Enjoy Every Sandwich: The Songs of Warren Zevon

Amazon.com
Warren Zevon died in 2003, a year after learning he had an inoperable form of lung cancer. He took that year to wrap up loose ends, recording a moving coda to his up and down collection of albums, while being heralded by legions of admirers. This 14-song tribute to the singer-songwriter, coming out a year after his passing, allows for a cooler assessment of his gifts and, guess what? He was one hell of a songwriter. One part fierce rocker, one part slightly abashed sentimentalist, Zevon's lyrical arsenal included humor, sentiment, menace, and general weirdness, all of which he mixed and matched in wild ways. The early hits "Lawyers, Guns and Money" (done here by the Wallflowers) and "Poor Poor Pitiful Me" (recreated by Jackson Browne and Bonnie Raitt) turn bravado on its ear with witty self-deprecation. Pete Yorn’s take on a later gem, "Splendid Isolation," captures Zevon's gift for leftfield pathos, while Jill Sobule’s whispered "Don’t Let Us Get Sick" allows one to bask in Zevon's hardboiled sensitivity; he wanted to allow his spirit to show, but he didn’t want to get stupid about it. This compilation from his last record label was co-produced by Zevon’s son, Jordan (who performs a previously unheard number, "Studabaker") and longtime cohort Jorge Calderon (who movingly recreates Zevon’s so-long song, "Keep Me in Your Heart"). The duo bring together the likes of Bob Dylan, the Pixies, Steve Earle, and Bruce Springsteen to tip their hats to an artist who's songs deserve to live on for decades after his death. --Steven Stolder

Enjoy Every Sandwich: The Songs of Warren Zevon,Various Artists,Artemis Records,Adult Alternative Pop/Rock,Album Rock,Pop,Rock,Rock/Pop Collections,Singer/Songwriter,United States of America,V/a Compilations

Enjoy Every Sandwich: The Songs of Warren Zevon

Average customer rating:

Never follow an act that's better than yours.
a great CD
Wonderful and Meaningful Songs
Better than expected
hit and miss

Enjoy Every Sandwich: The Songs of Warren Zevon
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Artemis Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

Adult Alternative | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Compilations | Rock | Styles | Music

Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

The Wind
I'll Sleep When I'm Dead (An Anthology)
VH1 (Inside) Out - Warren Zevon: Keep Me in Your Heart
Genius: Best of Warren Zevon
Life'll Kill Ya

ASIN: B0002XED9E
Release Date: 2004-10-19

Tracks:

Searching for a Heart - Don Henley
Werewolves of London - Adam Sandler
Reconsider Me - Steve Earle & Reckless Kelly
Poor Poor Pitiful Me - Jackson Browne & Bonnie Raitt
My Ride's Here (Live) - Bruce Springsteen
Lawyers Guns and Money - Wallflowers
Studebaker - Jordan Zevon
The Wind - Billy Bob Thornton
Splendid Isolation - Pete Yorn
Mutineer (Live) - Bob Dylan
Monkey Wash Donkey Rinse - David Lindley & Ry Cooder
Don't Let Us Get Sick - Jill Sobule
Ain't That Pretty At All - Pixies
Keep Me in Your Heart - Jorge Calderon & Jennifer Warnes
Keep Me in Your Heart (Strings Only) - Van Dyke Parks

Amazon.com

Warren Zevon died in 2003, a year after learning he had an inoperable form of lung cancer. He took that year to wrap up loose ends, recording a moving coda to his up and down collection of albums, while being heralded by legions of admirers. This 14-song tribute to the singer-songwriter, coming out a year after his passing, allows for a cooler assessment of his gifts and, guess what? He was one hell of a songwriter. One part fierce rocker, one part slightly abashed sentimentalist, Zevon's lyrical arsenal included humor, sentiment, menace, and general weirdness, all of which he mixed and matched in wild ways. The early hits "Lawyers, Guns and Money" (done here by the Wallflowers) and "Poor Poor Pitiful Me" (recreated by Jackson Browne and Bonnie Raitt) turn bravado on its ear with witty self-deprecation. Pete Yorn's take on a later gem, "Splendid Isolation," captures Zevon's gift for leftfield pathos, while Jill Sobule's whispered "Don't Let Us Get Sick" allows one to bask in Zevon's hardboiled sensitivity; he wanted to allow his spirit to show, but he didn't want to get stupid about it. This compilation from his last record label was co-produced by Zevon's son, Jordan (who performs a previously unheard number, "Studabaker") and longtime cohort Jorge Calderon (who movingly recreates Zevon's so-long song, "Keep Me in Your Heart"). The duo bring together the likes of Bob Dylan, the Pixies, Steve Earle, and Bruce Springsteen to tip their hats to an artist who's songs deserve to live on for decades after his death. --Steven Stolder

Customer Reviews:

Never follow an act that's better than yours........2007-06-17

A long time ago I learned this lesson the hard way (a story not worth the telling, btw). This isn't to suggest that the artists on this tribute album aren't as good as Warren Zevon; that's hardly the case and it's not the point. It's that some of the performances add nothing that Zevon hadn't already nailed. A lot of style gets applied, which is sufficient for covering a lot of other artists' material. But if you're going to cover a Warren Zevon song, you'd better have something real to bring to the table.

Happily, there are several good performances here, and even the few that should have been quickly euthanized seem to be products of simple vanity, here rendered sweet and forgiveable by purity of motive. It seems clear that these acts all share a genuine fondness for Warren and/or the songs themselves. Still, it perplexes me that some people who can appreciate music of such rare quality and intelligence can be so blind to their own inability to add anything to it.

Best of the bunch: "Studebaker" - Jordan Zevon (sounds like he learned to sing listening to his dad and Jackson Browne); "Searching for a Heart" - Don Henley; "Poor Poor Pitiful Me" - Jackson Browne/Bonnie Raitt/Waddy Wachtel.

Not sure what they were thinking: "The Wind" - Billy Bob Thornton (I could understand the "Sling Blade" guy better than this vocal); the Wallflowers - not bad I guess, but they make a good argument that Warren spoiled "Lawyers, Guns and Money" for everyone else and it should never again be attempted by anyone; the Pixies - you can't out-Zevon Zevon in a Zevon song, where his attitude will always be badder than yours.

So it's not necessarily that Warren Zevon is a hard act to follow. It's that his songs are a hard act to follow. If you're going to cover one, leave your stylings at home and bring your cojones instead.

Anyway, I definitely recommend the record. A lot of the material is worthwhile, and even with the stuff that isn't so good, the songwriting itself still manages to shine through.

a great CD.......2007-03-10

This is a fantastic CD. There are at least 5 songs on this album that I treasure, several of which I hadn't heard in either the original or the covered version. Having lost a parent recently, the nature of the tribute also struck a personal chord. Highly recommended.

Wonderful and Meaningful Songs.......2007-01-06

What usually happens is that the first rendition one listens and grows with is the one he loves best. For me it worked otherwise. Contrary to what another reviewer said, Zevon's interpretations of his own songs did not grab me. Ok, I was curious to see what he is about only because Dylan had expressed his admiration for him. And incidentally the inclusion in this cd of a Dylan interpretation was the reason I bought it. Yet the covers 'grabed' me indeed. Arguably the songs are nice, mostly expressing a solitary mood which suits me at this period of time. Moreover there is a uniform style in all the interpretations, so although there are some songs I like best I don't use this record to listen just to them but I go through it from start till end. Now, do they really bring out anything new or anything better? Not being I real Warren Zevon fan I cannot have an opinion, yet the fact remains that this cd is more enjoyable to me than his greatest hits.

Better than expected.......2007-01-03

This is a nice collection for die hard fans and for people new to his music. It's a good blend of famous and obscure Zevon songs. "My Ride's Here" by Bruce Springsteen is worth the price alone.

hit and miss.......2006-12-16

The songs are great, but if you are in the market for this disk you already know that. So how about the interpretations and performances? Well, with a few exceptions the performances are fine. But something about the interpretations didn't really grab me.

There were a few cuts on this disk that were just outstanding and a few that just didn't really work for me. But for most of them I just wondered what the point was. They didn't really bring out anything new, and certainly didn't bring out anything better.

I guess this is what happens with most tribute anthologies, but I had hoped for something different. For what it's worth, I think my favorite cuts are those by Springsteen and Zevon (the younger).

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