Music Review

Mr. Hollywood Jr., 1947 (2005)

Details Release Date: Aug 02, 2005; Lead Performance: Michael Penn; Genre: Rock

Following his wife Aimee Mann's Americana concept album, journeyman songwriter Michael Penn proffers his own thematic opus with the characteristically pop-rocking Mr. Hollywood Jr., 1947. Lyrically, the setting is tumultuous post-WWII U.S., but sonically he's still stuck in 1967, humming with the Byrds and crawling alongside the Beatles. Devoid of his significant other's uncanny gift for piercing melody, many of the record's vivid, detail-heavy vignettes come off like PBS docs: intriguing but a bit dull.

Originally posted Jul 29, 2005 Published in issue #832 Aug 05, 2005 Order article reprints

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