Posted by: Daryl Dirham (10-7-08)
Warren Zevon
Excitable Boy (Asylum, 1978)
Excitable Boy has quietly become a classic. It is Warren Zevon at his most accessible and is the perfect entry point for anyone who’s ever been curious about the man who was revered by novelists just as much as fellow musicians.
Zevon came of age in the same musical circle that popularized the “California rock” sound of the 70s – the Eagles, Jackson Browne, Fleetwood Mac – but he never quite fit in. His lyrics were too dark and biting, his voice too throaty and deep, his personality too difficult.
Hard to believe, but for a lot of people Warren Zevon is on par with “Weird Al” Yankovic. They know him for his one novelty hit (“Werewolves of London”) and that’s about it. Or maybe from his appearances on David Letterman, or from dying too young from a weird lung disease.
Much is made of Zevon’s way with words, and to be sure there are heaps of memorable lyrics here (many of the best unprintable), but Excitable Boy also catches him at perhaps his most tuneful. These are solid rock songs, built around guitar, piano and drums. Instantly engaging melodies abound – just try to resist “Lawyers, Guns and Money” or “Johnny Strikes up the Band.”
Plus, you do get the novelty hit and also Letterman’s favorite Zevon song (“Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner,” which manages to conjure up war-as-quagmire and Patty Hearst). Longtime Zevon patron Jackson Browne stops by to lend a writing hand with “Tenderness on the Block,” which has the popping, chug-a-long rhythm of a lot of JB’s 70s’ work.
Excitable Boy was released in 1978 (before CDs, waaay before iPods), so its nine tracks only take up about 38 minutes. If you want more, there’s a reissue available with some bonus tracks. But you really don’t need it. With an album this good, it’s about quality, not quantity. Excitable Boy is one of those albums you can put on and never skip a track.
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