As a relevant, vital performer, Dion DiMucci -- he of "The Wanderer" and "Runaround Sue" half a century ago -- only exists in the mind of a few critics and hardcore Noo Yawk fans who appreciate his legacy. But that Dion hasn't been around for decades now, and this one, who's already made a fine traditional blues album with last year's Bronx In Blue, strips things down even further for this audacious new CD. He's not only aligning himself with blues masters like Skip James, he's aligning himself publicly with his own faith.
About this CD
- Release date: November 6, 2007
- Label: Verve Forecast
- Catalog number: 001017302
- Engineered by Bob Guertin
- Mastered by Emily Lazar
- Produced by Dion DiMucci
- Musicians: Dion DiMucci: guitar, harmonica, vocals; Rick Krive : piano; Bob Guertin: organ, percussion
- Executive Producer: Richard Gottehrer
Pros
- Dion's voice is still in fine form, even if his tone has naturally changed since those Belmonts days.
- This is a mostly well-chosen series of blues tunes, and the originals stand up well next to the covers.
- Recorded sparingly, the production gives Dion a chance to make these songs personal, as on Bronx In Blue.
Cons
- Unlike last time, he sounds slightly self-conscious, and gets more than a bit preachy on some cuts.
- There are some fine interpretations here, but much of the material -- especially "Hoochie Coochie Man" -- would have to be completely overhauled to sound fresh at this point. And it isn't.
- The groove lopes more than stings.
My review
The man born Dion DiMucci in New York in the late Thirties may have been raised on operatic pop idols like Julius LaRosa, as Dion himself recalls in the press release for this new album, but he was nothing if not a quick study -- by the early Sixties, he'd mastered the art of R&B so expertly that he could legitimately be thought of as the Godfather of Blue-Eyed Soul. This could be considered old news in 2007, unless you follow the way racism still haunts America on, say, Larry King Live. But when a white man titles his album Son of Skip James, after a Mississippi legend who actually predates Robert Johnson on wax, well, you have to prove yourself all over again.
Dion, happily, does just that on this CD, although the sense of surprise that accompanied last year's album is gone; rather than exorcising some personal demons, the ex-Belmont mostly sounds like he wants to have some fun. Mostly, that is: he may begin with a nod to rock on his gently rollicking cover of Chuck Berry's "Nadine," but by the end of the set he's taken a hard right into his spiritual roots, unapologetically calling up the ghosts of Catholicism to help him through life's journey. Lots of folks identify with Dylan, for example, but who else would cover his "Baby, I'm In The Mood For You," and then later tell a quick story about Pope John Paul II's conviction that "Blowin' In The Wind" was actually a religious song?
