Recyclables

BERT WILLIAMS
The Early Years, 1901-1909
The Middle Years, 1910-1919
His Final Releases, 1919-1922
Archeophone

I don't expect the heroes at Archeophone, whose archival mission is built into their label name, to concoct a best-of from the painstakingly restored complete works of America's first great black recording star. But maybe some other noble indie could slip them some cash. Dim acoustic recording as well as insulting blackface stereotypes, not to mention comic genius Williams's melodic limitations, mean these collections require some work; although the early material may be more committed, the later stuff brightens on engineering alone. From 1901's "The Phrenologist Coon," in which the big butt may be "the Williams character" or may be phrenology itself, to 1917's "No Place Like Home," a raceless Ring Lardner-penned family burlesque, to 1920's "I Want to Know Where Tosti Went," where the opera being parodied provides a big fat stolen hook, Williams holds up--previously unnoticed touches had me chuckling harder many listens in. Any aficionado of pop history should make an effort to hear him.

MACY GRAY
The Very Best of Macy Gray
Epic

Prematurely ejaculated to exploit a skyrocket's diminishing name recognition, this 17-tracker--five from the debut, three each from two and three, three non-album things, and three remixes--demonstrates the endurance of On How Life Is, the fragility of The Id, and the unjust obscurity of 2003's The Trouble With Being Myself. "Caligula," "She Don't Write Songs About You," and the matter-of-fact "Gimme All Your Loving or I Will Kill You"--all missing--would further reinforce her cultivated aura of sexual rapacity. Nevertheless, her best.

Village Voice, Feb. 22, 2005

Apr. 5, 2005

Apr. 5, 2005