Sic Semper Tyrannis

Listen to What the Man Said (2001)

A Random CD Review from the Stutzman Memorial Library
Listen to What the Man Said: Popular Artists Pay Tribute to Paul McCartney by Various Artists (2001)

As a general rule, I don’t typically buy tribute albums. They have always seemed less about paying tribute and more about cash-generating enterprises devised by labels trying to get exposure for the lesser-known artists in their stables. Other than this album, the only other tribute CD that I can think of in the Stutzman Memorial Library is one for Van Halen that I paid a couple bucks for just to hear “Eruption” played on the organ and banjo and a Latin lounge version of “Everybody Wants Some.”

The same goes for this album, which I bought for a couple tracks by artists in whom I had some interest. First of which was They Might Be Giants covering “Ram On,” which I must admit was a bit of a disappointment. They do some weird things with the tune, first of all, making it an instrumental, and second of all, introducing an all-encompassing, non-rhythmically-related delay that sends the song into audible areas just shy of complete chaos. They Might Be Giants taking a turn as pop deconstructionists for once... I guess I could appreciate the theory behind that.

I also wanted to hear Owsley handle “Band on the Run,” one of my favorite McCartney songs performed by a guy who wears his Beatles love on his sleeve. Unlike TMBG, he didn’t futz with the music, playing it very close to the original. Other than the abusive pitch correction on his voice, I could get behind it.

Now, Allmusic hates SR-71’s punked-out version of the Costello-McCartney collaboration “My Brave Face.” I, however, love it. The chorus “Now that I’m alone again/ Can’t stop breaking down again” is so dramatically performed that it is the biggest ear worm of the whole album for me. It’s like a swarm of bees trapped and buzzing around in my head.

I was also interested in World Party doing “Man We Was Lonely,” an easily over-looked song and Matthew Sweet doing “Every Night” and those two didn’t let me down, nor did Sloan’s lo-fi’d out, driving version of “Waterfalls.”

Actually, the only song that I don’t like on this album is Robyn Hitchcock’s version of “Let Me Roll It,” a song off of Band on the Run that kind of annoys me in its original version. Hitchcock manages to not redeem it. His voice sounds like an electric razor in a giant, cavernous nose.

I have said it before that I think that Paul McCartney’s voice is perfect for pop music and the man has a gift for melody. It’s apparent even when other people take on his music. Something about his choices of notes is just so---ear-catching.

There’s a lot to like about this album. I need to go home and listen to it again!

posted by Mike @ 9:58 AM