Bill Frisell's Americana stuff is awesome.
Charles Lloyd & The Marvels + Lucinda Williams "Vanished Gardens"
What a terrific new album! While I'm not a jazz guy, (like, at all), I truly enjoyed this LP. The addition of Lucinda Williams, was a brilliant move. She has just the right voice for this kind of material and she's one of my favorite female vocalists.
Doing another album with The Marvels was also the perfect move. This doesn't feel like a jazz album to me, but a complete refresh of something just a little different.
The LP is clean, dynamic and very quiet.
One of my top picks for the best album of the year.
Highly recommended!
Doing another album with The Marvels was also the perfect move. This doesn't feel like a jazz album to me, but a complete refresh of something just a little different.
The LP is clean, dynamic and very quiet.
One of my top picks for the best album of the year.
Highly recommended!
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@photon46 You describe the initial reaction I had in a way I wish I would had regarding Lucindas's songs and the way in which they are presented on this lp. In the end, I felt like it was somewhat of a (sell-out) on her part. All that matters in the end is what any one listener likes and how the music speaks to them. |
Man, what a tough room :-) I stand by my comments about this LP. It has gotten some pretty decent reviews. https://www.analogplanet.com/content/charles-lloyds-modern-sounds-country-and-jazz https://www.allaboutjazz.com/vanished-gardens-charles-lloyd-blue-note-records-review-by-mark-sullivan.php I was careful to state above, that I'm not a jazz fan, but I really do find this title very enjoyable. It gets even better with subsequent listening. Can't please everyone, I guess... |
I'm a great fan of Lucinda Williams and Charles Lloyd - as individual artists. When I heard about this album I checked out the music as well as several stage performances on YouTube. Glad their collaboration gives pleasure to Mofimadness. However, to my ears they sound as if they are competing with one another for musical dominance and the group sounds like an uneasy alliance. Lucinda's vocal performances on this collaboration sound rough and unfocused compared to "The Ghosts of Hwy. 20" and "Down Where the Spirit Meets the Bone," which I thought were some of best albums ever. |