March 2000

Today Patti Smith Gung Ho Arista 07822 14618 2 Patti Smith is back with a bang. Backed by a band with old and new members, she sings songs of things old and new. The title and the cover is referring back to WWII and the war in Vietnam. In a way she takes off from just about where The Fugs left it with Tenderness Junction in 1968. Out demons out! Through the years, Patti's voice has been a powerful, convincing wail as well as a catatonic drone. This time around she's mostly in good spirits. Great band, great production, some really great songs. I believe she's quite pleased. So am I.

Yesterday Roxy Music Avalon Virgin ROXYCD9 The remasters keep coming. And soon we'll have 24bit/96kHz as audio standard (from DVD), and start all over again. This 1982 gem will probably benefit. Because Avalon is, besides being a fabulous collection of songs, an audiophile's wet dream. Trip the light fantastic, yeah. There is especially this thing, 1:50 into the title track, where Yanick Etienne hits a note that still sends shivers down my spine every time I hear it. I'm usually not trainspotting, but this cries out only one thing: You are alone but not alone.