Goin' Local

パティ・スミス・グループのレニー・ケイがキャリア初のソロ・アルバム『Goin' Local』を発売！

パティ・スミス・グループのメンバーとして長年活躍し、またサイケデリック／ガレージ・ロックの名コンピレーション・アルバム『Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era, 1965-1968』のキュレーターも務めたことでも知られる、レニー・ケイ。すでに伝説的なキャリアを築いているケイが79歳にして初のソロアルバム『Goin' Local』をリリース。

このソロ・アルバムには、その膨大な人脈を駆使し、注目すべきゲストも数名参加している。長年のパートナーであるパティ・スミスとは「Solstice」を共作、「Let's Make a Memory」にはジャズ・ピアニストのマシュー・シップ、「Pennsylvania Girls」にはレイルロード・アースのティム・カーボーンがヴァイオリンで参加。その他、ジェイホークスのジョン・ジャクソン、最後のトラック「Yes I Will」では、マルチ・インストゥルメンタリストのデヴィッド・マンスフィールドがストリングスアレンジを提供している。レニーはギターとペダルスチールでその他のパートをすべて担当し、地元の数人のリズムセクションがそれを支えている。

Lenny Kaye has one of the most impressive and impactful legacies in the history of rock & roll, which makes it surprising that the guy has barely had a solo career over the course of his 79 years. Hes a superb critic and historian, a thoughtful songwriter, an estimable guitarist, and a fine producer, as well as creating one of the most influential compilation albums ever (1972s Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era, 1965–1968), and serving as Patti Smiths most trusted musical partner since she started setting her poetry to rock & roll. But beyond his mid-60s juvenilia as Link Cromwell and 1984s Ive Got a Right, the sole album from his group the Lenny Kaye Connection, hes preferred to enable others rather than take the spotlight, which makes the appearance of 2026s Goin Local such a pleasant surprise. Making your solo debut as a near-octogenarian isnt an accepted part of the traditional career arc, though in Kayes hands, it makes sense. Goin Local is an album that packs a lifetime of personal and creative experience into a dozen songs, and the result is wise and full of wonder at lifes twists and turns, expressed with wit, humanity, and the intelligence of a songwriter who understands some of the deepest lessons can be expressed with simplicity. Given his resume, one might expect Goin Local to put Kayes passion for garage and proto-punk up front, but beyond the scrappy guitar crosstalk of the title track, most of the album takes a more subtle approach, with singer/songwriter introspection taking up more space than electric raunch. Goin Local is often inward-looking without sounding dour; Kaye is happy to ponder love, friendship, and knowledge with a subdued joy that makes clear hes glad to be contemplating it all, with the possibility of a few more good years seeming like a real gift. And along with the grand themes of a lived life, he has plenty to say about the pleasures of a good book, a treasured life experience, and the inherent coolness of women from Pennsylvania. Kayes friend and colleague Patti Smith contributed the lyrics for "Solstice," which reflect her singular poetic sensibility, while Kayes vocals give it a personality that belongs to him. And Kayes accompanists -- which include fellow Patti Smith Group member Tony Shanahan on bass, Mark Sacco and Jeff Barg on drums, and Matthew Shipp on piano -- make the arrangements sound open and airy while still boasting admirable muscle. Listening to Goin Local is like spending some time with an old friend and discovering they have a talent and eye for the world you never before noticed. Despite a musical career that spans seven decades, this exposes a side of Lenny Kaye hes rarely shown to us, and it turns out to be fun and fascinating. Maybe he should try this a little more often. ~ Mark Deming