New Reviews: David Byrne and Fatboy Slim, David Bowie, Peter Wolf

Two years after David Byrne collaborated with Brian Eno on the brilliant Everything That Happens Will Happen Today, the former Talking Heads frontman teams with another in-demand producer, Fatboy Slim, on Here Lies Love, a loose concept album based on the life of trendsetting former Philippines first lady Imelda Marcos. Santigold, Cyndi Lauper, Sia, Steve Earle, Tori Amos and many more turn up in vocal cameos throughout the tale. "The songs depict Marcos' outsize anxieties, desires and ambitions," Jody Rosen writes in his three-star Rolling Stone review. "Dig into that heady stuff if you like — or just surrender to the inexorable beats."

Often overlooked in the shadow of the breakthrough Space Oddity, David Bowie's 1967 self-titled debut album is also released as a stacked Deluxe Edition reissue this week. Closer stylistically to Flower Power than the Berlin Trilogy, Bowie does hint at an early ability to pen stunning songs with tracks like "She's Got Medals" and "When I Live My Dream."

"Released on the same day as Sgt. Pepper, David Bowie's 1967 debut was an odd start for the man who'd soon turn his strangeness into stardom," Barry Walters writes in his three-star review. "Even in this cabaret setting, Bowie shows his knack for mixing singalong tunes with offbeat subject matter." The reissue also boasts stereo versions of the album tracks, demos, unreleased songs and BBC sessions.

Peter Wolf's seventh solo album Midnight Souvenirs, the former J. Geils Band singer's first LP since 2002's Sleepless. Souvenirs earned a four-star rating from Rolling Stone. "Now 64, Wolf gets that nothing lasts forever. 'The Night Comes Down' bids farewell to rocker Willy DeVille with steady-rocking grandeur. But Wolf knows that dourness doesn't suit him," Anthony DeCurtis writes. The album also finds Wolf sharing the microphone for duets with Neko Case, Shelby Lynne and Merle Haggard, who sings "It's Too Late for Me." "It's a lighthearted country lullaby about growing old that could have been written in 1955 — and another vital, world-wise moment on an album full of them." For more on Wolf, check out his profile in the new issue of Rolling Stone.

For Rolling Stone's take on all the latest releases, check out our Album Reviews section.

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Song Stories

“Dawned on Me”

Wilco | 2011

Jeff Tweety wrote "Dawned on Me" as a painfully honest portrayal of his own marriage. "I think the only real hope for any relationship, in terms of longevity, is to maintain the ability to fall in love with each other and not get too distracted when it's not too perfect," the Wilco lead singer acknowledged. "Me and my wife have been together for 20 years and I think it's pretty unrealistic to always be in love." The song was included on Wilco’s The Whole Love album, which was their first release on their own record label, dBpm.

More Song Stories entries »

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