- Buy a CD or a vinyl record, get a $1 Amazon MP3 Credit. Limit one promotional credit per customer. Here's how (restrictions apply)
| ||||||||||||
Special Offers and Product Promotions
Frequently Bought Together
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images? |
Track Listings
| Disc: 1 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. School Days | |||
| 2. I Don't Care | |||
| 3. Uptown | |||
| 4. Be Careful There's a Baby in the House | |||
| 5. Saw Your Name in the Paper | |||
See all 24 tracks on this disc
| |||
| Disc: 2 | |||
| 1. Westchester County | |||
| 2. I'm Alright | |||
| 3. Screaming Issue | |||
| 4. Unhappy Anniversary | |||
| 5. Your Mother and I | |||
|
See all 22 tracks on this disc
| |||
| Disc: 3 | |||
| 1. So Damn Happy | |||
| 2. Primrose Hill | |||
| 3. Bein' a Dad | |||
| 4. Four Mirrors | |||
| 5. It's Love and I Hate It | |||
|
See all 22 tracks on this disc
| |||
| Disc: 4 | |||
| 1. Weave Room Blues | |||
| 2. McSorley's | |||
| 3. Black Uncle Remus [Demo] [Demo Version] | |||
| 4. Funny Having Money | |||
| 5. The Hardy Boys at the Y | |||
|
See all 23 tracks on this disc
| |||
Editorial Reviews
40 Odd Years into an exceptionally prolific and storied career, Loudon Wainwright III is being celebrated with an aptly named career-spanning 4-CD/1-DVD box set, including a 40-page book, with an essay by renowned journalist/author David Wild and an introduction by filmmaker and box set co-producer Judd Apatow.
40 Odd Years features songs from throughout Wainwright s career, including works of brilliance such as "The Man Who Couldn t Cry" from 1973's Attempted Mustache, which Johnny Cash would record with producer Rick Rubin decades later, to the genuinely weird "Dead Skunk," which became a #16 pop hit and thus a true novelty in the Wainwright canon, to highlights from his most recent projects, including cuts from the Grammy®-winning album High Wide & Handsome: The Charlie Poole Project. The 3-hour-plus DVD includes an extremely rare documentary made for Dutch television entitled One Man Guy, numerous TV appearances (for the BBC, Saturday Night Live, Austin City Limits and others), as well as previously unreleased concert performances.
The New York-born Grammy-winning songwriter has traveled a remarkable path. Discovered by Atlantic s Nesuhi Ertegun and John Hammond, Sr., the Columbia A&R man who had already signed Bob Dylan and would soon sign Bruce Springsteen, Wainwright established his literary yet utterly unpretentious take on the grand folk music tradition right from the start. He also has a parallel career as an actor, which credits include M*A*S*H, Undeclared, Jacknife, 28 Days, Big Fish, The Aviator, Elizabethtown, The 40-Year-Old Virgin and Knocked Up.
40 Odd Years features songs from throughout Wainwright s career, including works of brilliance such as "The Man Who Couldn t Cry" from 1973's Attempted Mustache, which Johnny Cash would record with producer Rick Rubin decades later, to the genuinely weird "Dead Skunk," which became a #16 pop hit and thus a true novelty in the Wainwright canon, to highlights from his most recent projects, including cuts from the Grammy®-winning album High Wide & Handsome: The Charlie Poole Project. The 3-hour-plus DVD includes an extremely rare documentary made for Dutch television entitled One Man Guy, numerous TV appearances (for the BBC, Saturday Night Live, Austin City Limits and others), as well as previously unreleased concert performances.
The New York-born Grammy-winning songwriter has traveled a remarkable path. Discovered by Atlantic s Nesuhi Ertegun and John Hammond, Sr., the Columbia A&R man who had already signed Bob Dylan and would soon sign Bruce Springsteen, Wainwright established his literary yet utterly unpretentious take on the grand folk music tradition right from the start. He also has a parallel career as an actor, which credits include M*A*S*H, Undeclared, Jacknife, 28 Days, Big Fish, The Aviator, Elizabethtown, The 40-Year-Old Virgin and Knocked Up.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
50 of 51 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
It ain't easy to make people laugh about their troubles, and this guy's been doing it for 40 years. I've been a fan of Loudon Wainwright III since I saw him on Saturday Night Live in 1975 (the videos of those performances are included on the excellent DVD in this set, by the way). I was 13 and right away, when he sang about the United States Bicentennial madness of the day with humor and insight, I loved this guy. In between verses, his tongue stuck out, his body writhed and stomped, and his face changed every second, acting out the emotions in the lyrics with outrageous abandon. This was a guy who gave it his all, but who still managed to laugh at himself.
I got this handsome box set yesterday and just wanted to say that it's well worth it. If you're a Loudon Wainwright III fan on the fence about whether to spring some of your hard-earned dough for it, let me say that I, for one, am quite happy I took the plunge. This is a well-crafted box set. I wish they all were done this well! It's obviously a work of love. Probably just getting the release rights from all those various labels Loudon has made records for was a monumental task in itself. Thank you, SHOUT! In one month, you released the amazing Ernie Kovacs DVD set, and now this gem. Wow!
Inside, you'll find 4 CD jewel cases and a book. The first 3 CDs offer a huge selection of songs from the start of L III's career to now, culled from almost 30 different records. I'm not sure if they were remastered, or just digitally cleaned up, but these tracks sound really terrific. I hadn't expected that, and was pleasantly surprised. Each CD is about 80 minutes long, and has unique artwork that relates to that period in Wainwright's career. It's a great selection and perfectly sequenced.
The fourth jewel case contains a CD and a DVD. The CD contains a wealth of unreleased and rare songs. I've only listened to it once, but it seems to have some solid material on it. I watched about half of the DVD last night... amazing! I think there's about 40 different songs performed on the DVD. This thing is packed! It's not just a few videos thrown onto a DVD to enhance the package. This is a serious archival video retrospective of a 40-year career. Over the years, Loudon has created a lot of TV entertainment, from SNL and appearances on The Mike Douglas Show to Austin City Limits, and even British TV. It's all here, nicely organized, and there's even some video from various concerts tossed in, too, plus some perfomances with his talented offsrping (including Rufus, probably a bigger star than Loudon) There's a half-dozen menus on the DVD, all with unique art/photos and soundtracks (MORE Loudon music! This thing is crazy!). The DVD also includes an older video documentary on Loudon that I haven't watched yet, so I can't say much about it, except that I'm looking forward to it.
The book that is included is large, the same dimensions (more or less) as the box the boxed set comes in. Again, I wish ALL box sets had books this well done. It's nicely printed, on good quality paper (not shiny), and is really well-designed. They text is large enough so that you can actually read it, but there is still a satisfying amount of writing to absorb, here. I spent a happy hour reading everything in this book, which includes two funny and insightful essays by Loudon, some of his own notes on 14 of the songs in the first 3 CDs, and then his notes on all the material on the "Rare and Unreleased" CD. There's also a long essay about Loudon that is very well written and even an introduction Judd Apatow (who helped make this wonder of a box set). Oh yes, there's also color cover photos and musician information on all of Loudon's almost 30 albums, and a guide in the book that tells you which song in the set came from which album. Nice job!
I think this is a high quality product that will satisfy the most discriminating consumer. Loudon's work makes me laugh and cry, sometimes in the same song! So this lovingly crafted box set is cheaper than therapy!
It was a pleasure to enjoy this material yesterday. It was amazing to watch the videos in chronological order and see how Loudon has changed in some ways, and in other ways stayed very true to his core identity, becoming a master of his craft. You can really see how he deepens as an artist over the years (but still remains goofy and outrageous, which is why I love him). I actually think he is producing some of his best work currently, and I suspect this set is just a glorious lead-up to some even greater stuff yet to come.
One last Loudon story. I attended a summer outdoor performance of his a few years ago at the Seattle zoo. He was very entertaining. Just a guy and a guitar, making hundreds of folks laugh and cry (but mostly laugh). I'll never forget, that when he took the stage, he looked comically flustered, and shouted out "This place is a ZOO!" and then beamed his thousand-watt smile. What a guy. Still makes me smile to remember that.
I think this set will help foster a greater awareness and appreciation of what a national treasure we have in Loudon Wainwright III. -- Paul Tumey
I got this handsome box set yesterday and just wanted to say that it's well worth it. If you're a Loudon Wainwright III fan on the fence about whether to spring some of your hard-earned dough for it, let me say that I, for one, am quite happy I took the plunge. This is a well-crafted box set. I wish they all were done this well! It's obviously a work of love. Probably just getting the release rights from all those various labels Loudon has made records for was a monumental task in itself. Thank you, SHOUT! In one month, you released the amazing Ernie Kovacs DVD set, and now this gem. Wow!
Inside, you'll find 4 CD jewel cases and a book. The first 3 CDs offer a huge selection of songs from the start of L III's career to now, culled from almost 30 different records. I'm not sure if they were remastered, or just digitally cleaned up, but these tracks sound really terrific. I hadn't expected that, and was pleasantly surprised. Each CD is about 80 minutes long, and has unique artwork that relates to that period in Wainwright's career. It's a great selection and perfectly sequenced.
The fourth jewel case contains a CD and a DVD. The CD contains a wealth of unreleased and rare songs. I've only listened to it once, but it seems to have some solid material on it. I watched about half of the DVD last night... amazing! I think there's about 40 different songs performed on the DVD. This thing is packed! It's not just a few videos thrown onto a DVD to enhance the package. This is a serious archival video retrospective of a 40-year career. Over the years, Loudon has created a lot of TV entertainment, from SNL and appearances on The Mike Douglas Show to Austin City Limits, and even British TV. It's all here, nicely organized, and there's even some video from various concerts tossed in, too, plus some perfomances with his talented offsrping (including Rufus, probably a bigger star than Loudon) There's a half-dozen menus on the DVD, all with unique art/photos and soundtracks (MORE Loudon music! This thing is crazy!). The DVD also includes an older video documentary on Loudon that I haven't watched yet, so I can't say much about it, except that I'm looking forward to it.
The book that is included is large, the same dimensions (more or less) as the box the boxed set comes in. Again, I wish ALL box sets had books this well done. It's nicely printed, on good quality paper (not shiny), and is really well-designed. They text is large enough so that you can actually read it, but there is still a satisfying amount of writing to absorb, here. I spent a happy hour reading everything in this book, which includes two funny and insightful essays by Loudon, some of his own notes on 14 of the songs in the first 3 CDs, and then his notes on all the material on the "Rare and Unreleased" CD. There's also a long essay about Loudon that is very well written and even an introduction Judd Apatow (who helped make this wonder of a box set). Oh yes, there's also color cover photos and musician information on all of Loudon's almost 30 albums, and a guide in the book that tells you which song in the set came from which album. Nice job!
I think this is a high quality product that will satisfy the most discriminating consumer. Loudon's work makes me laugh and cry, sometimes in the same song! So this lovingly crafted box set is cheaper than therapy!
It was a pleasure to enjoy this material yesterday. It was amazing to watch the videos in chronological order and see how Loudon has changed in some ways, and in other ways stayed very true to his core identity, becoming a master of his craft. You can really see how he deepens as an artist over the years (but still remains goofy and outrageous, which is why I love him). I actually think he is producing some of his best work currently, and I suspect this set is just a glorious lead-up to some even greater stuff yet to come.
One last Loudon story. I attended a summer outdoor performance of his a few years ago at the Seattle zoo. He was very entertaining. Just a guy and a guitar, making hundreds of folks laugh and cry (but mostly laugh). I'll never forget, that when he took the stage, he looked comically flustered, and shouted out "This place is a ZOO!" and then beamed his thousand-watt smile. What a guy. Still makes me smile to remember that.
I think this set will help foster a greater awareness and appreciation of what a national treasure we have in Loudon Wainwright III. -- Paul Tumey
24 of 29 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
I cannot think of anything - except perhaps Man City's next trophy and the second coming of the Messiah - that has been longer awaited than a Loudon Wainwright career retrospective. But finally this new sumptuous box set arrives, co-produced by Hollywood director Judd Apatow ('Knocked Up' etc) and with all the tracks selected by Loudon himself. It's a major document - four CDs, 3-hour DVD and booklet - and so please forgive the length of this review. LWIII fans will hopefully find some information of value here. Non-devotees will probably have already clicked off.
The DVD -
First the bad news: The DVD contributes significantly to the high launch price (44.99 on Amazon, up to 61.09 in-store, if you can find one which stocks it - HMV Manchester, the UK's largest retail music store outside London, only took one copy into stock upon release). But unfortunately many of Loudon's UK fans are discovering the DVD is unplayable. Just whom exactly is responsible is unclear but the advertising/packaging is totally inadequate. A large coloured sticker on the box says "...Also includes a DVD of unreleased TV and Video Appearances" but way down at the bottom a much smaller (10x30mm) inconspicuous white sticker says "DVD Format, MTSC Region 1" - the meaning of which will be lost on most UK consumers. It all smells of a rip-off but I would be willing to bet my last cent that Loudon himself knew nothing about this PR disaster when he landed in Glasgow last weekend (6-May) to commence his 15-gig UK tour. If this had been an import - and labelled as such - then consumers would rightly be wary about the DVD format. But for a UK release to be unsuitable for UK DVD players?! Something has gone seriously wrong.
[ ADDENDUM: 13-May: I have just had a brief conversation with Loudon after tonight's Manchester gig and apparently the DVD will play on most UK machines after all - or at least that is what his label and advisors are telling him. Upon this information from the great man himself, I have upgraded my rating by an additional star. Also, a respondent to this review has said you can play it on a Mac, although it wouldn't load on my laptop PC when I tried. Furthermore, there is a website - videohelp.com - which provides 'region hacks' for most models of DVD player, so if you are having trouble with your copy this site may be worth a try. ]
Curiously, at the time of writing (a week after release) there has still not yet been a single review of '40 Odd Years' in any of the UK national daily or Sunday broadsheets, all of which have been enthusiastic about Loudon's work at various times in the past - leading to the strong suspicion that press copies have not even been sent to them, presumably because of sensitivity/embarrassment about the DVD. And irony of ironies, what have the papers been full of for the past two weeks? - features about Dylan to mark his upcoming 70th birthday! I'm sure Loudon would see the funny side of that.
The DVD problem, deafening silence of launch-publicity and chronic lack of promotion for the tour gigs all add up to the latest in a succession of botched UK marketing campaigns for LWIII in recent years. This time I wouldn't be surprised to see a lawsuit or two flying because this box-set could and should have been Loudon's career-crowning release. If only he were able to employ the same level of nous displayed in his brilliant songwriting when he picks his labels and publicists.
On to the remainder of the package......
The BOOKLET -
For many LWIII fans the best thing about this set will probably be the comprehensive and beautifully illustrated large-format 40-page booklet featuring a well researched mini-biography, the transcript of his 'My Cool Life' speech from 2004 and notes on what he sees to be his most poignant and significant songs. He also annotates the new/rare material (CD4) and pens an apology to fans disappointed at the non-inclusion of their favourite tracks, of which more shortly.
OLD MATERIAL -
The 68 tracks on the first three CDs are sequenced chronologically as you would expect. Loudon's songwriting has matured over the years like a fine wine as his subject matter has evolved, and so when compared song-for-song, CD2 ('84-95) and CD3 ('96-2009) now sound stronger than the somewhat more raw, younger Loudon of CD1 ('70-83). If people who are not already committed Loudon fans shell out for this box-set (and I can't see many doing so, especially following the lack of launch publicity) then I hope they will persevere through CD1 to get to the fruits of his richest vein of material, mid/late-career, contained on CDs 2 and 3.
The big disappointment is that the opportunity has been missed to include the pick of the remaining unreleased BBC session tracks. The Beeb is well represented on the DVD but Loudon's sessions spanning 35 years for John Peel - and later Andy Kershaw - are virtually ignored (there's only a token two inclusions from the 1998 'BBC Sessions' CD). The Peel sessionography represents some of Loudon's greatest recorded work and many of the tracks put down at Maida Vale were superior to the versions that appeared on record/CD, just one example being 'A Handful Of Dust', written by his father, which Loudon preceded in the session (1992) with an emotional spoken introduction that sadly the BBC appears to have lost or destroyed (I have it on tape). But even without the intro this beautiful song would still have been a valuable addition to '40 Odd Years', as would so many more of the fantastic BBC recordings.
Loudon's fans tend to have their favourite tracks which touch a personal nerve and speak so accurately to their own lives/relationships. It's amazing how often they say that when you chat to them at gigs or online. But regrettably many (far too many) of what I consider to be his greatest songs are omitted from this box-set. In particular there could have been more from the superb 2003 live album, 'So Damn Happy' and a representative from the most recent CD, '10 Songs For The New Depression' (2010) which contains three vintage LWIII compositions, 'Fear Itself', 'Krugman Blues' and 'Halloween 2009'. Of course it's difficult to criticise the selections because, as stated above, Loudon takes responsibility in the booklet for picking the tracks personally. It's his gig and so it's right that he should have the final say. But ultimately the crux of the dilemma when attempting a project like this for LWIII is simply that there are just so many wonderful songs to choose from.
NEW MATERIAL -
CD4 contains 23 previously unreleased and/or live tracks. It includes demos, out-takes and even a bootleg recording and so it is inevitably a mixed bag, ranging from the sublime ('Laid' live at the Edinburgh Festival) to the ridiculous (a duet of the Sinatras' 'Something Stupid' with Dame Edna Everage/Barry Humphries). Aside from 'Laid' the other standout new tracks are 'So Good So Far', 'Hey There 2nd Grader' and 'Dead Man' (very reminiscent, melody wise, of 'The Home Stretch'). There's a further promising track, 'Surfin' Queen', which is lyrically strong but unfortunately spoilt by a mushy soft-rock synth arrangement. It will probably be a gem if it is ever re-recorded either acoustically or 'Recovery'-style.
MISSING TRACKS -
For the record, the (in my view) essential LWIII songs which are missing from the CDs:.... Bad Man, Cardboard Boxes, Career Moves [Peel version], Cobwebs, The Doctor, A Father And A Son, Five Years Old [live - 'Career Moves'], Half Fist, Handful Of Dust [Peel version], Happy Birthday Elvis [Peel version], He Said She Said [live - 'Career Moves'], The Home Stretch [live - 'So Damn Happy'], How Old Are You, I Eat Out, Just A John, Nanny, Nice Guys [Peel version], No [Peel version - with extended spoken poetic intro, given the title 'The Cheap Hotel Experience' at the time, an abbreviated version of which later came out as 'I Wish It Were Me' on the BBC Sessions CD], No Knees, Not John, OJ, Prince Hal's Dirge [Peel version], Road Ode [live - 'Career Moves'], Something For Nothing [live - 'So Damn Happy'], Sunday Times [Peel version], That Hospital, Tonya's Twirls [live - 'So Damn Happy'], Unfriendly Skies, Y2K, You Kids Today [Peel version] and the three aforementioned tracks from '10 Songs For The New Depression'.
VERDICT -
The sad verdict is that this wonderfully-packaged box-set is flawed, incomplete and thus not a fitting retrospective of Loudon's prolific career. In truth the DVD was always likely to be the problem even before the format issue unfolded because it clearly pushes up the retail price. Much of the material on the DVD is superb but the question is does it belong here? Or would the wiser decision - commercially and artistically - have been to release the DVD separately at a later date and in its place include an extra CD of the many classic LWIII songs that are missing? The launch price could then have presumably come down to a more attractive 25-30 pds.
FINALLY.....
With Peel long departed (is it really seven years?) and Kershaw yet to fully return to the fold after his recent career break, Loudon is short of supporters in the UK national broadcast media. Only Mike Harding is left to fly the flag. If he - or anybody else with influence at the BBC - can start the ball rolling towards a CD release of Loudon's remaining five unpublished Peel sessions ('92, '99, '01, 02 and '03) plus the pick of the live performances for Kershaw, Harding, Johnnie Walker et al, then this new box set could yet end up with a fitting supplement to help complete the career retrospective. As the greatest English language singer-songwriter of the past 40 years - the most insightful, most articulate, most consistently witty, bravest, most honest and most life-affirming - Loudon Snowden Wainwright III deserves no less.
The DVD -
First the bad news: The DVD contributes significantly to the high launch price (44.99 on Amazon, up to 61.09 in-store, if you can find one which stocks it - HMV Manchester, the UK's largest retail music store outside London, only took one copy into stock upon release). But unfortunately many of Loudon's UK fans are discovering the DVD is unplayable. Just whom exactly is responsible is unclear but the advertising/packaging is totally inadequate. A large coloured sticker on the box says "...Also includes a DVD of unreleased TV and Video Appearances" but way down at the bottom a much smaller (10x30mm) inconspicuous white sticker says "DVD Format, MTSC Region 1" - the meaning of which will be lost on most UK consumers. It all smells of a rip-off but I would be willing to bet my last cent that Loudon himself knew nothing about this PR disaster when he landed in Glasgow last weekend (6-May) to commence his 15-gig UK tour. If this had been an import - and labelled as such - then consumers would rightly be wary about the DVD format. But for a UK release to be unsuitable for UK DVD players?! Something has gone seriously wrong.
[ ADDENDUM: 13-May: I have just had a brief conversation with Loudon after tonight's Manchester gig and apparently the DVD will play on most UK machines after all - or at least that is what his label and advisors are telling him. Upon this information from the great man himself, I have upgraded my rating by an additional star. Also, a respondent to this review has said you can play it on a Mac, although it wouldn't load on my laptop PC when I tried. Furthermore, there is a website - videohelp.com - which provides 'region hacks' for most models of DVD player, so if you are having trouble with your copy this site may be worth a try. ]
Curiously, at the time of writing (a week after release) there has still not yet been a single review of '40 Odd Years' in any of the UK national daily or Sunday broadsheets, all of which have been enthusiastic about Loudon's work at various times in the past - leading to the strong suspicion that press copies have not even been sent to them, presumably because of sensitivity/embarrassment about the DVD. And irony of ironies, what have the papers been full of for the past two weeks? - features about Dylan to mark his upcoming 70th birthday! I'm sure Loudon would see the funny side of that.
The DVD problem, deafening silence of launch-publicity and chronic lack of promotion for the tour gigs all add up to the latest in a succession of botched UK marketing campaigns for LWIII in recent years. This time I wouldn't be surprised to see a lawsuit or two flying because this box-set could and should have been Loudon's career-crowning release. If only he were able to employ the same level of nous displayed in his brilliant songwriting when he picks his labels and publicists.
On to the remainder of the package......
The BOOKLET -
For many LWIII fans the best thing about this set will probably be the comprehensive and beautifully illustrated large-format 40-page booklet featuring a well researched mini-biography, the transcript of his 'My Cool Life' speech from 2004 and notes on what he sees to be his most poignant and significant songs. He also annotates the new/rare material (CD4) and pens an apology to fans disappointed at the non-inclusion of their favourite tracks, of which more shortly.
OLD MATERIAL -
The 68 tracks on the first three CDs are sequenced chronologically as you would expect. Loudon's songwriting has matured over the years like a fine wine as his subject matter has evolved, and so when compared song-for-song, CD2 ('84-95) and CD3 ('96-2009) now sound stronger than the somewhat more raw, younger Loudon of CD1 ('70-83). If people who are not already committed Loudon fans shell out for this box-set (and I can't see many doing so, especially following the lack of launch publicity) then I hope they will persevere through CD1 to get to the fruits of his richest vein of material, mid/late-career, contained on CDs 2 and 3.
The big disappointment is that the opportunity has been missed to include the pick of the remaining unreleased BBC session tracks. The Beeb is well represented on the DVD but Loudon's sessions spanning 35 years for John Peel - and later Andy Kershaw - are virtually ignored (there's only a token two inclusions from the 1998 'BBC Sessions' CD). The Peel sessionography represents some of Loudon's greatest recorded work and many of the tracks put down at Maida Vale were superior to the versions that appeared on record/CD, just one example being 'A Handful Of Dust', written by his father, which Loudon preceded in the session (1992) with an emotional spoken introduction that sadly the BBC appears to have lost or destroyed (I have it on tape). But even without the intro this beautiful song would still have been a valuable addition to '40 Odd Years', as would so many more of the fantastic BBC recordings.
Loudon's fans tend to have their favourite tracks which touch a personal nerve and speak so accurately to their own lives/relationships. It's amazing how often they say that when you chat to them at gigs or online. But regrettably many (far too many) of what I consider to be his greatest songs are omitted from this box-set. In particular there could have been more from the superb 2003 live album, 'So Damn Happy' and a representative from the most recent CD, '10 Songs For The New Depression' (2010) which contains three vintage LWIII compositions, 'Fear Itself', 'Krugman Blues' and 'Halloween 2009'. Of course it's difficult to criticise the selections because, as stated above, Loudon takes responsibility in the booklet for picking the tracks personally. It's his gig and so it's right that he should have the final say. But ultimately the crux of the dilemma when attempting a project like this for LWIII is simply that there are just so many wonderful songs to choose from.
NEW MATERIAL -
CD4 contains 23 previously unreleased and/or live tracks. It includes demos, out-takes and even a bootleg recording and so it is inevitably a mixed bag, ranging from the sublime ('Laid' live at the Edinburgh Festival) to the ridiculous (a duet of the Sinatras' 'Something Stupid' with Dame Edna Everage/Barry Humphries). Aside from 'Laid' the other standout new tracks are 'So Good So Far', 'Hey There 2nd Grader' and 'Dead Man' (very reminiscent, melody wise, of 'The Home Stretch'). There's a further promising track, 'Surfin' Queen', which is lyrically strong but unfortunately spoilt by a mushy soft-rock synth arrangement. It will probably be a gem if it is ever re-recorded either acoustically or 'Recovery'-style.
MISSING TRACKS -
For the record, the (in my view) essential LWIII songs which are missing from the CDs:.... Bad Man, Cardboard Boxes, Career Moves [Peel version], Cobwebs, The Doctor, A Father And A Son, Five Years Old [live - 'Career Moves'], Half Fist, Handful Of Dust [Peel version], Happy Birthday Elvis [Peel version], He Said She Said [live - 'Career Moves'], The Home Stretch [live - 'So Damn Happy'], How Old Are You, I Eat Out, Just A John, Nanny, Nice Guys [Peel version], No [Peel version - with extended spoken poetic intro, given the title 'The Cheap Hotel Experience' at the time, an abbreviated version of which later came out as 'I Wish It Were Me' on the BBC Sessions CD], No Knees, Not John, OJ, Prince Hal's Dirge [Peel version], Road Ode [live - 'Career Moves'], Something For Nothing [live - 'So Damn Happy'], Sunday Times [Peel version], That Hospital, Tonya's Twirls [live - 'So Damn Happy'], Unfriendly Skies, Y2K, You Kids Today [Peel version] and the three aforementioned tracks from '10 Songs For The New Depression'.
VERDICT -
The sad verdict is that this wonderfully-packaged box-set is flawed, incomplete and thus not a fitting retrospective of Loudon's prolific career. In truth the DVD was always likely to be the problem even before the format issue unfolded because it clearly pushes up the retail price. Much of the material on the DVD is superb but the question is does it belong here? Or would the wiser decision - commercially and artistically - have been to release the DVD separately at a later date and in its place include an extra CD of the many classic LWIII songs that are missing? The launch price could then have presumably come down to a more attractive 25-30 pds.
FINALLY.....
With Peel long departed (is it really seven years?) and Kershaw yet to fully return to the fold after his recent career break, Loudon is short of supporters in the UK national broadcast media. Only Mike Harding is left to fly the flag. If he - or anybody else with influence at the BBC - can start the ball rolling towards a CD release of Loudon's remaining five unpublished Peel sessions ('92, '99, '01, 02 and '03) plus the pick of the live performances for Kershaw, Harding, Johnnie Walker et al, then this new box set could yet end up with a fitting supplement to help complete the career retrospective. As the greatest English language singer-songwriter of the past 40 years - the most insightful, most articulate, most consistently witty, bravest, most honest and most life-affirming - Loudon Snowden Wainwright III deserves no less.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Loudon looks back at 40 odd years: a warmly recommended collection
January 20, 2012
Format:Audio CD
Loudon Wainwright III has performed for so long, written so many idiosyncratic songs reflecting their eras, and produced music of such penetrating and endearing quality that no single box set could adequately summarize his work. In the process of assembling this compilation, he had hundreds of songs to select from -- silly and sad, sweet and sarcastic -- so he was forced to omit many great tunes. As he puts it in the apology that serves as a coda to the booklet in the box, "after three or four culls it began to feel like I was engaged in a kind of self-mutilation or the drowning of kittens. I even left off a few of my own faves."
Since major fans have so many of his individual albums, it makes a lot of sense to use only three of the five discs in the collection for reissuing Loudon's music. Over 68 tracks and nearly four hours, we get to appreciate the enormous variety and intelligence he brings to songwriting and to recall (or, if we are newcomers, be amazed by) what he considers his best known and most vital songs. This leaves a full CD for rare, live, and unreleased tracks and a lengthy DVD containing two hour-long TV documentaries as well as over two dozen songs in concert from 1975 all the way up to 2010. These two discs will, for longtime followers, be the strongest reasons for acquiring the set.
But the booklet is excellent, too, including as it does dozens of rare photos and ephemera from Loudon's personal trove of souvenirs, an introduction by director and co-producer Judd Apatow (who has cast him in his films, as have Robert Altman, Tim Burton, and Martin Scorcese), a retrospective essay by journalist David Wild, an autobiographical essay and song annotations by the man himself, and a full album discography and sessionography. Perhaps Apatow best sums up the power of Wainwright's work: "Mortality, lost love, everyday frustrations, family dramas, aging, creativity -- all of his themes move me." It's the stuff of life. It's what really matters.
Since Amazon doesn't list the contents of the 200-minute DVD, I will do so:
1. One Man Guy, a 60-minute Dutch TV documentary from 1993
2. BBC4 Sessions: Loudon Wainwright: One Man Guy, Bush Hall, London, May 2, 2005 (songs: "One Man Guy," "Heaven," "When You Leave," "Half Fist")
3. Loudon Wainwright III at the BBC, a 60-minute British TV documentary airing September 23, 2005 (songs: "Reciprocity," "Roll in My Sweet Baby's Arms," "Unrequited to the Nth Degree," "Dump the Dog and Feed the Garbage," "Glad to See You've Got Religion," "Motel Blues," "Rufus Is a Tit Man," "Cardboard Boxes," "Thanksgiving," "Hitting You," "Career Moves")
4. Dead Man, a recording session documentary, May 24, 2010
5. Entertainment Desk, airing on Canadian TV in 1995 (song: "The End Has Begun" with Martha Wainwright)
6. High, Wide & Handsome: The Charlie Poole Project, filmed in 2009 for a documentary on the making of the album (song: "My Mother and My Sweetheart" with Rufus Wainwright)
7. The Basement, filmed in Sydney, Australia, in 2008 (song: "Needless to Say" with Lucy Wainwright Roche)
8. Austin City Limits, January 13, 1988, and February 16, 1999 (songs: "Lullaby," "Living Alone," "Homeless," "Tonya's Twirls," "OGM")
9. NBC's Saturday Night Live, November 15, 1975 (songs: "Bicentennial," "Unrequited to the Nth Degree")
10. The Garfield House, May 24, 2010 (songs: "New Paint" and "Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder" with Joe Henry and Greg Leisz; "Roll in My Sweet Baby's Arms," "June Apple," and "Unhappy Anniversary" with Christopher Guest; "Kings and Queens" with George Gerdes)
11. 826LA Benefit, January 16, 2007 (songs: "Grey in LA," "Daughter")
12. PBS Soundstage, airing February 2, 1977 (song: "Kick in the Head")
13. McCabe's Guitar Shop, February 3, 2007 (song: "Passion Play")
14. The Mike Douglas Show, airing April 25, 1978 (interview and song: "Fear with Flying")
15. ABC's Nightline, June 22, 2005 (song: "A Father and a Son")
16. BBC's Carrott Confidential, airing February 14, 1987 (song: "IDTTYWLM")
Since major fans have so many of his individual albums, it makes a lot of sense to use only three of the five discs in the collection for reissuing Loudon's music. Over 68 tracks and nearly four hours, we get to appreciate the enormous variety and intelligence he brings to songwriting and to recall (or, if we are newcomers, be amazed by) what he considers his best known and most vital songs. This leaves a full CD for rare, live, and unreleased tracks and a lengthy DVD containing two hour-long TV documentaries as well as over two dozen songs in concert from 1975 all the way up to 2010. These two discs will, for longtime followers, be the strongest reasons for acquiring the set.
But the booklet is excellent, too, including as it does dozens of rare photos and ephemera from Loudon's personal trove of souvenirs, an introduction by director and co-producer Judd Apatow (who has cast him in his films, as have Robert Altman, Tim Burton, and Martin Scorcese), a retrospective essay by journalist David Wild, an autobiographical essay and song annotations by the man himself, and a full album discography and sessionography. Perhaps Apatow best sums up the power of Wainwright's work: "Mortality, lost love, everyday frustrations, family dramas, aging, creativity -- all of his themes move me." It's the stuff of life. It's what really matters.
Since Amazon doesn't list the contents of the 200-minute DVD, I will do so:
1. One Man Guy, a 60-minute Dutch TV documentary from 1993
2. BBC4 Sessions: Loudon Wainwright: One Man Guy, Bush Hall, London, May 2, 2005 (songs: "One Man Guy," "Heaven," "When You Leave," "Half Fist")
3. Loudon Wainwright III at the BBC, a 60-minute British TV documentary airing September 23, 2005 (songs: "Reciprocity," "Roll in My Sweet Baby's Arms," "Unrequited to the Nth Degree," "Dump the Dog and Feed the Garbage," "Glad to See You've Got Religion," "Motel Blues," "Rufus Is a Tit Man," "Cardboard Boxes," "Thanksgiving," "Hitting You," "Career Moves")
4. Dead Man, a recording session documentary, May 24, 2010
5. Entertainment Desk, airing on Canadian TV in 1995 (song: "The End Has Begun" with Martha Wainwright)
6. High, Wide & Handsome: The Charlie Poole Project, filmed in 2009 for a documentary on the making of the album (song: "My Mother and My Sweetheart" with Rufus Wainwright)
7. The Basement, filmed in Sydney, Australia, in 2008 (song: "Needless to Say" with Lucy Wainwright Roche)
8. Austin City Limits, January 13, 1988, and February 16, 1999 (songs: "Lullaby," "Living Alone," "Homeless," "Tonya's Twirls," "OGM")
9. NBC's Saturday Night Live, November 15, 1975 (songs: "Bicentennial," "Unrequited to the Nth Degree")
10. The Garfield House, May 24, 2010 (songs: "New Paint" and "Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder" with Joe Henry and Greg Leisz; "Roll in My Sweet Baby's Arms," "June Apple," and "Unhappy Anniversary" with Christopher Guest; "Kings and Queens" with George Gerdes)
11. 826LA Benefit, January 16, 2007 (songs: "Grey in LA," "Daughter")
12. PBS Soundstage, airing February 2, 1977 (song: "Kick in the Head")
13. McCabe's Guitar Shop, February 3, 2007 (song: "Passion Play")
14. The Mike Douglas Show, airing April 25, 1978 (interview and song: "Fear with Flying")
15. ABC's Nightline, June 22, 2005 (song: "A Father and a Son")
16. BBC's Carrott Confidential, airing February 14, 1987 (song: "IDTTYWLM")
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Best of Loudon? Hard to Say!
Loudon Wainwright has been writing and recording for more than 40 years, and this collection definitely contains numerous great songs. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Zita Medea
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great Purchase
The purchase was a great one for me. I am a big, big fan of LW111. There are some songs I have not heard before.
Published 4 months ago by Joseph W
5.0 out of 5 stars
40 Odd Years
I first met Loudon when He was on "M.A.S.H." as Captain Spaulding. What a wonderful story of His life through forty years! Full of old songs I remember & new songs of real life. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Jay Jay
5.0 out of 5 stars
HIS AUTOBIOGRAPHY IN SONG FORM !!!
Thanks, Loudon, for selecting these tunes for us. I don't have room for all the regular releases. This encapsulates them down to a managable 4 discs. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Joseph A. Kengor
5.0 out of 5 stars
not only for your ears
This collection with very old and pretty new audio material is not only wonderful to listen to, it's got a couple of vids, mainly of the last few years, that show some more... Read more
Published 12 months ago by Yedaki
5.0 out of 5 stars
Happy Birthday Loudon
Great 5 CD/DVD package of the work of an American original who just turned 65 this month. Early stuff, rarities
and great live material. The TV clips are especially cool. Read more
and great live material. The TV clips are especially cool. Read more
Published 20 months ago by Kevin Gallagher
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Box Set!
I had been waiting for this for a long time. It is a great reflective on his 40-Odd Years! Highly recommend.
Published 23 months ago by D. Edwards
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good career overview
If you are looking for a comprehensive overview of what Loudon Wainwright III has done during his long and varied career, buy this box. Read more
Published 23 months ago by Alex K
5.0 out of 5 stars
How could you NOT love this?
If you're a fan of Loudon I don't know how you could possibly not love this set. The songs sound great and the DVD is fantastic. Read more
Published 23 months ago by Matty P.L.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Just what I wanted
This boxed set is just what I was looking for. I got into LWIII's music via an unusual path - the commentary tracks for the DVDs of the TV show "Undeclared" (on which Wainwright... Read more
Published on May 24, 2011 by Robert L. Eichler Jr.
