Unlistening: Chris Isaak - Mr. Lucky
February 24th, 2009 | 4:00 pm est |
So, you know those YouTube “unboxing” videos where people film themselves opening up new electronic devices while giving an impromptu review of the item? We’re gonna do that, but with albums in our new feature “Unlistening”.
Chris Isaak’s first studio album in seven years, Mr. Lucky is due to be released on February 24th in conjunction with his new A&E talk show The Chris Isaak Hour, which is also premiering this month. AllMusic editors Stephen Thomas Erlewine and Matt Collar sat down together to give you their thoughts on first listen.
STE: You like Chris Isaak much?
MC: I do like him. He seems somewhat middle-aged and middle-of-the-road now though. Like, not as conceptually ’50s/’60s which I find a tad disappointing.
STE: I do like him as well — and really dug things like San Francisco Nights, that had a real good ’60s feel. Here, it’s very calculating to be a bit more modern, which I understand but feel like he could get away with a San Francisco Nights MORE these days.
MC: I feel like maybe he felt somewhat embarrassed or not as cool with his retro-leanings and has attempted to be more contemporary the last few years, perhaps to his detriment. I dunno, it’s minor stuff that maybe I just notice.
STE: I think that’s true — and I feel like he might want to do something that guarantees success for him and the show. This isn’t bad. I’m just surprised by the U2-ish textures
MC: Right, interesting. Well, I hear the U2 vibe but sort of filtered through a surf sensibility.
STE: Very true — I guess it’s the production style, that gives is a contemporary atmosphere but is still surf.
MC: Right, reminds me of something — I can’t put my finger on it. Might be the best lead-off track he’s had in years though. Ugh — but then track two — Middle age dad. Sounds like a Diane Warren contribution or something.
STE: Yes, it says, “Wow, he’s BACK!” then “Wow, this is why he’s been away.”
MC: Who is the duet with?
STE: Michelle Branch.
MC: Huh, Why? She sounds good, but is she still a going concern? She sounds good enough to be. Maybe there will be a new push?
STE: Well, The Wreckers wound up being pretty successful in the country world.
MC: Cool.
STE: And I liked it better than her last solo stuff. I think it suggests she can grow.
MC: Is that Branch on every female backing track?
STE: I’m not sure.
MC: Hold on, the first duet is Trisha Yearwood!
STE: Haha!
MC: Makes sense now.
STE: See, that’s my problem for reading the net in a rush! So, Michelle Branch will show up on a later episode.
MC: “Baby Baby” is totally his Orbison bag.
STE: TOTALLY! Which I like.
MC: HA — “Best I Ever Had” is his country rock cut! Sounds like Rick Nelson and the Stone Canyon Band.
STE: One of my favorites! Yeah, he’s doing all his sounds.
MC: Okay, “We Lost Our Way” and “Very Pretty Girl” are his Speak of the Devil cuts. His “bad boy” songs.
STE: He does do bad, bad things.
MC: Yes, he does! So I wonder which track will be his show’s theme?
STE: I would think the first, just because that’s the first.
MC: Right, and he ends on the Elvis in Vegas number. Good album overall. Better than his last one.
STE: Yes, I agree — not crazy about the modern vibe, but it’s sharply done, know why it’s there and he does it well.
MC: Yeah, and for the most part it flows nicely and sounds of a piece.
STE: I really barely remember the last one.
MC: Yeah, had “American Boy” on it. Which was the theme to his Showtime sitcom.
STE: Oh god, the sitcom…
That’d be “San Francisco ‘Days’” Stephen.
Now THIS is a new feature I can get behind… nice.
Hey, I liked the sitcom.
No matter how bad it was.
Very good new feature.
I liked the really bad sitcom too, just because Chris is so damned entertaining and cool.
Looking forward to the new album and the show, which at least I’ll get on my cable unlike Elvis Costello’s. Have to wait for the DVD on that one.
Nice concept, but it seems rushed. You manage to get through the first two songs in one half of the article, and then cram the rest of the songs in the second half.
But I do like the idea.
Its cool he did some more work but it just hasn’t been the same since he switched producers and lost his guitar player….Jimmy Wilsey lent such a wicked groove to all of those records and they really sound much popier than cool these days….
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