Audio CD review:
Loudon Wainwright III - Social Studies

Loudon Wainwright III - Social Studies

Band: Loudon Wainwright III Title: Social Studies Rating: Release Date: 13 July, 1999 Media: Audio CD Tracks: 1: What Gives 2: Tonya's Twirls 3: New Street People 4: Carmine Street 5: O.J. 6: Leap Of Faith 7: Conspiracies 8: Christmas Morning 9: Y2K 10: Number One 11: Bad Man 12: Inaugural Blues 13: Our Boy Bill 14: Jesse Don't Like It 15: Pretty Good Day

Editoral Review You have your all-the-news-that's-fit-to-sing variety, with Phil Ochs representing its quintessence; for them, "topical" means "protest"--serious business, indeed. They're are two types of topical songwriters. And then there's the laugh-to-keep-from-crying stripe spearheaded by Tom Lehrer. Social Studies finds Loudon Wainwright III throwing his lot in with the latter camp. Largely composed on demand for National Public Radio, Social Studies finds the acerbic wordsmith taking aim at the likes of rough-and-tumble skater Tonya Harding, O. J. Simpson, imprisoned "Panamanian strongman" Manuel Noriega, and President Bill Clinton. With more a smirk than a scowl, Wainwright deftly skewers such 1990s icons as Jesse Helms ("If Jesse don't like it, it's probably not art / Jesse knows what's good, old Jesse is smart") with just enough bite to leave teeth marks. --Steven Stolder .. You can see a complete list of all Loudon Wainwright III discography, or go back to the Loudon Wainwright III tabs