| David Wilcox has just released a brand-new CD entitled Rhythm of Love, which was showcased to a huge crowd at The Horseshoe on Queen Street West (Thursday, October 26/00). Unfortunately this writer was not aware that the show was slated to begin at 10:30 p.m., so when I wandered in around midnight, the show was all but done, except for two extended encore presentations featuring his classic hits like "Layin' Pipe", "Downtown Came Uptown for You" (with some enthusiastic crowd participation), "My Baby Does the Grind" and capped off with the "Hypnotizing Boogie". I predict that the new CD, produced by the ever-talented Colin Linden (who performed with the band that night), is going to be very commercially successful. While the closest he gets to another "Hypnotizin' Boogie" is a fairly smoking version of the traditional "Rattlesnakin' Daddy" (a la "Some People Call Me a Bad Apple"), it doesn't come anywhere near the same tempo. The title track recalled memories of "Memphis in the Meantime" by John Hiatt. My personal favourites were the CD opener "Hook it Boy" (about an apathetic, mis-parked car owner?) and "Already Got What You Need", a great tune, heavy on the funky bass and saxophone, whose lyrics reminded me of John Mayall's "Television Eye", addressing out-of-control consumerism in pursuit of the "right" image. "Mama", a catchy little tune pleading for assistance after an evening of over-indulgence, and "I Need a Vice" were "classic" David Wilcox, with Colin Linden contributing on mandolin and as the "gnarly talking guy". There's a really pretty blues ballad called "Broken Trees" about regrets, unfulfilled promises and the inevitability of change in our lives and a wonderful little ditty closing things off called "Play that Guitar Rag" which recalled Dan Hicks & The Hot Licks, but without the female backing vocals. And speaking of which, Sarah Harmer does perform that duty on "Easy Like Rain" and "High Water Rising". Jorn Andersen (drums) and David Rose (bass) accompany David throughout the CD, while Richard Bell (organ), Richard Underhill (alto saxophone), Suzie Vinnick (backing vocals), and Colin Cripps and Rich House make guest appearances. While the overall vibe emanating from this recording is a world-weary "been there and done that", David's characteristic optimism and humour save it from sounding self-indulgent, which indicates to me he'll be rockin' for a good long while yet. And he's still great "live"!! D.D. Rocker [Article published in to-nite - October 2000] . [N.B. As there is another singer-songwriter of the same name in the U.S., this Canadian musician now performs under the name David K. Wilcox (the "K" stands for Karl, which is David's first name - May/02]. |
| "HOT, HOT PAPA" HAS STILL GOT WHAT IT TAKES! |
| PERFORMANCE AND CD REVIEW (This article was also published at www.to-nite.net) |
 |
| RHYTHM OF LOVE - DAVID WILCOX |
 |
| TO RETURN TO THE CD REVIEW INDEX, |