QUARTERNOTES
Reviews and Notes by Michael Buffalo Smith
Everything Old is New Again: Special ‘60’s Section... Totally Stripped (Eagle Rock) is a digital download from the newly revised version of the documentary soundtrack that was origi- nally made to coincide with the release of The Rolling Stones Stripped album back in 1995. The recordings were made dur- ing the mammoth Voodoo Lounge tour and found The Stones reimagining tracks from their back cat- alog as pared back ver- sions. They also performed smaller club gigs to show- case the new versions, which was quite different from the huge arenas and stadiums that had hosted the Voodoo Lounge tour. “Not Fade Away,” recorded in Amsterdam
kicks off the set and as you’d expect, it rocks. Other choice cuts include the Gram Parsons inspired “Dead Flowers,” also from Amster- dam; “ The Girl with the Faraway Eyes,” live from London; “Brown Sugar,” recorded in Paris; and my favorite Stones song, “Jumping' Jack Flash,” also recorded live in Paris, France. Oui! Oui! Good stuff… Bob Dylan is, of course, a true legend. Sure, that title gets tossed around like an old foot- ball on a Sunday summer afternoon, but Dylan has more than earned it. Because he can, he has recorded one of the most laid back albums of his life. (Actually his second album of tunes from The Great American Songbook). Like Willie Nelson did years ago with Stardust, Dylan’s Fallen Angels (Columbia) is a tribute
to the songs of yesteryear, the songs of his youth, but don’t expect them to sound exactly like the originals. Dylan puts his own spin on the classics. Easy listening for sure, with Dylan’s voice sounding better than it has in years. From the gorgeous “Young at Heart,” to “That Old Black Magic,” which Dylan adds a kind of rockabilly vibe to, this is good stuff, al- though it is not a party album. Unless it’s a party at a convalescent cen- ter. But more of a relaxing thing, unobtrusive, like a mountain breeze. Great old Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald and Tony Bennett style songs in- clude “Come Rain or Come Shine,” “Nevertheless,” “Polka Dots and Moon- beams,” and “All The Way,” to name a few. It’s another side of Bob Dylan, a man who seems to have more sides than a megagon… Janis
Joplin is back! Janis: Little Girl Blue (Origi- nal Motion Picture Soundtrack, Sony Legacy) contains the performances featured in the ac- claimed documentary film of the same name. Janis is showcased at her very best, and the album features new liner notes from Oscar nominated Director & Producer Amy Berg, along with rare, vintage photos and reproduc- tions of letters written by Janis as detailed throughout the documentary film. There are live and studio recordings from her solo work as well as her work with Big Brother & The Holding Company. One very interesting track is a never before released live version of “Piece of My Heart,” recorded live in New York at Generation in April, 1968 during the Wake for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. concert. There’s an early take of Janis singing Leadbelly’s “Care- less Love,” and great versions of Big Brother’s
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