Artist - Tom Ovans
Album - Party Girl
Label - Evangeline
Party Girl may be the best album Bob Dylan has made in 20 years (think Infidels, rather than Oh Mercy).
Unlike the overrated Joe Henry, Tom Ovans' music sounds unforced, bluesy as Tom Waits and as gritty as a gravel pit.
It is hard to get past his vocal similarity to an on-form Dylan (should you want to) on this 11th album - the Austin, Texas-based musician makes music based on lyrics that could double as poetry, and Party Girl contains 12 new songs, not one of which contains a weak moment.
The music is delivered in a swaggering unrelenting style that sounds exactly like the way it was recorded - bunkered up while an ice storm swept outside, with an intensity and focus that envelopes the music.
Seriously, if you're a Dylan fan and you've not heard Ovans before, do yourself a favour and find this disc - there is no apology thought about or offered for the similarity.
In fact, while we are grateful that Dylan puts out an album as OK as Modern Times, it should be noted that Party Girl is its superior in every way.
Album of the week.
ACE Rating 9/10
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