Joe Walsh "Analog Man" Album Review
"How ya doin? It's the brand new album! It's been 20 years and I have a lot to say." - Joe Walsh
So declares the sticker on the cover of Analog Man, a new set of sounds from the next president of the United States*, Mr. Joe Walsh. The album features 10 new songs, was co-produced by a Traveling Wilbury and features a Beatle, an East Bay punk rocker, two thirds of Crosby, Stills and Nash plus members of The James Gang and Barnstorm. Even as the latest entry in a recording career as long and successful as that of Joe Walsh, it is a must hear album.
Analog Man actually dropped last June, but it only recently made it into my ears, after someone discarded a record label sampler featuring half the album. I was hooked from the opening track and was ever more pleased by each following song. Let's run down each song on the disc and listen to live versions provided by Joe himself.
"Analog Man" - Yep, that is as down and dirty as an opening riff to a Joe Walsh disc as one could possibly ask for. Told in the first-person/everyman style which Joe does so well, the song examines the nature of being a human in our very digital world and is summed up perfectly by the chorus: "The whole world's living in a digital dream, it's not really there, it's all on the screen. Makes me forget who I am, I'm an analog man". If we lived in a world where new music from venerated classic rock musicians became as frequently played on radio as their hits, this would receive as heavy rotation as "Rocky Mountain Way". (Fun and related story: I had the pleasure of interviewing Joe Walsh while I was an entertainment journalist with CNN about 15 years or so ago. We did the interview via web cam, which was surreal and exceedingly cool. We had to pause for a few minutes when his gardener came too close to the window he was near, as the sound of the leaf blower overtook the audio. Joe was hilarious in his reaction and we both had a good laugh about it and how the technology couldn't prevent being interrupted.)
"Wrecking Ball" - And so would this one. This is Rock & Roll 101 with Professor Walsh and class is in session. Anyone who says guitar solos are a thing of the past either never learned their scales or are clearly not listening to the right music, because this album is replete with them. Jeff Lynne's signature production style is more evident on this track, especially in the guitar riff. This won't be the first time in this review where I wax poetical about the sound of The Traveling Wilburys.
"Lucky That Way" - Listen to the lyrics and you will hear this as being a spiritual successor and welcome follow up to "Life's Been Good". No more tearing out the walls of hotel rooms or excessive speed in a Maserati, this is our rocking protagonist recognizing he's had a good career, but he's humble and chill about it. It is more laid back than the previous numbers and mixes acoustic, electric and the all too infrequently used pedal steel guitar (played by Jay Dee Maness and Greg Leizs) to excellent effect. Oh yeah, and the drums are played by Ringo Starr. If this were the 1970's/80's, more than a few fans would wear out side one of Analog Man based on the one-two-three punch of these first three songs.
"Spanish Dancer" - For music geeks who actively follow producers and not just the artists they support, (trust me, we exist) this track has some vintage Jeff Lynne influences. Lynne and Walsh have collaboratively recreated 70's AOR sounds and managed to make them sound completely undated, especially during the bridge.
"Band Played On" - Let's see, what do we have here? Richard Starkey, MBE on drums, real sitar (played by Joe Vitale of Walsh's post-James Gang band, Barnstorm) and bass by Kenny Passarelli (also of Barnstorm fame). Put that all together with a mid-paced groove and Joe's signature vocals and you have what counts as one of those great, deep cuts from albums which people who have actually bothered to listened to seem to only know about. We're AOR hipsters if you will.
"Family" - A pretty, from-the-heart lyrical progression, wrapped in a sorely missed slow dance-style song, featuring backing vocals from David Crosby and Graham Nash. Yeah, it's nice to have friends like that to lend you some vocal expertise.
"One Day at a Time" - A pure, unadulterated Traveling Wilburys riff opens this one and continues through the riffs of the chorus. Thank you Jeff Lynne. This could be one of the most happy-sounding songs about the artist's "path out of the darkness of drug addiction and alcoholism." To further quote Mr. Walsh here: "The message is that there is a way out and a new life waiting in recovery that is good. The first step is to ask for help. The included links ( http://www.losangelesmission.org/ http://www.aa.org/ http://www.e-aa.org/) are a good place to start. I'm doing this because if it helps 1 person - it was worth it. It's by giving back that we receive and I am eternally grateful for my sobriety and my life today." Way to go, Joe.
"Hi-Roller Baby" - I would absolutely love to know how Joe Walsh came to work with Rancid guitarist Tim Armstrong on this track. This is Armstrong playing it clean and grooving, but it's still one of the prides of the East Bay punk scene playing alongside a legend, and it is all kinds of awesome sounding.
"Funk 50" - Yes, a direct sequel to The James Gang classic, "Funk 49", complete with polite nods to, but not over indulging in, the original riffage. For those unfamiliar with "Funk 49", you've undoubtedly heard it on the radio, but maybe didn't catch the name.
"India" - If there is one thing which there really needs to be more of in music today, it's unexpected instrumentals from artists who are primarily vocal driven. This is a blisteringly solid instrumental, and unfortunately the last song on a amazing album.
But wait, there's more! Clearly I made the mistake of picking up the standard version of Analog Man, as the expanded edition features two more songs; a new recording called "Fishbone" and a classic recording from 1970 of Little Richard (yes, that Little Richard) playing with The James Gang called "But I Try", along with a DVD.
Analog Man is an excellent counterpoint to those who argue that aging rock stars have nothing left to say and are just trying to hold on to youth. On this album, Joe Walsh delivers songs which only a true rock & roll veteran could deliver, but does it with youthful exuberance and aplomb. Unlike some singers of his generation, Walsh's voice hasn't lost a thing. The co-production between Walsh and Jeff Lynne is a sound which is all at once familiar but not dated. That is a very fine line to balance on and these two nailed it.
If you love the Classic Rock genre and haven't already heard this, drop what you are doing and get yourself a copy. This album should be among modern examples of required listening for guitar students and young bands. The lesson here: Do not be afraid to solo.
Analog Man is pure, classic Joe Walsh for the 21st century. 4 out of 5, highly recommended and if you aren't smiling as widely as Joe by the time you reach the end, you didn't really listen.
*Fun Fact: Joe Walsh ran a mock campaign for President in 1980 to raise awareness for the election (way ahead of the Rock The Vote curve he was), promising free gas for everyone. This is forever immortalized on record on Eagles Live when Glen Frey introduces Walsh as "the next President of the United States" before they play "Life's Been Good".
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