Various Artists Dream Brother
There are loads of tribute albums about. You, like me can probably rattle off ten bands at the very least that’ve had other artists queuing up to do covers of their songs. Then you’ll subcategorise those results with multiple albums. Think of Yes and Jethro Tull for instance. The fun could go on all evening.
These albums have a lot to live up to. Interesting and radical takes on songs are all very well. If you like the original you either hate or love them. If it almost sounds the same you might think, “What’s the point”. Lazy, undemanding. And ultimately redundant is a phrase you may use for them. This compilation takes its name from the biography of Jeff and Tim’s biography written by David Browne and it is the very epitome of these albums.
Many artists from Norah Jones to Elvis Costello to Starsailor have come out as fans of either man, but they may have to listen with some attention to recognise some familiar tunes. Matthew Herbert’s rework of Jeff’s 'Everybody here wants you' and Tunng’s 'No Man Can Find The War' are the standouts for me, radically different from the originals and pretty damned fabbo. At the other end of the scale, King Creosote and Adem treat Jeff’s 'Mojo Pin' and 'Grace' with the reverence of a sacred song done, as it should be.
As always, the contributing artists are real fans, the affection they all have for the late lamented Buckleys is clear, it seeps out of the speakers and envelopes you with the scope and beauty of the father and son’s songs. It really brings home the fact that both died so young. Who knows what they would have accomplished if they’d lived?
The whole thing opens with the hugely popular Magic numbers doing 'Sing A Song For you' with a mouth watering southern fried coating. Not the most powerful drill in the tool shop, but as valid as any. others of note are Sufjan Steven’s and Bitmap. The Earlies version of 'I Must Have Been Blind' is to die for.
The all star line up is broad in it’s appeal should please most. Indeed there’s not a bad track on there, some will appeal more than others, depends on what you like. Fulltimehobby have done a fine job in compiling the album and getting the contributors together
But there’ll always be a purist who hates it!