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Rating: I was not aware of this double collection released in 2004; a true act of love towards Steve, the legendary Steve Wynn, leader of the Dream Syndicate. Then in the spring of 2007, I saw his concert at the Jail Club in Legnano, near Milan, and before the show, I came across the piece in the CD and t-shirt sales area. I didn’t think twice and bought it; a very well-done work, even if my judgment, when I have to talk about such important figures and their music, is terribly biased.
The idea came from his partner Linda Pitmon to celebrate Steve's twenty-five-year career; a gift, a work prepared in secret, without the knowledge of the main interested party. A tribute to a person who has given so much to music but has always been little considered by the Rock business; as far as I’m concerned, it suits me just fine. Many musicians were involved in the piece, mostly people who know Steve and have shared dozens and dozens of concerts with him all over the world.
I have always been struck by the cover image: that chair resting on the edges of a cobblestone street; as if the authors wanted to highlight the absence of someone. And that someone can only be Steve himself. In other words, it seems that his colleagues want to say, "Ok Steve, we pay you tribute, we give you the due merit for everything you have done in your enormous career; but in these songs, your voice, your charisma, your energy, and above all the electricity of your guitar are missing.” A heartfelt and successful homage, first and foremost to a friend.
It seems obvious after this preamble to mention Chris Eckman of the Walkabouts who takes center stage with a stripped-down version of "Follow Me": a minimalistic folk colored with autumn. A dried-out, dilated, enveloping song, with that finale where the title is repeated multiple times and an electric guitar worthily accompanies the singing.
And since we’re talking about longtime friends, Chris Cacavas couldn't be missing with a gritty version of "500 Girls Mornings"; there's Concrete Blonde by Johnette Napolitano with a slowed-down "When You Smile". A track that relies on Johnette’s increasing crescendo voice, capable, as she often has in her career, of delivering vivid emotions.
Chuck Prophet also could not refuse the invitation; and so here is the song I prefer from the collection, being one of my personal peaks of that Dream Syndicate. It’s time for "Merrittville": just acoustic guitar and voice. Chuck takes on the guise of a folksinger and interprets the song in his own way. A masterpiece within a masterpiece: applause from up close... Thalia Zedek wraps it up by bringing back a bit of electricity and some noise; her choice falls on the timeless “Burn” (yet another shining pearl from the Dream Syndicate). Voice, abrasive guitar phrasings intertwine with the composed sound of a viola. Here, too, we are in the realm of absolute excellence.
A digipack contains the two CDs, with the protagonists' comments on each performed track. A worthy gift to Steve for the important milestone achieved.
Ad Maiora.
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