Album III [Limited Edition, Import]

When you see reviews of fringe artists like LWIII in Amazon, they are usually done by zealots like me. We give 4 or 5 stars to anything our boy does, even the ca-ca. We tell you how great all his songs are and what an unappreciated genius the artist is. We do that because we are cultists, and can't possibly utter blasphemy about our cult-object. Please forgive us our excesses. We mean well.

So if you've just seen him perform or heard one of his songs, are contemplating a purchase, but don't know which of his recordings to pick, read on.

I finally got this CD after going thru two vinyl versions and a several self-recorded tapes. I'm glad I did.

It starts out with 'Dead Skunk', the witty, popular novelty song that that he will most probably (and regretably) be remembered for. I saw him perform this about mid-tour in the Fall of '72, at the Red Herring, a Champaign, Illinois church-turned-coffeehouse with a few hundred other devoted fans. It was soon after the album was released, so repeated and incessant shouts came from the audience for 'Dead Skunk! Reluctantly yielding to his fans, Loudon said something like, "God, I'm so f***ing tired of this song."

I don't ever recall hearing him perform it again.

More's the pity, because *Dead Skunk* is an excellent example of LWIII's talent to successfully synthesize subject, melody and lyric.

I agree with the reviewer who said that Album III was a push by the record company to make Loudon a 'pop star'. And Loudon was glad to participate, late into his thirties. Aside from those indulgences, there are a few successful syntheses on this disc that are must haves for your collection.

*Muse Blues* is the all time artist's/writer's block song (are there any others?). Loudon nails the emotion, frustration and pain associated with the creative process. The lyrics are universal---substitute 'any lover's name' for 'Muse', and it becomes a damn fine love song. His rollicking acoustic guitar captures the twisted angst he feels as he thrashes for creative insight.

On *New Paint*, Loudon shows his under-appreciated sensitive side. The song is so romantically pure; taking you back to the tenderness of that first date with your first love, walk in the park, watching TV on the sofa, meeting the parents, and that first kiss "that tastes so sweet, like you hoped it would."

Alcohol consumption, one of his favorite subjects propels *Drinking Song*. Unlike most of his songs of this genre, it is one of his best song stories and is sung in the third-person. Accompanied by a rollercoaster guitar melody, a fast and furious fusillade of image and metaphor assails our senses. "Back to the yachts and the subway cars, to the hip flasks and the fruit jars, flat on your back and flat on your be-hind." Sounds a lot like *Muse Blues*. Perhaps the change in perspective burst his creative dam.

As with most discs, there are a few stinkers. But over the years I've grown to find hidden beauty even in *Home team Crowd* and *B-Side*.

If you're a new Loudon fan looking for a good first disc, get this one or *Attempted Moustache*. These are Loudon at his youthful best. I've been a Loudon fan for over 30 years. This disc made me a zealot.

Probably the best of the '70s albums, it only hints at the greater Loudon to come. A lot of long-time fans will take me to task on this, but at this point, Loudon seemed to waver between making social statements and trying for a hit. And the social statements tended toward the heavy-handed ("East Indian Princess") while the hits tended toward the--well, not very Loudon (the classic example being "Two Song Set" from the hard-to-find "T-Shirt" LP).

This is probably his best of the '70s because that stuff is mostly absent, the album having secured its hit with the goofy "Dead Skunk." (The only top 40 hit in history to use the word "olfactory"?) Unless the desperation-edged "Say That You Love Me" or the dead-skunk-esque "The B Side" count.

"Red Guitar" is a perennial favorite, though not one I've ever been especially fond of, and the amusing "Hometeam Crowd" doesn't really strengthen the album.

"Muse Blues" rounds out the A-side, and is probably the best song of the first six, with its honest glimpse into the desperation of a writer with writer's block.

The B-Side of the album is better, with "Needless To Say" opening up and giving us a taste of what Loudon could do with a few simple chords and words. (Album I and Album II had the feel of a songwriter trying very hard not to use "standard chord progressions", where this album tries not so hard.)

"New Paint" is probably our first glimps at world-weary Loudon, and it's at this point we begin to see a pattern. The best songs on the album: "Red Guitar", "Muse Blues", "Needless To Say", "New Paint" and "Drinking Song" are the ones that hit closest to home. It would be another ten years before Loudon would "come out of the closet" and be his own focus for most of his songs (even the social commentary songs).

Anyway, the B-side (the last six songs) is rounded out by the fun "Smokey Joe's Cafe" and the jaunty "Trilogy"--the latter also being personal, but also being a somewhat fragmented collection of thoughts. These songs age well and end the album well.

Still, after buying this album, Loudon dropped off my radar for nearly 10 years (he moved to England) and it wasn't until I saw him perform live that I realized how far he had come in that decade.

This album shows fans the young Loudon at his best the way that "History" shows the more mature Loudon at a later artistic peak. The songs here are really excellent. My personal favorites are "Needless to Say", a gently touching love song, and "Red Guitar" on which, in a true touch of genius, Loudon plays piano. Afterall, as he says in the song, one guitar's in pieces and the other paid for some junkie's fix. This album's a must for anyone with a love for folk music or just plain honest songwriting.