Review: Kasey Anderson- Heart of a Dog

Video stream of Kasey Anderson performing at SXSW in 2010.

Another album that serves as a de facto tribute to Exile On Main Street? No thanks.

That was my initial reaction to Heart of a Dog, the new release by Kasey Anderson. Songs like "Mercy" and "My Baby's a Wrecking Ball" are little more than homages to Keith Richards. Thing is- they're really good homages. And Heart of a Dog feels entirely honest. Contemporary references, such as a mention of Sharon Jones, show that Anderson isn't living in the past. And the album closes with a rough-and-tumble version of the English Beat's "Save It For Later."

Heart of a Dog obviously isn't a ground-breaking album. But the next time I'm in the mood to hear authentic, no-frills rock'n'roll, I just might turn to Heart of a Dog instead of Gaslight Anthem, Green On Red, Lucero or out-takes from Darkness On the Edge of Town.

(A free download of "Mercy" is available at Twangville.)

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My first impression of "H.A.M."? The mashup of Teflon Don and Kanye's MBDTF is disappointing mixtape fodder.

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I'd considered featuring the late Mick Karn in an elaborate post, but I just couldn't put it together. I'd seen him perform just once, and my memory of that event is sketchy. Karn died January 4.

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Pyramidwest provides a profile of Ron Ron.

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Joe "Crunchy" Espinosa of Ozomatli has died.

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I'll be surprised if Joe Lovano's Bird Songs isn't in my year-end Top Ten list.

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Kansas City Click: New Jazz Order returns to Harling's on Tuesday.

You'd have to pay me to attend Wednesday's Koo Koo Kangaroo at the Record Bar.

Rhonda Vincent is featured at the recently reactivated Northtown Opry on Thursday.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)