Music: The Loneliest Man I Ever Met – Kinky Friedman
Michael Buffalo Smith
Latest posts by Michael Buffalo Smith (see all)
- Stones Alone: Keith Richards – Crosseyed Heart - March 10, 2016
- Music: The MGM Years – Roy Orbison - January 24, 2016
- Music: New Year’s Eve with Warren Haynes - December 31, 2015
The one and only Kinkster is back with his first solo album in 39 years: The Loneliest Man I Ever Met. The album kicks off with Kinky dueting with pal Willie Nelson on “Bloody Mary Morning,” one of those classic Nelson tunes, with lots of Willie’s absolutely unique Spanish guitar.
One of my favorite tracks is Kinky’s cover of Tom Waits’ “A Christmas Card from a Hooker in Minneapolis,” a recitation/letter read over a soft piano and harp bed. The title track is pretty cool too. Typical of Kinky, the Warren Zevon song that follows has a title we can’t print here. It’s about Zevon’s failing health, watching your body start to fall apart. An emotional, powerful song.
”Lady Yesterday” is a beautiful Friedman tune, sung well, played well, with great lyrics. “Freedom to Stay” kind of reminds me of Kristofferson. This is just a good album all the way around. Kinky’s voice never sounded better than on “Wind Man from Borneo,” Haggard’s “Mama’s Hungry Eyes,” and Dylan’s “Girl from the North Country.” Also great is Kinky’s cover of a lesser known Johnny Cash song called “Pickin’ Time,” and a couple of lovely songs from days gone by; “Wand’rin Star” and the beautiful “A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square”.
The Loneliest Man I Ever Met may have been a long time coming, but it was worth the wait. I get the same feeling after playing this that I do after listening to a new Kris Kristofferson album. A very calm, happy feeling…..
