West Of The West [CD]

Dave Alvin's sublime new CD is a cadre of songs written by Californians either born and/or who grew up in this land. The lyrics talk about what it means to live and love in the land of dreams and broken promises. It is also a look at the story of the frontier in this large western state. Dave Alvin has a voice that is deep and smooth and like a friend of his said "infiltrates your brain like a shot of Jack Daniels."

Dave Alvin says "We started with a list of 25 songs, from Steve Gillette to Captain Beefheart and everything in between. I was even thinking of doing 'Going Back to Cali' as a blues thing. In the end, though, it wasn't about choosing my favorite songs so much as choosing songs that I could sing well enough and arrange differently enough to make them interesting." He has picked these songs carefully and each of them fit his style and voice well. Of them all, and I like each and every one, my two favorite interpretations are "Here In California" and "Surfer Girl"

"California Bloodlines" is a sentimental rendition of John Stewart's fine work, which finds peace in knowing "There's California bloodlines in my heart / There's a California woman in my song ... And a California heartbeat in my soul."

"Redneck Friend" the Jackson Brown less well known song was just right for Dave Alvin's style.

"Kern River" is a song Merle Haggard wrote after losing his best friend, and it is a melancholy rendition.

"Blind Love" from Tom Waits is sung in a bluesy style with some doo wops thrown in to give it style.

"Here in California" one of my favorites is sung with Christy McWilson. He felt this song needed a woman's perspective.

"I'm Bewildered" is an old Richard Berry, the great guitarist's tune. Backed up by The Calvenes.

"Sonora's Death Row" written by Blackie Ferrell is a fable that examines the price of acting out of greed and anger and ends up a as gun fighter's tale.

"Down On the Riverbed" is an old Los Lobos song that is sung in Dave Alvin's old blues style.

"Between the Cracks" a song written by Dave Alvin and Tom Russell is a heartbreaking tale of young boy told by a loving woman, with a rollicking tune. This is the only Dave Alvin orignal song in this CD.

"Don't Look Now" a song sung by John Fogerty is an old Creedence Clearwater revival. Bluesy and fun to make it Dave's.

"Tramps and Hawkers" by Jim Ringer is a delicate country waltz, come dance with me, BK. Lyrics are wonderful.

"Loser" by Jerry Garcia and Robert Hunter, is darker with more infused blues than Garcia's version. It couldn't sound less like a Deadhead song. Dave Alvin put in a psychedelic section that is a tribute to the San Francisco sound

"Surfer Girl" Brian Wilson's first song is done with doo-wops and again The Calvanes did background. This is my favorite of Dave Alvin's interpretations, and he sings this surfin'song with some tongue in cheek.

Dave Alvin gives voices of California to this CD. Voices from the California coastline and the surf music it inspired to the "brown earth of the state" to the frontier life and the lives won and lost. Dave Alvin had made his mark on this state, and the writers who loved their lives by writing and singing about the state they love. Play it often and pay attention to the subtle influence of this CD. "California Dreamin'?" Highly recommended. prisrob 6-04-06

Dave Alvin has put out a great CD full of mellow, beautifully arranged tracks. I particularly enjoyed "Here In California," the bluesy touch to "Don't Look Now," and especially the closer "Surfer Girl." This last song, performed so often by The Beach Boys, is so touchingly beautiful it's good enough to stand as a single!

Dave's voice is rich despite the fact that his vocal range hasn't always been consistently the largest. There's real passion in his voice and Dave can use his voice to highlight even the most subtle nuances of the words he sings. For example, listen to Dave sing a song here by Jackson Browne entitled "Redneck Friend." Dave uses every syllable to convey precisely what he wants to convey for this song. Indeed, in any song Dave chooses to perform, Dave imparts a sense of self-respect to even the most demoralized and exploited persons when he wants to. The musical arrangement is also very well done.

Although the mood on this album is somewhat relaxed, Dave's performance here displays a sense of confidence. He has grown as an artist and as a performer over time.

I recommend this album for Dave's fans (obviously), as well as fans of rock and pop music. As for those of us who want an introduction to Dave's talent, you can't go wrong by buying this CD.

My introduction to the music of Dave Alvin came several years ago when an old friend in Carlsbad turned me on to him. I already knew of him from the Blasters, but at the time I had no idea he was doing solo work. Since that time, I have heard Alvin grow musically with each successive album.

Albums consisting of covers don't always work out. West of the West does. After listening several times, it seems to me that Alvin has carefully chosen songs that would work for him and played them as though they were his own. Being originally from California, this album speaks to me. Though there were some songs I might have deleted in favor of others, overall Alvin's choices are excellent and his interpretations delightful.

My favorites are a smooth, swinging take on Jackson Browne's Redneck Friend, the bittersweet Here In California, the top-flight music AND storytelling of Sonora's Death Row, a gutsy rendition of Los Lobos' Down On the Riverbed, another swinger with John Fogerty's Don't Look Now, Jerry Garcia's gambler's tale Loser, and the incredible 50s-style take on the Beach Boys classic Surfer Girl.

Reading other reviews, I notice some carping about Dave Alvin's vocal range. Long-time Alvin fans have known about that aspect forever and yet there is a reason his base remains as his legion of fans grows. Its his interpretive ability that keeps us on board and we can hear that his singing has vastly improved since his first solo outings. The industry reviewer says it best and I quote: "Whatever Alvin may lack in vocal range, there's no doubting his interpretive range".

I don't like every song on this CD, but there are none that I hate. If you like Dave Alvin on any level, or are a fan of the singer/songwriter style, do your ears a favor and add West of the West to your CD collection. You'll be glad you did.