Discography
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Pricing: $10.00
Rock and Roll is about a lot of things: looks, attitude, girls, rebellion, love, hate, and girls. At the end of the day, the week, the year, the decade, though, what makes it memorable, what pile drives it into your DNA, is THE HOOK. The Hook grabs your brain and your feet and your gut and will not let go. It is timeless and fond of showing itself at times both perfect and distinctly inappropriate. Few have been better over the past 30 years at crafting truly irresistible hooks than Graham Parker and his latest CD has more good ones than a Sugar Ray Leonard fight. Songs of No Consequence continues GP’s run as one of Rock and Roll’s legendary figures. His pen is as sharp as ever (long known as one of the most literate, biting writers ever to ply the trade), as is his effortless coupling of punk’s energy and American R&B and soul’s swagger. Joining him on this go round are The Figgs, who last recorded with him on the live LP The Last Rock and Roll Tour and bring a solid eight-ball-in-the-hip-pocket barroom strut to GP's consummate songcraft. GP has been threatening to use The Figgs on a studio record for some time, and, finally, some songs that have been waiting around for the right situation to present themselves found kindred spirits in the bands’ talents. The whole enchilada was whipped out in nine panicky days, a testimony to their no-nonsense hard work ethic and under-appreciated skills as musicians and arrangers. When asked to proffer an opinion of their collective efforts, GP was heard to say "this record rocks like safari park chimp." We couldn't agree more. "Parker's biting wordplay and adenoidal delivery are once again carried along by smart, edgy pop-rock. By all rights, Parker -- who can legitimately claim artists such as Elvis Costello and John Hiatt as his peers -- should be bigger." Kurt Reighley, The Stranger "His work remains ferociously literate. Songs... offers an orgy of clever wordplay, stinging put downs and sudden bursts of sublime tenderness. Some cuts rival Dylan for existential humor and exasperation." Jim Farber, New York Daily News "Parker can still channel his youthful indignation into sharp shocks to the system -- literate songs that dissolve bitterness into sweet melodies. In fact, the snarling tracks on this, his 19th album - inclduing the anti-media rant 'Vanity Press'-- are not far removed from the glory days of the renowned rocker's mid-70s work. In other words, don't take the CD title literally." Marc Weingarten, Entertainment Weekly "Tenacious and unrepentant, "Songs of No Consequence confirms GP as essential as ever." Lee Zimmerman, Amplifier "GP's done it again. He popped the clutch and out came a few new musical masterpieces." Michael Keating, Portsmouth Seacoast "Apparently, GP was only teasing with last year's Your Country. Yes, it was his best record in years, but it wasn't half as good as this one. Songs of No Consequence is a spectacular return to form by one of the world's greatest rock performers." Steve Pick, Riverfront Times "GP still has the sharp edges that made him memorable in the first place, and if you wonder when he's going to make another record like he did in his glory days, a quick spin of Songs... might convince you that's a matter of common misconception about his music rather than any real career slump." Mark Deming, All Music Guide |
