Search - Lofgren, Nils :: Damaged Goods

Better than Bruce Whatzisface

Horst Meisterfluscher | 11/16/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Unfortunately, Nils is best known as a side-man in Bruce Springsteen's band and Neil Young's band and Ringo Starr's band and Kenny Rogers's sadly-defunct wood-fired chicken-band. His side-man status is a frigging shame. Because Nils's underappreciated solo records are a lot more fun than anything by Springsteen or Young or Ringo or even Kenny Rogers.



Please don't judge this record by its dull cover-shot of Nils doing a nodded-out hipster pose with a carefully contrived sloppiness. My only complaint about DAMAGED GOODS is that some of the tunes were seemingly written around the lyrics instead of around the music. I like 8 of the 12 tracks. These are my fave tracks:



ALONE: My fave tune on the record. The string section is a fab addition. Nils creates a hypnotic ethereal riff on what is presumably an acoustic 12-string. Included is Nils's trademark "hey baby" phrase.



TRIP TO MARS: Uh-oh. It's got a kiddie chorus. But wait. There's a lone grown-up in the chorus. A woman with a gorgeous voice. And she semi-redeems the kiddie chorus. I like how the chorus drops down a note at the end of 2 of the lines. During the non-kiddie sections, Nils's acoustic playing is fab & gear. He also trills around on a tack piano (or a synthesizer imitating a tack piano).



HERE FOR YOU: Showcases the upper register of his voice. As well as the occasional accordion fillip. I like the chord sequence that accompanies the phrases "down we fell" and "straight to hell". I also like his bitter enunciation of the phrase "to save my life, to break my heart".



IN THE ROOM: Grounded on a fab piano riff. Nils's accordion provides a fine short segue section. The guitar break is all too brief--there's a fantastic harmonic tension between the lead guitar and the 12-string.



DON'T BE LATE FOR YESTERDAY: A fine sinister hard-rock tune with a psychedelic ambience. The gothic "don't be late" phrase sounds like it was possibly suggested by George Harrison's "please don't be late" phrase from BLUE JAY WAY. Includes 2 luscious run-thrus of a bluesy descending acoustic-guitar passage. Also includes an obligatory everything-and-the-kitchen-sink extended ending."