Album Reviews

Various Artists

True Voices

Artist:     Various Artists

Album:     True Voices

Label:     Sunset Blvd Records

Release Date:     1.21.2020 89

89

True Voices is an honest homage to those iconoclastic artists who have passed away, performed by artists who truly felt the impact of their songwriting. In some cases, the performers on this CD have themselves died since leaving their homages. One stellar example is Gene Clark, who died not long after using his beautiful, charismatic voice to give Phil Och’s “Changes” a new life. Richie Furay (who learned much of his craft from the Byrds) in turn paid tribute to Clark with his authentic reading of Clark’s “She Don’t Care about Time.”

Each performance reminds us of the power of those who came before and have since lost. Tom Petty, Tim Hardin, Kate Bush, P.F. Sloan, and Tim Buckley are treated with sublime respect. Pat Robinson proves that Del Shannon was so much more than the guy who sang “Runaway.” Listen to his heartfelt version of the beautiful but little-known “To Love Someone.”  Susan Cowsill (yes, that Susan Cowsill) lovingly covers Sandy Denny’s glorious “At the End of the Day.” Percy Sledge brings his soulful muscle to “Fall Inside Your Eyes,” an intimate gem by Jackie Lomax.

Opening the tribute is the only recorded version of Jim Morrison’s poem, “Ode to L.A. While Thinking of Brian Jones, Deceased,” which, with Johnny Indovina’s hairraising vocals and sublime arrangement, sets the perfect mood for this masterful collection honoring some of our remarkable, sometimes over looked songwriters.

—Gene Knapp

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