From an
excellent 2012 New York Times column by Bruce Headlam:
“Before
Elvis Costello, the Sex Pistols or the Clash there was Graham Parker and the
Rumour, who anticipated the energy of punk and set the bar for smart, literate
lyrics married to a danceable beat. Critics in the United States compared the
band impact to Bruce Springsteen’s, but American record buyers didn’t follow
suit, possibly because they couldn’t surrender Mr. Springsteen’s thrill of the
open road for Mr. Parker’s desperation in an English cul-de-sac.”
Parker’s
wonderful debut album shows his mastery of a variety of styles, from the
ominous power of the title track and the all-time classic “Don’t Ask Me
Questions” to the lighter approach of “Soul Shoes”. The acoustic “Between You
And Me” (which I think is the first of his songs I ever heard) sounds almost
mellow until you listen a little more closely to the lyrics. And with all due
respect to Pink Floyd, I’ll take “Back To Schooldays” over “Another Brick In
The Wall” any day of the week.
Favorite
tracks:
Between You
And Me
Howlin’ Wind
Back To
Schooldays
Soul Shoes
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