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The CD of the Week on “Out of the Box”
Breaking the mold.
Jackie Greene is keeping up a pretty good pace. “Giving Up the Ghost” is his fifth album in six years and his rapidly maturing style allows him to keep dodging musical stereotypes. Forget the “new Dylan" tag reserved for every prolific songwriter who plays the clubs in New York. Forget the “Prince of Americana” label put on him by the New York Times. “I’m just sorta sick of being the kid with the harmonica rack” says Greene. The title of the album refers to an artist free to experiment and pursue different textures, chord changes and instrumentation.
This is Greene’s second collaboration with Los Lobos producer/saxophonist Steve Berlin and other artists like Phil Lesh (Grateful Dead), Pete Thomas (Elvis Costello), David Hidalgo (Los Lobos) and Larry Campbell (Bob Dylan) make appearances. With lushly orchestrated synthesizers, subtle horn arrangements and shimmering acoustic guitar rhythms, Greene’s music can be compared just as easily to the Dylan/Stones/Beatles paradigm as to Beck, the White Stripes and World Party.
Greene's flat, bittersweet voice gravitates between beautiful ballads (“Prayer for Spanish Harlem” and “Shaken”), ironic, mid tempo rockers (“Like a Ball & Chain” and “Follow You”), some powerful social commentary (“I Don’t Live in a Dream” and “Don’t Let the Devil Take Your Mind.”) and even a couple of simple hoedowns to provide a little lighthearted relief (“Uphill Mountain and “Another Love Gone Bad.”) It's the kind of variety that shows this twenty seven year old is still pushing the boundaries of his songwriting style and not giving in the what others think he should be. It's the only ghost someone his age should have to give up.
Listen for songs from the Jackie Greene's album “Giving Up the Ghost” all this week on Paul Shugrue’s new music show “Out of the Box” on Hampton Roads public radio 89.5 WHRV Monday through Thursday from 7pm until 9pm, Saturday afternoon from 1pm to 5pm and on-demand at www.whrv.org/outofthebox. This week, make a $65 contribution to public radio during Out of the Box and get a free copy of the album.
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