Superb set of great songs
One of the best albums from one of the best songwriters - truly superb. A fine collection of beautiful, moving, mesmerising songs. The last track is one of my favourite songs from anyone. .
Hail the "Worrier King"
The first three are more on display here than than the rock-and-roll records he would later pass through to rock-and-blues. Warren Zevon could craft great ballads for melancholy, satire, sentiment, and rock and roll. One of the great things I hear here is that although his lyrics started head and shoulders above so many his craft got better and better, right to the end. .
Warren's best
Whenever I feel a little depressed, I slap this on, and Warren tells me about people more desperate than me. I've had this album nearly 30 years--since high school--in three different formats now, and it's still my favorite from Warren. And he does so no judgment, heaps of compassion, and mostly intimate detail. I'm right there.
When I taught writing, I played my students the opening two lines of "Carmaleti" and asked them what they thought of this guy:
"I hear Mariachi static on my radio / And the tubes they glow in the dark. "
From those two lines, they could describe exactly who the character was, picture where he was, and feel precisely how he felt. Damn. If you can deliver that in two lines, that's freaking powerful.
And that's not even one of my favorite songs. But he has an amazing gift to capture and transport you. And then to mine ideas, and fill my ears and hart with that voice and then scare the crap out of me with my own failings. "Desperados Under The Eaves" always leaves me haunted, wondering when I'm going to click off the stereo and get back to writing. But I know I have a kindred spirit out there facing the same struggle.
Buy it on LP
The CD version isn't bad for a CD, but if you really want to know this record for all it can render, get a turntable (a Rega P3 is nice) and an LP copy. "Warren Zevon" is not just one of the best records of the '70s, it's one of the top five records of all time. YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT.
A six-star album.
One of the best albums ever made.
Beautiful, well written and produced. Warren's first Major Label album and his best. What an amazing vision of Los Angeles. Rhino needs to remaster this won ASAP. When you listen to this along with the recent Rhino Releases, the sound is softer and not as crisp. Come on Rhino, get this one out. . . . NOW!!!.
You can see a complete list of all Warren Zevon discography, or go back to the Warren Zevon tabs
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