Singer-songwriter Warren Zevon died yesterday, a year after being diagnosed with mesothelioma and given three months to live. Just got his farewell recording, "The Wind," a few days ago and have been getting to know it. It's a great end to a memorable musical career: good songs, an all-star lineup of guest artists helping out, and performances by Zevon that range from strong and sardonic to barely-there and elegaic.
Newsday's Stephen Williams had a good writeup last month as we waited for the new CD.
Fans looking for the Grim Reaper redux in "The Wind" will be shocked to find instead a collection of rollicking party songs and gritty love ballads, and some typically gorgeous Zevon-esque hooks, instead of a gruesome package of my-life- warmed-over-and-I'm-Paradise-bound numbers. The exception is Zevon's cover of Dylan's "Knockin' on Heaven's Door," which some may find morbid until the end, when Zevon starts shouting, "Open up, open up!"Brave, intimate and more accessible than some of his most recent work are "Keep Me in Your Heart," and "Please Stay," which is uncharacteristically schmaltzy for Zevon (using the word "please," for example).
Throughout "The Wind," Zevon's voice sometimes cracks and warbles. He is clearly having trouble keeping up with the more breathless passages, but he tries. There's no obvious digital sonic manipulation to improve his sound: What he's got is what you get.
It may be worth checking out "The Late Show" on CBS tonite or tomorrow. Zevon and David Letterman go way back, and I expect Letterman and Paul Shaffer to have something special to remember their friend. Zevon was the sole guest on the Letterman show after the diagnosis and gave a courageous performance. In the interview part of the show, Letterman asked him how he was dealing with a death sentence, and Zevon was notably down to earth: "I enjoy every sandwich."
He was a great talent, and seems to have been one of the good guys, too. So, rest in peace, excitable boy. We'll be listening to "Werewolves of London" for a long, long time.
Update: VH1's site says there will be several rebroadcasts of their recent show (Inside)Out, featuring Warren Zevon and the recording sessions for "The Wind," starting tonite at 10 eastern/9 central. I didn't get to see it earlier, but heard it was a good profile.
Posted by Alan at September 8, 2003 05:25 AM