What’s not to like about the Wallflowers? On a recent podcast, the band’s lead, Jakob, mused on about being Bob Dylan’s son. An unexpected answer came. I mean, his dad is arguably the most influential songwriter of a generation. Highway 61 is often considered in the list of top ten albums of all-time, if not Number 1. Like a Rolling Stone. Desolation Row.
Pressure, right?
Yet, if you’re on the dance floor and One Headlight starts to roar over the speakers, given a choice, would you want another song? Sure, Highway 61 is considered perfection. But when the crowd screams and starts singing, “Hey-ey-ey, come on try a little …” Admit it, you jump in and throw your arms in the air. You can always call out the true fan; they know all the lyrics and don’t hum after in the middle. Da … Da … Da …
For reference to those who want to be pure of heart:
Hey-ey-ey
Come on try a little
Nothing is forever
Got to be something better than in the middle
Me and Cinderella
We put it all together
We can drive it home
With one headlight
After the song ends and the last call is long past, one only hopes 6th Avenue Heart Break smooths the set out, a perfect end, but, usually, Closing Time blares. A subtle cliché to call the night over. But, does the adventure have to end? Maybe not; we all cling to our memories and illusions.
And so, after a lengthy wait, the Wallflowers reappear with Exit Wounds. Nine years since the last and almost thirty from the start, there is a Dive Bar In My Heart. Glad to spin a record that sounds like old times but is new all the same.
Notes:
- The podcast being referenced was The Moment with Brian Koppelman, May 5, 2021. There is no website to reference but your podcast of choice should be able to find it with ease.
- A quick Google research can find the full lyrics to an almost perfect song. With the hindsight of age, I can’t even tag overplayed.
- I find the original album underrated.
