'Golden' tones

By Mark Brown, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Mike Doughty

Golden Delicious

ATO Records

Grade: B-

Fans and critics talk about Mike Doughty's clever lyrics and wordplay, but they often overlook the fact that his rough voice is the perfect instrument to make those things make sense.

The former Soul Coughing frontman used it to great effect on "hits" such as Screenwriter's Blues and Super Bon Bon. But as his solo career goes on, one realizes he has one of rock's unique voices. On Golden Delicious, he often uses it for his trademark rapid-fire delivery, but he goes more melodic on songs such as Like a Luminous Girl and I Just Want the Girl in the Blue Dress To Keep Dancing.

Though he left Soul Coughing long ago, his solo work shows how much he was the architect of the sound. Golden Delicious has his trademark vocals with sharp, sparse percussion. His voice, once merely interesting, is now mesmerizing at times, whether it's incorporating snatches of Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In on Fort Hood or his ruminations on "medicating in the minivan" in the closing Navigating by the Stars at Night.

As always, Doughty hits a number of highlights, including the spare and gripping I Wrote a Song About Your Car, but that brilliant- from-start-to-finish album just isn't here yet.

Ray Davies

Working Man's Cafe (expanded edition)

V2 Records

Grade: A

We praised Ray Davies' fine new disc when it was released as an import-only last year, but now the U.S. release has finally arrived. It still has all the joys of the original album, particularly The Voodoo Walk, one of the catchiest, darkest pieces he's done. The bonus demos and the new song, Angola (Wrong Side of the Law), are welcome additions. Angola in particular is more fine Davies writing, raging against the ills of modern society and his own shooting in New Orleans several years back.