Hurry Home Early: the Songs of Warren Zevon by Various Artists

Wampus Multimedia started the Zevon project in 2001, after it released its first tribute CD, 'If I Were a Richman: a Tribute to the Music of Jonathan Richman,' and was working on its second, 'After Hours: a Tribute to the Music of Lou Reed.'

'Hurry Home Early' runs the gamut of Zevon's career, from Simone Stevens' and Jordan Zevon's reading of the previously unreleased "Warm Rain" to early nuggets (Last Train Home's "Desperados Under the Eaves," Rachel Stamp's "Carmelita," The Matthew Show's "Mohammed's Radio") to spirited pop-rock (Roughly Enforcing Nostalgia's "Run Straight Down," Robbie Rist's "Mr. Bad Example," Alpha Cat's "Reconsider Me") to latter-day ironies (The Simple Things' "I'll Slow You Down," Brook Pridemore's "Life'll Kill Ya").

'Hurry Home Early' portrays an uncompromising artist making accessible records, a surgically precise writer conveying a vision through the lens of Hollywood.

Wampus is donating one dollar from the sale of each Zevon CD to the American Cancer Society.

*****

"While Phil Cody’s cutting take on 'Splendid Isolation' comes nearest to capturing Zevon’s ferocity, other attempts add other nuances, particularly The Matthew Show’s soaring cover of 'Mohammed’s Radio,' Alpha Cat’s entreating 'Reconsider Me,' an industrialized take on 'Run Straight Down' by Roughly Enforcing Nostalgia, and the folk-like finesse of Brook Pridemore’s ironic 'Life’ll Kill Ya.' Jordan Zevon’s contribution on the heretofore-unreleased 'Warm Rain' adds additional legitimacy, although unlike the previous Zevon tribute, Enjoy Every Sandwich, Hurry Home Early eschews more familiar fare (no 'Werewolves of London' found here) in favor of the more obscure. Still, some things never change; when The Matthew Show sing 'Everybody’s desperate and trying to make ends meet/You work all day and still can’t pay the price of gasoline,' Zevon’s lyrics suddenly seem remarkably prophetic." --Lee Zimmerman, Amplifier Magazine

"It was just a few months ago that I reviewed the Warren Zevon tribute album, Enjoy Every Sandwich, featuring an all-star cast interpreting some of Zevon's best-known tunes. I had to ask myself what new insight could possibly be forthcoming from a second such album, similar in many ways, but featuring generally more obscure song choices interpreted by generally more obscure independent artists. After a couple of listens to Hurry Home Early, the answer hit me like a self-administered whack in the forehead. Tribute albums aren't so much about the artist being honored, or the artists honoring that person. They're about the songs themselves. And Warren Zevon left behind one hell of a songbook. By turns caustic, reflective, raucous and brilliantly funny, Zevon used the entire emotional palette to paint bold strokes on his sonic canvas. From the prideful iconoclasm of 'Splendid Isolation' to the gentle entreaty of 'Mutineer,' this disc covers a huge amount of that tonal ground." --Jason Warburg, The Daily Vault

"Alter-ego to 2004's star-studded Enjoy Every Sandwich, this spotlights lesser-knowns rifling through Zevon's songbook. Sketchy but heartfelt, highlights include Robbie Rist's 'Mr. Bad Example,' The Simple Things' 'I'll Slow You Down,' and Jordan Zevon and Simone Stevens on the stately, previously unknown ballad 'Warm Rain.'" --Luke Torn, Uncut Magazine

"These reinterpretations mine the folk soul at the heart of Zevon's urbane presentation.... A straightforward folk approach is employed by Tom Flannery, whose bone-chilling version of 'Boom Boom Mancini' marks the disc's pinnacle. Whereas Zevon's versions paint Mancini as a modern-day folk hero, Flannery's haunting vocal delivery gives the boxer's story a terrifying, stone-cold killer interpretation....This collection deserves space in the collection of any Zevon fan. Furthermore, because these tributes demonstrate the lasting depth of Zevon's songwriting, it deserves a listen by anyone who favors mature, meaningful music." --Ron Davies, Splendid

"Wampus has produced a strikingly good CD here.... Thirteen tracks in all, and to be honest each and every one is a great song. I guess it would have been a bit too obvious to stick 'Werewolves' on here, and to underline this, the songs are more reflective and show a side of Zevon that folks like me ain't heard. Damn fine project." --Dave Hughes, Modern-Dance

"This album is best suited for a Warren Zevon fanatic, as opposed to many albums that attempt to turn people into fans with the siren call of their favorite musical acts. Beyond the appearance of 'Warm Rain,' a Zevon fan will find there are enough interesting reinterpretations here to warrant a purchase.... Hurry Home Early: The Songs of Warren Zevon does justice to its honoree." --Hunter Felt, Pop Matters

"Hurry Home Early is refreshing because it's not just a collection of pop-'punk' bands called on to give their interpretations of Warren Zevon's songs. The artists on this album did a great job capturing the darkly humorous spirit of Warren Zevon." --Gary Schwind, antiMUSIC

"What’s amazing is how the songs lend themselves to so many styles on this tribute album, showing that the songs have strength in themselves apart from how they get played, sung, and delivered. The fact that so many of these artists have delivered the songs in meaningful, passionate ways only adds to the joy." --Music Spectrum

*****

Check out the other Wampus tributes:

o 'After Hours: a Tribute to the Music of Lou Reed'

o 'If I Were a Richman: a Tribute to the Music of Jonathan Richman'

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