Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Paul Collins: Out Of My Head

2

Paul Collins: Out Of My Head

By

Sign in to view read count
Paul Collins: Out Of My Head
There may not be anyone on the planet more loyal to rock and roll than Paul Collins Jazz. From his days in the Nerves (with Americana master Peter Case) to fronting his namesake band the Beat, this icon of so-called power pop has always evinced an abiding faith in his own music (even in solo digressions from his niche).

On his latest expression of commitment, this songwriter and musician conjures a world unto himself. "In And Out of My Head" features a charmingly ramshackle rhythm section supporting a swirl of acoustic and electric guitars, all of which is surrounded with harmony vocals for maximum dramatic effect. As on "Go," it's as if the the mid-to-late Sixties heyday of The Beatles was just yesterday, but Collins and company display no apparent self-consciousness about the passage of time. Rather, the performance radiates an abandon that may very well be based on the skeletal foundation pictured in fluorescent hues on the back cover of the CD: Collins (on guitars, drums and vocals) plus Paul Stingo (bass and vocals).

This stripped-down approach no doubt also accounts for the brevity of that track—it's less than two minutes in duration—and similar restraint earmarks a number of other cuts. Nothing extraneous crops up over the course of "Kind of Girl," "Just Too Bad You're Leaving," "Emily" and "Beautiful Eyes" or any of the eleven tracks, the engineering of which by the harmony vocalist here, Tony Leventhal, is yet another sign of pragmatism (not to mention Paul Collins' abiding independence).

Rachel Alina's mix not only reveals how the small touches of hand-claps and counterpoint singing mesh with the backing tracks, but the density of sound compels hiking up the volume when playing this record. While there may not be any real innovation on Out of My Head, "You Belong to Me," to name just one cut, conjures up a timeless joy: it's the sound of a middle-aged man (a bespectacled photo of whom appears on this front cover) on a long-term quest to stay in touch with his inner teenager.

But Paul Collins effectively utilizes his powers of reflection for a song like "Tick Tock." Balancing the edgy pep elsewhere, a vulnerable grace also echoes through "Lost Again," where Jason Perrillo slowly unfurls organ lines that maintain the measured pace of the performance. Whether or not such near-subliminal nuance helps propels this latest project of Paul Collins' into the mainstream, Out of My Head stands as a welcome addition to the man's ongoing devotion to his muse.

Track Listing

In and Out of My Head; Go; Kind of Girl; Just Too Bad You’re Leaving; Emily; Midnight Special; You Belong To Me; Killer Inside; Lost Again; Tick Tock; Beautiful Eyes.

Personnel

Paul Collins: vocals, guitars, drums; Paul Stingo: bass guitar, background vocals, tambourine; Jason Perrillo: lead guitar, keyboards, background vocals; Tony Leventhal: background vocals.

Album information

Title: Out Of My Head | Year Released: 2018 | Record Label: Alive Natural Sound

Comments

Tags


For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.

More

What Was Happening
Bobby Wellins Quartet
Laugh Ash
Ches Smith
A New Beat
Ulysses Owens, Jr. and Generation Y

Popular

Eagle's Point
Chris Potter
Light Streams
John Donegan - The Irish Sextet

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.