DOES THIS DUDE LOOK LIKE SONNY BONO?

Ever heard of Lee Hazlewood? Me either. Ever heard one of the 300 songs Lee Hazlewood has written? Chances are you have. Lee Hazlewood, known mostly for his songwriting in the ‘60s, is having a comeback thanks to the kind folks at Astralwerks. If you haven’t heard his name before, you’re probably more familiar with some of the artists that have recorded his music: Elvis Presley, Dean Martin, The Jesus And Mary Chain, and both Nancy and Frank Sinatra. And your feet are probably equally as familiar with some of his tunes: “These Boots Are Made For Walking” and “Some Velvet Morning”, just to name a few. An attempt was made in the early ‘90s to put together a tribute album of Hazlewood’s work, and plans included Nirvana and Mudhoney. Unfortunately the plans fell apart and the project never made it to fruition. But Astralwerks has managed to not only put together this tribute album, but also get the blessing of Hazlewood himself. Titled Total Lee!, the tribute is a wonderfully blended mix of new versions of old music. What’s really nice is that these lesser known songs are covered by lesser known bands. From the Mexican musings of Calexico to the smoky and sultry sounds of the Tindersticks, this album offers a nice mixture of sounds. And big props in particular to Madrugada’s version of “Come On Home To Me”, which features Neil McNasty. The failings of most tribute albums is that you usually end up getting an album that features bands doing shitty cover tune versions of great music. What’s sweet about this album is that each band is playing the song, not covering it. With each track, you are given a hint of Lee Hazlewood with a dose of the band you are listening to. And that is exactly why this album works. The fact that Hazlewood isn’t as popular as, say, KISS, is what makes this album what it is. Not being a huge star allows the bands to be creative with the music. If you are a fan of Hazlewood, pick this album up. If you’re looking for an album of variety, pick this album up. If you’re looking for a shitty cover band version of “Detroit Rock City”, look somewhere else.