Warren Zevon – Excitable Boy – 1978
The first side of Excitable Boy is an exercise in song craft, heartache, humor and brilliance. It can not be matched and probably hasn’t in it’s genre, except by Randy Newman, perhaps.
The second side gets a bit funky, with “Night time in the Switching Yard”. It’s not what you’d expect, and it fails.. Then the album loses some of it’s radiant genius with Veracruz. It’s probably fine but considering how powerful side A is, it can’t help but be a letdown.
As is most of Side B. Sadly, while Excitable Boy is terrific, all the best songs on it should be available on Best Of, sets.
Grade A-
ASide: Werewolves of London, Excitable Boy, Roland the Headless Thomspon Gunner, Accidentally Like a Martyr, Lawyers Guns and Money
BlindSide:
DownSide: Veracruz, Night time in the Switching Yard, Tenderness on the Block
