Sentimental Hygiene
WARREN ZEVON
(Virgin)
Zevon all but vanished for five years after leaving his longtime label Asylum in '82, so when word got out about Sentimental Hygiene, ardent fans anticipated it with enthusiasm and a little trepidation. It turned out to be one of the two greatest albums of his career. Excitable Boy was more a hallmark, but Hygiene packs the same razor wit and sardonic irony — plus it has three guys from R.E.M. backing Zevon, giving the disc a more kinetic sound than some of the SoCal smoothness that marked his earlier work. Crunchy rockers "Boom Boom Mancini" and "Detox Mansion," as well as the tender ballad "Reconsider Me," all take their rightful place in the upper, upper echelon of the Zevon canon.
This article appears in Nov 7-13, 2007.