Chrissie Hynde & Valve
Bone Woe Ensemble
Valve Bone Woe (BMG)
This is the jazzy pop record that rocker Chrissie Hynde has always threatened to make. Focusing on the late 1950’s through the early 1960’s, it’s a pleasant record that isn’t overly fussy, which is welcome relief these days. An emotional voice lending its own beauty, as well as its own flaws.
The Kinks’ “No Return” sounds even more samba-like than the original, and Brian Wilson’s “Caroline, No” gets turned into a sultry torch song. Sinatra’s “I’m A Fool To Love You” takes on a whole new elegance in Hynde’s hands. This is a very special moment in a long and fascinating career.
By Dan Pavelich
