Sleater-Kinney lights up ‘Paris’
SLEATER-KINNEY “Live in Paris” (Sub Pop)
Who says nobody makes great live albums anymore? Taken from their recent reunion tour and packaged like a vintage bootleg, Sleater-Kinney’s new set is equal parts topical fury and guitar-slinging kicks. Singers Carrie Brownstein and Corin Tucker have added a touch of sweetness to their snarl, bringing out the killer hooks in these mostly recent tunes. Drummer Janet Weiss is sounding more and more like the John Bonham of punk. They give equal urgency to the two opening tracks, “Price Tag” (about the cost of survival in the current economy) and “Oh!” (quite proudly about sex). In a gesture of solidarity, their rock anthem “I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone” replaces the name of Sonic Youth’s Thurston Moore with that of his jilted ex-partner Kim Gordon.
ALISON KRAUSS “Windy City” (Capitol)
Turning from bluegrass to straight country, Alison Krauss has made her version of a Patsy Cline or a Brenda Lee album, with star Nashville producer Buddy Cannon re-creating an early-’60s Owen Bradley production. The sound is glossy in an old-fashioned way, with sighing strings and a steel guitar that lovingly frame her voice. Her vocals are gorgeous, especially when she gets a weepy tune such as Brenda Lee’s hit “All Alone Am I” or the oft-recorded “You Don’t Know Me.” The closest she gets to the familiar Union Station sound is “Poison Love,” a Bill Monroe number that she turns into a light rocker. And putting a softer personal spin on Glen Campbell’s signature song “Gentle on My Mind” is no small feat.
RYAN ADAMS “Prisoner” (Blue Note)
Sometimes it boggles the mind that Ryan Adams used to do country music, to say nothing of punk and metal. Like his self-titled album three years ago, his latest is between-the-eyes, arena-ready pop/ rock, polished to a sheen. From the sound of things, he’s lately been through a heartbreak or two. Most of these are love songs, and there’s not a happy one in the batch. It also sounds as if he’s been listening to some vintage Fleetwood Mac, and at times his songcraft reaches the same high level. There’s an upbeat finale in “We Disappear,” but even on the emotional low points of “Breakdown” and “Outbound Train,” Adams’ warm vocals and steady supply of catchy tunes make this a pleasure to hear.