Description
Warren Zevon died in 2003, a year after learning he had an inoperable form of lung cancer. He took that year to wrap up loose ends, recording a moving coda to his up and down collection of albums, while being heralded by legions of admirers. This 14-song tribute to the singer-songwriter, coming out a year after his passing, allows for a cooler assessment of his gifts and, guess what? He was one hell of a songwriter. One part fierce rocker, one part slightly abashed sentimentalist, Zevon's lyrical arsenal included humor, sentiment, menace, and general weirdness, all of which he mixed and matched in wild ways. The early hits "Lawyers, Guns and Money" (done here by the Wallflowers) and "Poor Poor Pitiful Me" (recreated by Jackson Browne and Bonnie Raitt) turn bravado on its ear with witty self-deprecation. Pete Yorn's take on a later gem, "Splendid Isolation," captures Zevon's gift for leftfield pathos, while Jill Sobule's whispered "Don't Let Us Get Sick" allows one to bask in Zevon's hardboiled sensitivity; he wanted to allow his spirit to show, but he didn't want to get stupid about it. This compilation from his last record label was co-produced by Zevon's son, Jordan (who performs a previously unheard number, "Studabaker") and longtime cohort Jorge Calderon (who movingly recreates Zevon's so-long song, "Keep Me in Your Heart"). The duo bring together the likes of Bob Dylan, the Pixies, Steve Earle, and Bruce Springsteen to tip their hats to an artist who's songs deserve to live on for decades after his death.
--Steven Stolder
Related Products
