First, because out of the great goodness of his heart, he sang the angelic McCartney-esque background vocals on Letter From Liverpool, a song featuring a band with a bass player whose name rhymes with Sleeve Nimels.
And, secondly, because he's the proud dad of the hippest young band on the planet The Lemon Twigs.
But even coooler than that, Ronnie's also been producing exquisite Beatles-influenced pop/rock -- both as a one-man band (a la Emitt Rhodes, who is probably the figure he most closely brings to mind) or in various group contexts going back for decades.
And now, at last, he's got a CD set showcasing some of that work.
Here are two songs from the collection (the second is one of my favorite indie singles of the New Wave era) that should give you an idea of just how terrific he is.
In any case, I think we can agree that First Songs is one of the most impressive early career retrospectives ever heard by sentient mammalian ears.
You can -- and definitely should -- order it over at Amazon HERE or at You Are the Cosmos HERE.
You're welcome.
6 comments:
G'morning Steve -
I gave both songs my 30 second test.
To my ears I heard Beach Boy, Sweet and Steve Miller influences, all good touchstones for a musician.
Amazon, here I come.
rob
The players are gray rectangles on my screen. I don't why.
re: The Lemon Twigs. They are super talented and have it in spades. However
"I Wanna Prove To You" exactly illustrates why "Do Hollywood" disappoints.
It's too many unresolved parts that don't quite work together. The flow is poor.
I think they have what it takes to get to the next level and take over the world, and I hope they do. They just need the songs.
The above take on "I Wanna Prove To You" is an opinion that's just dead wrong.
I call'em as I hear'em. IMHO it doesn't pass the "Grey Whistle Test".
Honest, good thoughts buzz.
We disagree but I like your thoughts.
rob
I've thought a similar thing. It is a song with changes, parts or movements if you will, that fail to make a strong coherent hook. It has some many good ingredients with that awesome symphonic sweetness but the song had nothing that stuck or that if it was a 45 I'd be itching to replay.
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