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Loudon Wainwright III - More Love Songs Audio CD

A fair review of the Loudon Wainwright III "More Love Songs" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all Loudon Wainwright III reviews here, or go back to the Loudon Wainwright III tabs.

Loudon Wainwright III Band: Loudon Wainwright III
Title: More Love Songs
Rating:
Release Date: 1999-12-25
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Hard Day on the Planet 2: Synchronicity 3: Your Mother and I 4: I Eat Out 5: No 6: Home Stretch 7: Acid Song 8: Unhappy Anniversary 9: Man's World 10: Vampire Blues 11: Overseas Call 12: Expatriate 13: Black Nine

Typical Wainwright
This cd is no exception. As is usual with Loudon Wainwright (and, I suppose, many singer-songwriters), a couple songs are just fantastic (usually the funny ones in Wainwright's case) and worth buying the cd for, while the serious songs tend to be maudlin and uninteresting (musically or intellectually). I guess this is one reason people buy individual titles on the web.


Loudon has staying power
Live or on CD his haunting songs stay with us. From Woodstock as a Bob Dylan look-alike until now, the years haven't hurt him. This one is among the most haunting. But of course, I'm prejudiced. I've sat in the audience of many of his performances in major US cities with a hundred other of his fans wondering why there weren't more (but glad there weren't for personal, selfish reasons). His audiences comprise a surprising span of old fogies such as myself and young people who think they discovered him.

Loudon's as good on this one as he gets (and that's good).


Getting Better All The Time
It's damn good. This Album followed the good "Fame and Wealth" and was followed by "Therapy", the first of a long, unbroken string of incredible recordings. Damn, damn good. The productions are in-hand--no sloppy, overdone nonsense here--and the album almost has the kind of consistent "shape and feel" that the later ones would.

It's easier to point out the one song that's sort of jarring and more "old-school" Loudon: The harsh "Man's World". Loudon is so good at communicating contempt in his songs when he feels it, it can be uncomfortable to listen to.

Otherwise, this is an upbeat album. "A Hard Day On The Planet", for all its nihilism, is bursting with humorous energy. "Synchronicity" tackles the embarrassing and amusing social awkwardness that comes from discovering the girl you're hitting on is a lesbian. Other funny, upbeat songs on the album are the anthem to the solo-diners, "I Eat Out", "No" (about the futility of resisting strong-minded women), "The Acid Song" (self-explanatory), "Vampire Blues" (also self-explanatory), the gentle, self-mocking "Expatriate", and "Back Nine", which applies a sort-of slave-labor mentality to golfing (something which should have been done a long time ago).

This is a happy album, really. And as much as I love Loudon's new stuff, I would like to see him get (emotionally, as an artist) to a place where he could do something similar again.

The less-than-happy songs are mostly standouts, too:

"Your Mother and I" is a classic, and probably should be required listening for any child whose parents are divorcing.

"The Home Stretch" is the other rough spot on the album. It's really a great song, but it's harsh, old-school Loudon, angry and uncomfortable.

"Overseas Call" is a wonderful song of longing.

"Unhappy Anniversary", like "Hard Day", for me, captures a lot of what's best about this album. It's not about a happy topic, but it's a happy tune. At this point Loudon is combining his highly-polished lyric-writing abilities with his facility for writing in a wide range of musical styles to create effects one just doesn't get from run-of-the-mill songwriters.

A five-star review is not out of place here, and this probably ought to be at least 4 1/2 stars, but there's gotta be room at the top for the albums that come next.


Fantastic Album
Over the years, it has given me many hours of happiness, laughter, humming, solace, and warmth. If you love Loudon, you will love, adore, cherish this album. Buy it; if you're a LWIII fan, you will NOT regret it.


Wonderful Album
Over the years, I've listened to it probably 50 or 60 or 70 times, and I still love it. I greatly enjoyed this album. Highly recommended!.


You can see a complete list of all Loudon Wainwright III discography, or go back to the Loudon Wainwright III tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.

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