Jackson Browne's Spanish souvenir 'Love Is Strange/En Vivo con Tino' to be released this week

By Phyllis Pollack

Jackson Browne’s new album Love Is Strange is a collection of his live performances recorded in Spain during his tour with David Lindley. The album, subtitled, En Vivo Con Tino, features renowned Spanish percussionist Tino di Geraldo, as well as other musicians from Spain, Luz Casal, Kiko Veneno and Carlos Nunez. Produced by Paul Dieter, it is slated for release on May 11, 2010. It will be released by Browne’s Inside Records label.

The album revisits songs written throughout Browne’s recording career, including “Take It Easy,” “Late For The Sky,” and Running On Empty,” and “For Everyman,” as well as two of David Lindley’s most popular works, “Mercury Blues,” and the title track of his EL Rayo-X album. In addition to giving a nod to the versatile Spanish percussionist, who can deftly play any genre of music, from jazz to flamenco, the words “Con Tino” mean with good judgment, sense or timing. Love Is Strange, En Vivo Con Tino certainly has all three in the combination of Browne, Lindley and di Geraldo.

The almost four-decade long musical relationship that Browne and Lindley have shared continues to allow them to rediscover and renew their music, now adding yet another intriguing layer of allure to the works heard on the tracks on Love is Strange. Here, Browne’s classic songs in his cache of hits have become a living thing, expanding and renewing their seductive appeal.

The double-disc set comes with liner notes from Browne, outlining his tour in Spain.

Browne’s voice still sounds as good as it ever did, as expected, given the fine performances on his most recent tour.

Simply stated, the dual acoustic guitar work between Browne and Lindley is a beautiful thing. The album opens with the lament “I’m Alive,” on which Lindley can be heard playing his Hawaiian slide lap guitar. The tones are remarkably captured on the album. Tino di Geraldo plays the cajon. It is believed that the cajon originated in Peru from slaves of west and mid-African descent. The instrument is extremely popular in Cuba. It was guitarist Paco de Lucia that introduced the cajon to Flamenco music, after obtaining one in Peru. Here, it plays well on the track. Just as Browne sings of “rolling down California Five” (Interstate-5), one can almost feel the rhythm of road rolling under the wheels when listening to the song.

During the concert, Browne speaks in English and Spanish. He introduces Lindley using a Spanish accent before breaking into the beautifully weaved “Call It A Loan.” Lindley offers some playing on a bouzuki, a Greek, eight-stringed instrument that is a combination of a lute and a mandolin.

“Looking East,” with Lindley on oud and Tino on cajon, the song is given mid-Eastern feel. Di Geraldo and Lindley pull out dramatic rhythms that, at least from this vantage point, take the song directions East. A song for every man, the lyrics ponder problems and mysteries of the ages that mankind has wondered since the beginning of time, as Browne’s voice dances over the cadences.

Browne’s anti-war song “The Crow on the Cradle” is also among the tracks featured on the album.

Lindley sings the oft-covered song “Mercury Blues,” a tribute to automobiles, offering a shuffle feel to this American classic. Appropriately Lindley brings back his Hawaiian guitar for the track.

Browne announces that Lindley will sing “El Rayo X,” to loud applause. Lindley’s vocals in Spanish offer four-quarters of what the audience wants.

The bluesy “Sit Down Servant” starts with Browne singing humorous lyrics, in parody of the song. He then goes into the serious religious lyric intent of the song, with Lyndley’s Hawaiian guitar testifying with him.

The next song is “Take It Easy,” a song he co-wrote with Glen Frey, and famously recorded by The Eagles. Lyndley’s fiddle gives it a country edge.

“For Taking The Trouble,” which notes that a loss is not always really a loss, is another fluid work, this one recorded at sound check for one of the shows on the tour.

“Your Bright Baby Blue Eyes” features Javier Mas from Barcelona on banduria. With Lyndley’s Hawaiian guitar, and Browne’s guitar and vocals, the combination is sure to be a wicked pleasure for listeners of all stripes.

“Running On Empty” has di Gerardo as the rhythmic backbone of the song, which takes on a mellower feel than its original version.

Other well-executed songs on the album are “Tu Tranquilo,” and “Late For The Sky.” The stirring “The Next Voice You Hear,” features the trio with Charlie Cepeta on baritone guitar, and Javier Mas on archeleud.

A medley of the title track and “Stay” weaves a tranquil combination before the encore.

Not a vanity project by any means, Browne’s Love Is Strange, En Vivo Con Tino reflects a great deal of intricately crafted musicianship.

Browne's Love Is Strange evidences that Browne's recording a live album most certainly did not mean that he was running on empty as far as ideas, as indeed, it is quite the opposite.

An American leg of the tour in support of the album will start on July 20, 2010