Review: Jerry Lee Lewis, Last Man Standing
This is the first installment in my Review Program. I'm trying to listen to all the new music I've gotten in the past few months. I figure if I have to write a review, I'll listen closely.
Sounds like a Jerry Lee Lewis record, and like a duets record. There are the unmistakable JLL things--piano and vocal ticks that are meant to let you know you're listening to a JLL record. Arrangements are pretty much what you'd expect from his records going back to the '50s. I don't really know his records, aside from his hits, but this sounds like what I know, with guests added. I guess this adds up to a good thing. I liked the choice of songs, mostly. Springsteen, Jagger, Jimmy Page, Fogerty, Keith Richards, Merle, ... everyone sounded mostly pretty right and natural. Overall, I preferred the songs without guest vocalists.
Rod Stewart sounded out of place--as unnatural as he does on his recent albums of old standards. Kid Rock sounds fine, but he's nothing special. On the track with Jagger and Ron Wood, Mick does some tasty support vocals that don't overwhelm JLL's lead. Mich and Wood also add nice backing vocals together. George Jones sounds like George Jones. I expected Neil Young's voice to stick out as far as Rod Stewart's, but he just sounds like another (great) rock'n'roll singer here. Maybe a bit like he did on Everybody's Rocking. Willie Nelson sings a great country song. Toby Keith isn't someone I would ever bother listening to, but he has a great voice, and sings a fine country song here. Clapton plays some mean guitar on his song, but doesn't sing. Jimmy Page leads JLL through '50's-sounding take on Led Zeppelin's "Rock 'n' Roll". BB King plays guitar and doesn't sing on his track. The others--I've either forgotten them, or don't feel like writing about them, but they vary from good to great.
Overall assessment: thumbs up.
Sounds like a Jerry Lee Lewis record, and like a duets record. There are the unmistakable JLL things--piano and vocal ticks that are meant to let you know you're listening to a JLL record. Arrangements are pretty much what you'd expect from his records going back to the '50s. I don't really know his records, aside from his hits, but this sounds like what I know, with guests added. I guess this adds up to a good thing. I liked the choice of songs, mostly. Springsteen, Jagger, Jimmy Page, Fogerty, Keith Richards, Merle, ... everyone sounded mostly pretty right and natural. Overall, I preferred the songs without guest vocalists.
Rod Stewart sounded out of place--as unnatural as he does on his recent albums of old standards. Kid Rock sounds fine, but he's nothing special. On the track with Jagger and Ron Wood, Mick does some tasty support vocals that don't overwhelm JLL's lead. Mich and Wood also add nice backing vocals together. George Jones sounds like George Jones. I expected Neil Young's voice to stick out as far as Rod Stewart's, but he just sounds like another (great) rock'n'roll singer here. Maybe a bit like he did on Everybody's Rocking. Willie Nelson sings a great country song. Toby Keith isn't someone I would ever bother listening to, but he has a great voice, and sings a fine country song here. Clapton plays some mean guitar on his song, but doesn't sing. Jimmy Page leads JLL through '50's-sounding take on Led Zeppelin's "Rock 'n' Roll". BB King plays guitar and doesn't sing on his track. The others--I've either forgotten them, or don't feel like writing about them, but they vary from good to great.
Overall assessment: thumbs up.
posted by John McGreivey at 5:09 PM
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