Ben Sidran – Don’t Cry for No Hipster – with octet [TrackList follows] – Unlimited Media *****:
Sidran has been a singer and producer for some years in both the jazz and pop worlds. This is his 35th solo recording and of the 14 tracks a dozen are his originals. He’s a whiz at really hip, off-the-beaten-path lyrics. Another reviewer referred to some of his earlier albums as the poor man’s Mose Allison, and it turns out he even produced an Allison album, but this effort is far more than that. He’s quite different from the Allisons, Frishbergs, Doroughs and Pierces.
The title tune about not crying for the hipster is terrific. As is the annoyingly repetitious but right-on tune “Can We Talk?” The opening “Back Nine,” is about the easily-satirised sport of golf, and quite a surprise will be in store for most listeners when you get to his version of “16 Tons.” Amazingly, it works! And the other non-Sidran tune is by Monk. His accompanying instrumentalists are plenty hip too. This is great collection of jazz vocals.
TrackList:
1Back Nine 2 Brand New Music 3 Don’t Cry for No Hipster 4 At Least We Got to the Race 5 Can We Talk 6 In the Beginning 7 It Don’t Get No Better 8 Dying Anyway 9 Private Guy 10 Reflections 11 Take a Little Hit 12 Sixteen Tons 13 Rich Interior Life 14 Hooglin’
—John Henry