Wallflowers
The world is littered with the failed offspring of the famous. Often these stories are comic but on more than one occasion they've turned tragic. Bob Dylan is a legend. Jakob is his son. After the Wallflowers, with Jakob as the singer and principal songwriter, were dropped by their label following their debut album, it looked as though Jakob was going to forever live in his dad's shadow. However, the younger Dylan had a couple tricks left.
Quickly rebounding, the Wallflowers; Dylan, Rami Jaffe (keyboards), Greg Richling (bass), Michael Ward (guitar) and Mario Calire (drums) hooked up with Interscope Records and got a second chance at making a first impression.
"6th Avenue Heartache," the first single off "Bringing Down The Horse," was not surprising choice since a demo of that song got them signed. While the song did OK, it was the troubled yet defiantly captivating "One Headlight," that broke through and made the Wallflowers a major act.
The "Breach" album was released in '01 with "Red Letter Days" coming a year later. Neither album had the impact of "Bringing Down The Horse." In '05 the group made something of a comeback with "Rebel, Sweetheart."
For the next few years the Wallflowers toured but that was about it. Dylan released his solo debut in '08, the acoustic "Seeing Things."
The "Bringing Down The Horse," album took Jakob Dylan from being an icon's son to a star in his own right. While the album contained "6th Avenue Heartache" and "The Difference," "One Headlight" was the Wallflower's inescapable song.
"Letters From The Wasteland" kicks off "Breach." It Rocks. That's exactly what you want from an opening track. Not surprisingly, Dylan's lyrics have twists and turns that invite interpretation. Just like his old man. "Some Flowers Bloom Dead" "Murder 101" are the two other haunting Rockers. "Hand Me Down" is a mid-tempo Blues recreation of "6th Avenue Heartache," while the hook laden "Sleepwalker" comes closest to "One Headlight's" dramatic turf. As with "Bringing Down The Horse," Dylan wrote all the songs. A bonus CD has a live version of "Invisible City" and an alternate version of "Sleepwalker.
"Breach," doesn't have the intensity or urgency that marked "Horses" but things really slide with "Red Letter Days." This cozily distracted effort opens with acoustic Rocker "When You're On Top," where Dylan does a passable imitation of his dad. Why? He made a big deal distancing himself from his legendary father early in his career. While he may still lack the old man's depth and perception, he is usually a far better singer. "How Good Can It Get," "Feels Like Summer Again" and "Here In Pleasantville" are good songs, and only good songs. Where the Wallflowers fail most glaringly is when they try to put some teeth in their music. "Everybody Out Of The Water" and "Too Late To Quit" have the energy but they don't connect. Missing is the euphoric feeling of their earlier, more reckless songs. All the opaque lyrics in the world can't cover that up.
On "Rebel, Sweetheart" The Wallflowers use Springsteen, Petty, Seger and even Mellencamp as touchstones. That's a good thing. There are life stories told with energy and urgency. "The Beautiful Side Of Somewhere," released as a single, is one of several direct and honest songs; the type that are missing from previous efforts.