New album: Dark Black
Artist: Kristina Train
Label: Mercury
Rating: 4 stars out of 5
Mysterious and spooky but never solemn, “Dark Black” is one of the best sophomore album releases in recent memory.
Born in New York, Train was raised in Georgia and now lives in England. Having experienced the cramped freneticism of New York and hazy pace of Georgia, England (being a combination of the two) must have seemed like an obvious base for Train. The songs on “Dark Black” evoke the myths of all three locations, which give the album a universal appeal.
Train co-wrote most of the songs with collaborator Ed Harcourt, a gifted artist in his own right. Producer Martin Craft has obviously listened to everything Daniel Lanois ever produced. The thick, swampy sound of “Dark Black” recalls the dusty analog glory of Bob Dylan’s “Time Out of Mind” and the recent work of Buddy Miller.
Whether listening on wimpy little ear buds or a giant stereo, it sounds as if Train and her band are playing in your living room.
“Dream of Me” is the type of song Chris Isaak’s girlfriend would probably write about him, and Train’s assured vocal prowess here is in the same league as Chrissie Hynde and Adele. While they don’t beat the listener into submission, the hooks in “Dream of Me” are as infectious as anything currently in the Top 40. Conversely, “Saturdays Are the Greatest” is an eerie cut from the cloth of Dusty Springfield. This is chill-bump music of the highest order.
Kristina Train isn’t as outwardly quirky as Kate Bush, but she does exude the same confidence Bush displayed early in her career. The pop market is too crowded now for Train to ever have the same shot at mega-success that Bush had back in the 1980s, but she’s definitely on the path to a great career. Hopefully enough people will pay attention to make that path a long one.
Classic album: The Allen Toussaint Collection
Artist: Allen Toussaint
Label: Reprise
Rating: 5 stars out of 5
As far as southern musical meccas go, New Orleans and the state of Texas have produced more hard-to-peg genius musicians than any others. These areas don’t simply produce artists that play blues, rock, funk or jazz. They produce artists that play New Orleans music and Texas music.
Allen Toussaint plays New Orleans music, which is part funk, part R&B, and part rock and roll. Many artists have combined these styles over the years, but there’s something different about the recipe that Toussaint and his ilk (including Dr. John) have that few others possess.
Be it attitude or execution, Toussaint is widely regarded as an original, both as a producer, arranger, studio musician and recording artist.
“The Reprise Collection” focuses on Toussaint’s 1970s work for Reprise Records. This period of his work isn’t necessarily as down and dirty as his work during the previous couple of decades, but it’s just as potent. The fact of the matter is that Toussaint actively worked at becoming better at his craft.
“Am I Expecting Too Much” is a Stax/Motown hybrid with a bitof slide guitar thrown in for good measure. “Night People” — with its stop-and-go beat and wailing female backing vocals — is the perfect soundtrack to an evening of bar hopping, be it in New Orleans or anywhere else. The intrigue of waiting for something to happen is given equal air time with the consequences of what sometimes does happen. Call it party music with a cautious mind.
“On Your Way Down” should have been as big a hit as Stevie Wonder’s “Living for the City.” On Your Way Down” is a little funkier, but both feature lyrics of paranoia and regret wrapped in a beat that would get a statue moving.
The diamond of this collection — “Southern Nights” — features Toussaint’s vocals treated with a rotating Leslie speaker, which gives off a hallucinogenic, underwater effect. Not since Dr. John’s jaunt as The Night Tripper on “Gris Gris” had New Orleans R&B gotten so psychedelic.
Toussaint made a career out of working on other artists’ projects, with Elvis Costello, Paul McCartney and The Band being just a few of the many. As successful as his career as a producer/arranger/collaborator has been, his own work is just as important.
Anyone in search of a great pallet cleanser will find much joy in “The Allen Toussaint” collection.
Jon Dawson’s album reviews appear every Thursday in The Free Press. Contact Jon at 252-559-1092 or jon.dawson@kinston.com. Purchase books, music and glamour shots at jondawson.com.