The Music of His Life3 Out Of 5 Stars
When Dwight Twilley was approached to write some new music for a documentary about his varied and rather story filled career, it would have been easy for him to hand off a few unreleased tracks and them load the disc up with previously released (or re-recordings of) his best known material. Instead, Twilley hit the studio in a burst of creative energy and came up with what can only be called an autobiography in sound.
"Soundtrack" plays as ode to a musician who started as a star struck teen with a minor label hit ("I'm On Fire") before seeing the gods of the music industry ping him around like a human pinball. But never does "Soundtrack" betray bitterness, just fascination on his life and what has transpired over nearly 40 years of music making. When he talks about "two little boys with little guitars" in the wonderful "Good Things Come Hard," there's just now way to think it isn't about Dwight and his late friend Phil Seymour. Or the "Bus Ticket" that takes him and his compatriots from Tulsa to Tupelo being about the club gigs that gave The Dwight Twilley Band their Liverpool-via-Memphis sound. Even his years at Shelter get a tease, in the Tom Petty-esque "God Didn't Do It," which apologetically looks at the ups and downs of his music career.
"God didn't kill your record career
He didn't make your fame disappear,
He didn't whisper a plan in your ear,
You gotta admit, he didn't do it
...we did it to each other."
It's as honest (and darkly funny) assessment of Twilley's career, and the man's putting out there himself for all to hear. Finally, we have "The Last Time Around," a terrific Twilley record that has all the hallmarks of what we fans love about the guy. A swell melody, touching lyrics, the touching hiccup of a voice, and a message; "You better get it right, because this may be the last time around." Twilley has been on the fringes of power pop fanaticism for decades. Although I found "Green Blimp" to be a better album, it would be poetic justice if this movie ever came out and gave him the recognition he deserves.
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