 |
The Next Hundred Years Name-dropping alert: I had never heard of Ted Hawkins until he came highly recommended to me by Paul Westerberg the first time I interviewed him. Hawkins' most recent disc at that time, Happy Hour, is a very engaging mix of acoustic blues/folk/pop and a great introduction to this Venice Beach street musician. The Next 100 Years, however, is a masterpiece. With a bare-bones backup band for the first time, it's subtler and harder to label than its predecessors, and even harder to resist. His performance of Jesse Winchester's "Biloxi" transports me to the Gulf Coast and "There Stands the Glass" is the most eloquent drinking song you'll ever hear. |
