"The Wind" by Warren Zevon

In case you didn't know, Warren Zevon has a terminal case of cancer - a year ago his doctors gave him a couple months to live. It would appear that the singer/songwriter has spent the last 12 months, working on pure will, adrenaline and morphine, to finish what is likely to be his last recording: "The Wind."

If I could interject: there's a powerful-strong urge to pan Zevon's dying effort if only to set this blogcritic apart from the music crowd, who have universally proclaimed "The Wind" as a great work. Boy, I'd love the publicity. But I can't do it in good conscious: "The Wind" is a great CD.

First thought: It's surprisingly light-hearted and easygoing. You can see Zevon laughing along with "background singers" Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, Emmylou Harris, Jackson Browne, Dwight Yoakam, and Billy Bob Thornton. Jim Keltner and Don Henley take turns on drums. Except for a small (intentional?) crack on "Prison Grove," Zevon's vocals are strong and passionate and he appears to make a kind of spiritual resolution on a cover of Dylan's "Knockin' on Heavens Door." But then, a couple of tracks later, Zevon cries: "Why stop now? Let's party the rest of the night!" in a raucous sendup that embodies everything that rock and roll stands for.

Don't buy "The Wind" because you feel bad for Warren Zevon. Forget that. Buy it for the purest reason of all: great music from a great musician and, above all, a fun ride.

Article Author: Eric Lindholm

Visit Eric Lindholm's author page — Eric Lindholm's Blog