Album: “Rebel, Sweetheart”

Description

The Wallflowers: Jakob Dylan (vocals, guitar); Rami Jaffe (keyboards); Greg Richling (bass guitar, background vocals); Fred Eltringham (drums, percussion, background vocals). <p>Additional personnel: Brendan O'Brien (guitar, background vocals); Lenny Castro (percussion). <p>If there was any question that Jakob Dylan is more than merely the progeny of his legendary father, REBEL, SWEETHEART, the fifth album by The Wallflowers, should put those questions to rest. Produced by Brendan O'Brien, (who also toured with the band as a guest guitarist for a month prior to the start of recording), this collection is a well-crafted batch of songs about time and its inevitable passage. Not surprisingly, there is plenty of existential second-guessing, whether it is the questioning of faith at the heart of "God Says Nothing Back" or the renewal of faith that is "All Things New Again." Throughout the Wallflowers career, Rami Jaffee has been the band's unsung hero, playing a pivotal role as a creative counterweight to his more famous frontman. On SWEETHEART Jaffee's contributions are even more apparent, providing-- on songs like "The Beautiful Side of Somewhere" and "Days of Wonder"--the kind of keyboard-driven nuance reminiscent of Danny Federici or Roy Bittan's contributions to Springsteen's vintage work with the E Street Band. With REBEL, SWEETHEART, Dylan and his Wallflowers strike that perfect balance between an energetic full-band sound, clever lyrics and well-crafted hooks.