Songs of No Consequence (Bloodshot, 2005)
Graham Parker
Reviewed by T.J. Simon
The disc showcases Parker as a master songwriter of wry, acerbic, and hook-filled rock with occasional hints of blues and country. While his voice is showing a bit of age, his Bob Dylan-like inflection fits perfectly within his songs including the opener, "Vanity Press" and the album's finest track, "Dislocated Life." Parker draws on the talents of his touring band, The Figgs, to provide backup instrumentation on the disc, and the music consistently combines punk swagger with R&B hooks. Country fans will be sure to enjoy the bluesy "Go Little Jimmy" with it's swampy, chooglin' beat. Parker skewers the corporate music industry on the memorable, "There's Nothing on the Radio," and pokes some fun at his own generation of rock stars on the hilarious "Did Everybody Just Get Old?" At age 54, Parker may be old in the music world, but this album proves that he has not lost his edge.
CDs by Graham Parker
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