lambchops's Full Review: Bringing Down the Horse by The Wallflowers
If genetics mean anything Jakob Dylan is a genius.
The Wallflowers were formed in the late 1980’s…almost immediately, the band was signed to Virgin. Their self-titled folk rock debut hit stores in 1992 to little fanfare. Despite promising musicianship and lyrics, the band was soon dropped from Virgin. After that punch, only two band members remained. Jakob Dylan on lead vocals and guitar and Rami Jaffee (piano, organ). Three new members were brought on to round out the quintet. Michael Ward (guitar), Greg Richling (bass), Mario Calire (drums) joined with the remaining two members to record a renewed effort.
Bringing Down The Horse was released by Interscope during 1996. Rock radio picked up on the songs immediately and focused on Dylan’s family ties as a selling point. Fortunately, the songs were good in their own right. This 1996 album spawned three hit singles. ”6th Avenue Heartache”, ”The Difference”, and my favorite ”One Headlight”. The Wallflowers had a smooth, friendly sound that fit nicely into the pop-rock era. Although, the music was usually better produced and more substantive than that of their peers (like Third Eye Blind or Matchbox 20).
Fans loved this sophomore effort and the album went on to sell quadruple platinum. This isn’t to say that fans always buy what ends up to be high quality music…fortunately, this time the sales were on the mark. The Wallflowers received two Grammy Awards for their hit single ”One Headlight”. There seems to be no question of the validity of the Wallflowers music. Dylan proved himself without the help of his father Bob Dylan (as if you hadn’t figured that out by now).
The first single was ”6th Avenue Heartache”. Most people enjoy this track. I for one took some time to warm up to it. It seemed at the time to be a ‘one hit wonder.’ I knew who Dylan was, but his sound didn’t strike me as anything special. Even Adam Duritz from Counting Crows as a back up singer couldn’t make me initially enjoy the track. In retrospect, I was wrong. In reality, this is a superb song as written by Dylan. It’s rootsy and emotional with a great sense of yearning. The inclusion of Jaffee’s organ along side guitars and drums make this song sound whole and earthy. It’s impossible to deny the merit of this song and subsequently this album.
My favorite track of Bringing Down the Horse is unquestionably ”One Headlight”. I loved it the moment I first heard it on the radio. Dylan’s vocals are soft and low. They are smartly contrasted by driving drums and sparse electric guitars. Dylan’s lyrics are driving and intelligent. My favorite lines come from the end of the song. Performed more intensely than some of the other lines, they are striking:
Well this place is old
It feels just like a beat up truck
I turn the engine, but the engine doesn't turn
Well it smells of cheap wine & cigarettes
This place is always such a mess
This is a must listen track. Don’t miss out on it. This is the song that makes the album. There are other great offerings, but this is exceptional to say the least.
Two other moderate hits were released to radio and MTV. ”The Difference” and ”Three Marlenas” can’t compare to the sheer brilliance of ”One Headlight”, but they are special nonetheless. The former is energetic and poppy focusing on pop-rock rather than creative folk rock. There’s nothing wrong with ”The Difference”, in fact the upbeat mood is nice in contrast to some darker songs. ”Three Marlenas” is actually quite beautiful. Driven by an organ and light guitars, the song has enough elements to appeal to various music listeners.
Other standout tracks include: ”Bleeders” and ”I Wish I Felt Nothing”. But, honestly, there’s nothing wrong with any one of the eleven songs. I do have two minor things to point out. Sometimes, the songs on a whole sound like one another. But, since the sound is so brilliant and so rich, I can’t complain. Also, keep in mind that this is folky pop-rock. Don’t expect grinding guitars or screaming vocals here. Expect great lyrics and beautiful melodies.
It’s easy to compare Jakob Dylan to his father, but he’s still got some proving to do before he’ll ever be elevated to that level of stardom. For now, The Wallflowers can be compared to Tom Petty…except Dylan can sing. I wholeheartedly recommend this album to anybody looking to own a complete, rounded album collection. This is a brilliant album that is appropriate for all listeners and can be enjoyed by all audiences. If you haven’t yet, go out and get this CD. You won’t be disappointed.
Track Listing:
1. One Headlight
2. 6th Avenue Heartache
3. Bleeders
4. Three Marlenas
5. Difference, The
6. Invisible City
7. Laughing Out Loud
8. Josephine
9. God Don't Make Lonely Girls
10. Angel On My Bike
11. I Wish I Felt Nothing
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