Steve Wynn - Crossing Dragon Bridge
by Dan MacIntosh
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Steve Wynn made his name with The Dream Syndicate, which brought a whole lot of The Velvet Underground's darkness into L.A.'s Paisley Underground back in the '80s. He sure doesn't sound like the mumbling psychedelic growler he was back then, however. Instead, his new Crossing Dragon Bridge reveals a mature singer/songwriter.
Whether it's biographical or not, for example, "Annie & Me" suggests Wynn still has energy to burn. "We don't slow down for anyone/Who says "It's so hard when you get old."" If he's getting old – which, let's be honest, he most certainly is – he's not admitting this fact to anyone.
When you're a young rock & roller, road travel is oftentimes a blur. Who has time to stop and reflect? Yet recently, Wynn was inspired by three weeks spent in Ljubljana to check his rearview mirror. This trip caused him to think back on a few of the significant places he's lived, such as Los Angeles, were "they say that LA will fall into the sea," and the East Coast, where "they look down upon the West." But despite its snootiness, Wynn found much to love about the "other coast." "New York was just like being born again," he admires.
"Manhattan Fault Line", Wynn's personal travelogue, is not nearly as harsh and noisy as his garage rock past -- that's for sure. It features Apollon Chamber Orchestra and is about as pretty as Wynn can get. The orchestra returns again for "When We Talk About Forever", which has a distinctly Brecht-ian, Gypsy feel to it. Neither of these track get anywhere close to 11.
Wynn is at his lyrical best during "Wait Until You Get To Know Me", which includes the kinds of honest words you never hear on any desperate first date. "Some things just get better and better/Some things don't – whatever." This character knows he's "damaged goods." "I'm a car wreck," he admits, "that's just waiting to happen."
Musicians like Wynn have seen a lot and lived a lot. While it's said that rolling stones gather no moss, it's impossible to live the musician's life without attracting a little dirt on your feet along the way. And while he may not be a perfect human being, Steve Wynn continues to grow as an artist. Crossing Dragon Bridge is both a mature and honest offering.
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