Saturday 9 June 2012

Nils Lofgren - Damaged Goods

Glorious Goods

Guitar god, hired gun, axeman - of the three I suspect the first label wouldn't trip off most tongues, but it would mine. Seen perhaps mostly as Springsteen sideman, that would not do justice to the distinctive guitar style upon which Lofgren has built his musical career. His songwriting may not top popular charts, but it is consistently good, and his voice is another distinctive feature if an acquired taste. It is always the guitar that excels. Lofgren rarely rips it up, and it is the control of dancing across harmonics and taming feedback for its glorious releases that delights constantly.

Just wanted to say this as I listen to this tenth studio album from 1995. As I write, the guitar is being reined in and out on Here For You - not the strongest song, but as ever enhanced by the guitar playing - and the earlier track Only Five Minutes is a fine one with complementary soprano saxophone by Branford Marsalis. This album does contain the great Lofgren song Black Books, always a live favourite.

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