Old Souls & Wolf Tickets

Artist: Chuck E. Weiss
Label: Slow River Records
Category: Music

Average customer rating:

Format: Enhanced
Media: Audio CD
Number Of Discs: 1

UPC: 635981005722
EAN: 0635981005722
ASIN: B00005UDPI

Release Date: 2002-01-22

Old Souls & Wolf Tickets

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General

| R&B | Styles | Music

General

| Rock | Styles | Music

Roots Rock

| Rock | Styles | Music

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Poetry

| Poetry, Spoken Word & Interviews | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

Tracks:

Congo Square At Midnight
Tony Did The Boogie Woogie
It Don't Happen Overnight
Sweetie-O
Piggly Wiggly
Two-Tone Car (an auto-body experience)
Anthem For Old Souls
Sneaky Jesus
Down The Road A Piece
No Hep Cats
Jolie's Nightmare (Mr. House Dick)
Blood Alley
G-d Damn Liars
Dixieland Funeral

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Amazon.com

With a career work ethic that would shame the slackest slacker--or even Randy Newman--this 2002 release marks just the second album by inveterate L.A. music fixture Chuck E. Weiss (and subject of Rickie Lee Jones's 1979 hit, "Chuck E.'s in Love") in 18 years. And unlikely as it seems, this follow up to his 1999 rough-cut jewel, <I>Extremely Cool</I>, finds Weiss on a creative, if typically slapdash, roll. This gleefully haphazard cocktail of blues, swing, be-bop, and Dixieland still can't escape comparisons with old pal Tom Waits, except that Weiss's self-dubbed "alternative jungle music" is typically more accessible--and infinitely more hilarious--than his better-publicized peer. Typically (and gratifyingly), Weiss approaches this music with all the dignity of a lush at an open bar: slave chants rub shoulders with middle-aged Jew hoodoo ("Congo Square at Midnight"); the tale of "Sweetie-O" swings to a spare hipster groove laid down by guitarist Tony Gilkyson; the patent falsetto-weirdness of "Piggly Wiggly" segues like old grease into the '50s trash-can-rhythm shuffle of "Two Tone Car." The toy piano of "Anthem for Old Souls" and loopy rhymes of "Sneaky Jesus" may also recall the Waits connection, but the goofily heartfelt lament of "No Hep Cats" and smoky jazz of "Blood Alley" argue that Weiss holds his distinctly American bohemian traditions, musical and otherwise, in high regard. As if to underscore the point, Weiss has included "Down the Road Apiece," his 1970 duet with blues legend Willie Dixon, a track that's perhaps the album's most jarringly normal. Also included is a video enhanced bonus track of "Cub Scout Suit (With the Butt Cut Out)" recorded live at L.A.'s Viper Room. A compelling argument that strong roots can nonetheless yield a spectacularly twisted tree. <I>--Jerry McCulley</I>

Customer Reviews:

Alternative jungle music.......2006-04-05

No hace falta tener un posgrado en "Crítica de música pop" para darse cuenta de que Chuck E. Weiss tiene una voz y unas canciones muy parecidas a las de Tom Waits. Pero allí acaba toda coincidencia: lo que en uno es oscuro, asfixiante y tortuoso, en el otro es divertido, carnal y accesible. Y a pesar de compartir su buen gusto por el jazz decadente, Weiss está más empapado del rhythm & blues al estilo de New Orleans.
De acuerdo: en "Old Souls & Wolf Tickets", su segundo álbum tras "Extremely Cool" (99), el cantante de Los Angeles, junto a su excelente banda The G-d Damn Good Liars, desgrana algunas canciones que pasarían por el Tom Waits más clásico: la tremenda torch song "It Don't Happen Overnight"; o los elegantes y jazzys "Sweetie-O" y "Blood Alley".
Sin embargo, en la "alternative jungle music" de Weiss (como él define su estilo) el influjo de New Orleans es más que evidente, por lo que con frecuencia resulta un curioso y excitante cruce entre Waits y Dr.John: en "Congo Square At Midnight" (con cantos tribales onomatopéyicos característicos de los indios del Mardi Gras); en "Sneaky Jesus" (con ritmos exuberantes y coloristas); en "No Hep Cats" (rhythm & blues a lo Professor Longhair); en "Anthem For Old Souls" (con el ritmo cansino marcado por la tuba y un piano de juguete); y en ese "Dixieland Funeral" (una brutalidad dixie con brass band desmesurada).
Weiss va más allá de los ritmos crudos de los pantanos, y con su voz rota ataca el rock & roll desquiciado ("Tony Did The Boogie Woogie"), el espiritual paródico ("Piggly Wiggly"), el honky tonk arrollador ("Two-Tone Car") y los recitados ("Jolie's Nightmare", construido sobre riffs a lo Link Wray). "Old Souls & Wolf Tickets" se completa con dos curiosidades: un vídeo en directo, y un documento sonoro de 1970 donde un joven Chuck se une a la banda de Willie Dixon en el ortodoxo boogie blues "Down The Road A Piece".

Did I mention he is an acquired taste?.......2006-03-09

How to describe Chuck E. Weiss, hmmmm, well he is one part Tom Waits and then throw in some Dr. John. The New Orleans sound is dominant as are rambling songs that appear to be spontaneous takes. Hell, let's just say he is different and not for everybody. But if you are in the right mood, that perfect mood, this album cannot last long enough.

Refreshing Blues With A Twist!.......2002-03-29

Chuck E. Weiss is the epitome of cool. As a teenager, Chuck E. toured various venues with the late Lightnin' Hopkins and Willie Dixon and in the late 70's he was the subject of Rickie Lee Jones top ten tune "Chuck E.'s In Love". His friends include Tom Waits and Johnny Depp. In fact, Weiss together with Depp founded the Viper Room in Los Angeles which is featured in the video enhanced track contained on the disc "Dixieland Funeral". Musically, Weiss recorded a solo album in the 70's which, for unknown reasons, received only limited distribution. So dismal were the results, Weiss opted to perform in clubs of his choosing and did not record another solo CD until coaxed back to the studio in 1999 by friend, Tom Waits who co-produced the exceptional "Extremely Cool". While, Waits does not play a role in the production of this disc, his influence is heard throughout, especially in tunes like "Congo Square At Midnight", "No Hep Cats" and "Sneaky Jesus". Overall, the CD is not blues in the more traditional sense. It is, however, heavily jazz/ blues influenced and some songs, like "Down The Road A Piece" and "Dixieland Funeral" would be at home in any Dixie bar. This is a musical experience not to be missed. Pick this up and then seek out "Extremely Cool".

Early Candidate for "Best of '02" List.......2002-02-01

To my ears, this is an amazing new release by Chuck E. Weiss, and one that actually has me starting my "Best Of" list only 31 days into '02. It fulfills the promise made last year on Weiss's first effort in almost two decades. How? By standing apart from (possibly, above!) his primary musical and lyrical influences.

What makes this CD especially memorable is the appearance of Mr. Willie Dixon. While most often Weiss is compared to his old running mate Tom Waits -- for prettydamngoodreason -- this time it's also impossible not to hear other strong influences reminiscent of Dr. John and Professor Longhair at their Cajun-gumbo-best.

Anyone who needs a shot of rhythm & blues can get a distillery-load off this disc.

The songs are sometimes simultaneously humorous and serious, but none are done simply to be clever. This is a display of the real crafts of songwriting and tunesmithing.

Maybe it's simply wishful thinking on my part, but in my mind, I can hear Van Morrison doing these songs. The relaxed and confident freeform style is so comparable. I wish-to-god Morrison would listen to this disc and re-ignite his dedication to original blues/jazz/rock roots.

Music Album:

Music Album

Music Album

Music CD

Orfeu ~ Ron Carter

Panorama: Trumpet Prism ~ Vaughn Nark

Duke Ellington Plays Billy Strayhorn

The Collection ~ Kenny G

Siku Ya Bibi ~ Charles McPherson

Classic Jazz Piano ~ Various Artists

Baida ~ Faudel

Akwaaba ~ Various Artists

Tempo Novo ~ Wilson Miranda

The Best of Koffi Olomide ~ Koffi Olomide