Sweet Relief, at your service

[WretchAwry <vickie@pilot.njin.net>]

**WARNING** Non-Kate, but it's for a good cause.


SWEET RELIEF is *OUT*! Everybody should pick up a copy just on
general principals :-). Remember, it's for a most wonderful
cause, to help with Victoria Williams' medical expenses, and to 
set up a fund to help other musicians who get ill or have an 
accident and don't have medical insurance or any other means of
support. Here's a track listing:

1)  Soul Asylum - "Summer of Drugs"
2)  Lucinda Williams - "Main Road"
3)  Pearl Jam - "Crazy Mary" (previously unrecorded)
4)  Buffalo Tom - "Merry Go Round"
5)  Michael Penn - "Weeds"
6)  Shudder To Think - "Animal Wild"
7)  Lou Reed - "Tarbelly and Featherfoot"
8)  Maria McKee - "Opelousas (Sweet Relief)"
9)  Matthew Sweet - "This Moment" (previously unrecorded)
10) Evan Dando (Lemonheads) - "Frying Pan"
11) The Jayhawks - "Lights"
12) The Waterboys - "Why Look At That Moon"
13) Giant Sand - "Big Fish"
14) Michelle Shocked - "Holy Spirit"

All songs were written by Victoria. (How's this for a kick in the pants?
The booklet says "Original recordings of these songs can be found on
Victoria Williams' albums 'HAPPY COME HOME' and 'SWING THE STATUE'"
Isn't it *such* a *shame* that those albums are out of print??!! :-(
And that Sony/Chaos has, so far, passed up on buying the rights and
re-releasing them...)

Be it understood that nobody can sing a Victoria Williams song like
Victoria Williams. With that in mind...

I've listened to it once through so far (Michelle Shocked just now
finished) and there wasn't anything I *really* disliked, though
I wasn't too crazy about Evan Dando's version of "Frying Pan" mainly
because he slowed it *way* down and it sounds like a ba-llad. Victoria's
original is perky, upbeat and lots of fun. It's pro...um...probably (maybe)
my favorite VW song, and I guess I'd say it's my least favorite cover on
the album. My favorite cover is, on first listen, Giant Sand's *weird*
and twisted version of "Big Fish." Since it was a pretty weird and twisted
song to begin with, they *really* went to town! Who're Giant Sand? Never
heard of 'em before tonight.

I love the new songs, especially "This Moment" (covered by Matthew Sweet,
like it really makes a difference, since we've never heard *Victoria*
sing it!) I think the biggest disappointment (what could they have been
thinking???) is that Victoria herself doesn't sing one song! I would like
to have heard her sing one of the new ones. She sings backup on a couple
of songs, but if you didn't know who she was, you'd never know it was her.

I guess I have to say that I wish there were more females singing on the
album too. However, I'm saying that mainly because of my radio show. I
never, ever feel as if I'm "stuck in a rut" by choosing to only feature
female vocals, but I have to admit that sometimes it stings when I "can't"
play something I'd really like to play, sung by a guy. That said, in a way
it's kinda good that most of the songs are sung by guys on this album.
When a woman is singing it's *too* easy to compare vocals and think "gee,
that sounds so different" which is my problem with Lucinda Williams' (no
relation) version of "Main Road" which is prob...um...probably my favorite
Victoria Williams song :-). Don't get me wrong, I *love* Lucinda Williams,
it's just that...I don't know, it's too different. That's not really a
problem with Maria McKee's pretty wonderful version of "Opelousas" which
is probab...um...probably my favorite Victoria Williams song :-). (Oh yeah,
in case you're wondering, the song "TC"-not covered on this album :-(-is
probably...um...*probably* my favorite Victoria Williams song....) Michelle
Shocked does a good job with "Holy Spirit" though it doesn't seem long
enough.

I think my bias is clear...I'm deeply, adoringly, besottedly in love with
Victoria's first album, so I'm a bit more critical of songs covered from
that album. Yes, I love the second album too, just not anywhere near as
much as HAPPY COME HOME, so I don't listen to the covers from SWING THE
STATUE with the same ear.

Still and all, it's a pretty good album and I do like almost everything.
Above it all, anyway, no matter what, I think all these artists are
*great* people for doing this album! Good for them!

Vickie (not a Williams, not even a Victoria, and not from Louisiana)
 
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Vickie                "Fight for your right     "My ears are lucky to hear
vickie@pilot.njin.net   to have a monster" TA     these glorious songs" HR
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