainwright remains obsessed by the ageing process on his latest album, the wryly titled 'Lifetime Achievement”.
The record includes Wainwright's first series of original songs since 2014. There are tracks beefed up by horns, strings and lap steel guitar – but, for the most part, the sounds are stripped back, with the singer-songwriter's voice backed by nothing more than guitar, harmonica and ukulele.
Wainwright was hailed as a new Dylan back in 1970 and, five decades on, that parallel is still apparent. He is a musical raconteur par excellence and the array of story-telling songs on 'Lifetime Achievement' catch him at his tragi-comic best.
People just back from holiday might smile at 'Fam Vac' where Wainwright laments the strains of the annual summer getaway.......“I need a family vacation, alone....and my family needs a vacation from me,” he sings. 'Hell' imagines the Devil creating a softball team containing Hitler, Pol Pot and Stalin whilst 'No Man's Land' is a New York blues track that examines divorce from the perspective of the family dog. - “He lives on the East side, now she's on the West,” the dog reflects - “The park is in between, and I guess it's for the best.”
Loudon Wainwright III starts a UK tour in September and there is pithy reflection through the album on his return to venues he last played fifty years ago. Plus, on 'How Old Is 75', he continues a tradition of writing songs about getting older that dates right back to 1978's 'Watch Me Rock, I'm Over 30 '. - He is probably already putting together a new song for when he turns 80 in September, 2026!
Track Listing:-
1
I Been
2
One Wish
3
It Takes 2
4
Fam Vac
5
Hell
6
Little Piece of Me
7
No Man's Land
8
Back in Your Town
9
Town & Country
10
Island
11
It
12
Hat
13
Lifetime Achievement
14
How Old Is 75?
15
Fun & Free
Band Links:-
https://www.facebook.com/loudonwainwri
http://www.lw3.com/
Label Links:-
http://www.proper-records.co.uk/
https://www.facebook.com/ProperRecords
https://twitter.com/ProperRecords
https://www.youtube.com/user/propertv
http://www.properdistribution.com/
http://instagram.com/properblog
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