Mr. Hollywood Jr. 1947 by Michael Penn

Mr. Hollywood Jr. 1947

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Mr. Hollywood Jr. 1947

Reader Reviews
Concept albums can be a tricky animal...when they work, there's a smooth, uninterrupted flow to the material. A prime example of this is Aimee Mann's brilliant THE FORGOTTEN ARM from earlier this year. When things don't fall into place, there's usually a choppy, start-and-stop quality to the project. Sadly, Michael Penn's newest release, the long-awaited MR. HOLLYWOOD JR. 1947, falls into the latter category. This tale of a damaged and disillusioned vet returning to post-World War II Los Angeles only sporadically pulls it off as a complete story successfully set to music. On the flipside of the coin, many of the songs work nicely as individual numbers. (One thing that isn't nice...AT ALL!...is the disc's length - with three of the twelve tracks nothing more than a couple of minutes of sound effects and/or instrumentation, and a fourth cut just minimal lyrics done as a chant, the CD tops out at a skimpy 38+ minutes. Even the hidden bonus track at the end can't make up for that!) At one point, Penn stated that this disc was actually going to be part one of a two part release, after a rash of ideas resulted in a whole new batch of songs. I can't help but wonder if some of these songs might have filled in some of the gaping holes that pop up throughout the course of MR. HOLLYWOOD's run. Things start out promisingly enough, with the alternately angry and hushed "Walter Reed." Anchored by a sunny piano that belies the vet's state of mind ("I'm the walking wounded/And I'd say it to your face/But I can't find my place"), this is a cry for help from someone who knows something just isn't right...but doesn't know what to do about it. When Penn, as the vet, wails "Take me to Walter Reed tonight/Baby, I've lost the will for fighting over everything" you can just feel the anguish....by the time he ends it with "I'm mad...'cause every good thing I've had abandoned me. All I want to do is hide", you A) can't help but feel for this broken man and B) you're reminded that this is all still going on today, 60 years later. Pretty powerful. There's a stately parlor room quality to "Denton Road" that almost seques into a wistful barroom ballad...before turning into a soaring rocker. It's the schizophrenic quality to this track about past relationships and moving on (whether you want to or not!) that ultimately pulls it down. Penn might have been trying to go for a sense of disorientation and things collapsing in from all sides, but the track ultimately just sounds muddled, like everything but the kitchen sink was tossed in. Things rebound nicely with the rocking "Room 712, THe Apache." Escaping it all in Las Vegas, our protagonist has pretty much given up. With a tight instrumental arrangement, a powerful lead vocal from Penn and some caustic lyrics ("And if you're able...baby, bet everything/You're going to lose/But believe it or not/You'll be highly amuzed/'Cause what's it worth, anyway?"), we are once again witnessing someone at the end of their rope. That sense of despair and being lost in your own life continues in the haunting "Pretending." With a muted arrangement and a pained lead vocal, Penn brilliantly conveys the desperation of a man who knows his life is no longer his, and what is, is no life ("The windows are barred/But you can't let go/And can't hold on to anything sure/That's attached and secure"). At this point, we have the aforementioned sound effect/instrumental/chant interlude, with "The Transistor", "Mary Lynn", "18 September" and "The Television Set Waltz." From there, things lighten up a bit...Penn seems less concerned about writing songs that fit neatly into the "concept" concept, instead concentrating on just coming up with great tunes. For instance, "You Know How" could very well be about our protagonist, but it also has a much larger, more universal theme of jealousy, longing and game-playing ("I'll never guess who came!/The guy who played the lover/In the film without a name/He lavished praise upon you/And fetched umbrella'd drinks/And when you think he likes you/Then you like the way he thinks/So you trot it out/You know how"). Delivered in an angelic, yet wounded, vocal, the song is almost mesmerizing. "A Bad Sign" is probably my favorite song on the disc, as well as also being one of Penn's Top Five all-time best compositions. Leading off with an absolutely hypnotic groove, Penn delivers the smart lyrics in a slinky, sly vocal. Add a soaring chorus, a hook-laden bridge and silky harmony vocals and you have a true gem! AWESOME!! "O.K." is gently engaging, while "On Automatic" is pure power pop, featuring freer, fresher vocal stylings. The hidden bonus track ends things on a positive note, but I still wish there was more to this album (I probably would have given it four stars, or at least 3 1/2, if it wasn't for the length, or lack thereof!) - I just don't think MR. HOLLYWOOD JR. 1947 ultimately reflects an effort that merited five years to complete. Here's hoping Michael Penn lightens up on his next release, works with a co-producer and doesn't overthink things too much (As with all my reviews, I am giving the disc an extra half a star for including the lyrics, albeit in a confusing, pseudo-arty journal form).

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