1981
The lackadaisical trajectory of Tom Verlaine's solo career has puzzled fans for decades. However, his second post-Television LP, 1981's Dreamtime, was one effort where he sounded fully engaged, writing and soloing with the strength and fury he could summon at his best, and with a production that was hard enough to give this the punch he needed and clear enough to put him and his accompanists in tight focus. Easily his best solo release.
April 2, 2002
Indian Subcontinent Traditions
This early set demonstrates the full range of the slide guitarist’s talents, on his chosen instrument as well as banjo, harmonica and the Indian veena in a program that weds into American blues and Indian traditional music offered with an improviser’s command. Check his inventive readings of “Death Don’t Have No Mercy,” Jimi Hendrix’s "Foxy Lady,” and B.B. King’s “The Thrill Is Gone.”
