Search - John Simon :: Out on the Street

Quirky, but brilliant

Dennis Petticoffer | Orange, CA United States | 05/29/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"John Simon has produced some of my favorite albums of all time: "Bookends" by Simon & Garfunkel, "Tiger in the Rain," by Michael Franks, "Cheap Thrills," by Janis Joplin/Big Brother, the first two Band albums, and heaps more, like Electric Flag and Leonard Cohen. He also proves to be a really distinctive musician.Simon's clever jazz-pop style invites comparisons to great singer/songwriter/keyboardists like Randy Newman, Van Dyke Parks, and Mose Allison. He issued a few off-the-wall albums in the early 70's, but it took him 20 years to come up with this gem. The highlight of the album is the title track, a song he originally wrote for The Band. They never recorded it, but Rick Danko and Levon Helm share verses on this poignant tale of tough luck. Band-mate, Garth Hudson, shows up on synth and accordion on "Rock & Roll is an Open Wound." Another favorite is the smooth reverie, "Dreamland," sung with a Mose Allison swagger and dappled with simple but brilliant piano. Toots Thielemans adds some gorgeous harmonica fills. Chaming and witty; cartoonish and haunting at the same time, this is one album you won't soon forget."