In the course of a very eclectic career,
Alex Chilton
went from singing blue-eyed soul with
the Box Tops
to British Invasion-influenced pop with
Big Star
, seriously bent proto-punk in his early solo period, and good and greasy R&B covers after he relocated to New Orleans in the '80s. But one of
Chilton
's recurring sidelines was his fondness for crooning old standards in a warm, jazz-infused style. His take on "Nature Boy" during the
Third
sessions was just the tip of that iceberg, and
would occasionally cite
Chet Baker Sings
as a favorite album and a serious influence on his vocal style.
cut a fine album of solo acoustic takes on the classic songbook, 1994's
Cliches
, and in the '90s he recorded several sessions with bassist and producer
Ron Miller
for his jazz group
Medium Cool
.
Songs from Robin Hood Lane
is a collection that brings together cuts from
and highlights from his sessions with
(some previously unreleased), and this album is a warm, breezy delight.
's phrasing on these performances is easygoing but from the heart, and his interaction with
Miller
and his sidemen shows just how much he learned from the great jazz singers of the '50s and '60s. The title
refers to the Memphis neighborhood where
grew up, and many of these songs were on steady rotation on the family's hi-fi set. It's clear
loves these songs, but his delivery speaks to a lot more than nostalgia -- as a gifted songwriter himself, he knew what made a great tune work, and he weaves his voice around the lyrics and melodies with the panache of a seasoned veteran and a star student. On the cuts from
,
's guitar work is simple but full of snap, and reveals another facet of his often-underappreciated instrumental skills. At just under 32 minutes,
is paced like a vintage vocal LP, and if it's a long way from rock & roll, this music speaks to a side of
's musical personality that clearly meant a great deal to him, and this is a low-key gem suitable for dancing and romancing. ~ Mark Deming