Spins: Joan Osborne, Pretty Little Stranger

I perked up to find this advance CD in my mail (release date 11/14/06 on Vanguard). Osborne has such powerful pipes, but I'm sorry to report they're not put to good use here. There's something way too clean and clinical about the country-rock production, by Steve Buckingham. It's the sound of hired hands who are competently doing their jobs--no sweat or grit to bring out the bluesy edge in Osborne's voice.

The disc includes a cover of "Brokedown Palace"--one of my personal favorites from the Grateful Dead catalog (Osborne has been appearing with Phil Lesh et al. in recent years). But this version somehow lacks the feeling of wonder that makes the original so transporting...


A far more satisfying recent Dead cover, btw, is Catherine Russell's version of "New Speedway Boogie" on Cat. Sweet acoustic blues groove and in-the-pocket vocals, well worth checking out. Russell is a seasoned backup singer (Steely Dan, David Bowie), and Cat is her debut.